The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-07-24
EUR0PE'S CITIES
EXCEL IN BEAUTY
Engineers Make a Study
Travel Tour
SEWAGE FARMS ATTRACT.
Public Structures Are Surrounded by
Parks-Gas Tanks Are lnclosed In
Stone Walls Dresden Pronounced
the Peer Of Foreign Cities.

Stone Walls - Dresden Pronounced
the Peer Of Foreign Cities.
The superiority of foreign cities from
the viewpoint Of civic planning and
and plants is pointed out in a recent
interview by George T. Hammond, en-
gineer of design of the bureau of sew
ers Of Brooklyn, who returned u short
time ago from a tour Of European
cities whereon he made extensive stud
les and observations with Chief En-
gineer Fort Of the bureau. The en-
gineers visited London. Paris. Berlin.
Hamburg. Dresden and other great CEN
tiers Of engineering design and returned
with many photographs and notes Of
municipal conditions.
In most of the European cities, ac-
cording to Mr.. Hammond. they did not
find the municipalities much ahead of
New York in paving Of streets and
sidewalks. and in some, as in the case
Of Liverpool. they found old fashioned
cobblestones. They found the same in
convenience resulting from street re-
pairs IS here. except that in Germany
there was no attempt to carry on traf-
&c while the streets were repaired.
1.-THE public buildings are designed
with caution and with M Of the
mercenary methods which are in use
with our architects" said Mr.. Ham
mOnd.
Perhaps the most unsightly struc-
lures in Dur great cities are the lurid
gas tanks that rear up eve in residen-
tial sections. The Germans have obvi-
ated this by inclosing their gas tanks
within stone structures Of handsome
design that give one the impression Of
gazing on a Carnegie public library or
a museum. There is considerable ex-
pense in this innovation, but the effect
is most pleasing and of necessity beau
tifying to the city.
Frequently the effect is still more
improved by placing around the stone
structure a sort of park with shade
trees and green plots. If the Germans
can do this there is no reason why we
cannot also do it.
I'VE failed to find the elevated rail-
roads in foreign cities in any way SUI
perior to our W in construction, and
we found them little better in beauty
of design. Railroad stations sacrifice
usefulness to the gracefulness of their
station sheds. but much the same style
prevails abroad as is found in our
| smaller stations. The canals are Dor
dered by stone jetties that are a great
improvement over those in our cities.
which are now so ugly that no pleas
ant neighborhoods border upon them.
."The last word in railroad bridges
and aqueducts is to be found in Ger
many. where even those bridges that
support the modern locomotives give
the impression of being frail spans of
! fairyland. Yet they are designed with
the most lasting methods of the TWEEN
| tieth century. Most of the work is Of
concrete. -,
"It is often amusing to find in the
massive but graceful designs Of many
| German structures the suggestion OF a
mans or an animals face or form,
which lends a singular enchantment to
| the consideration of these marvels OF
engineering.
II consider Dresden the peer Of all
the European cities in the designs OF
its buildings, for there is a basic prin-
ciple which gives the impression of
/ q%uaintness, while at the same time en-
bodying all the conveniences of a mod
| ern city. The same effect Of design as
one finds upon Dresden china Is ap-
parent throughout the city. and the
uniform height Of the buildings lends
| additional charm. Even the growth Of
a progressive city does not cfface Ores
denis distinction.
"As in the United States. there are
more or less dirty cities in Europe. al
though certain Of the European cities
have better systems of housekeeping
than our own In Germany we found
they had gone to the extent Of inlay
ing sewers with tiles that were regu-
larry cleaned. thus insuring the quick
passage Of debris and making the dan
ger of disease negligible.
I'VE visited the sewage gardens Of
Paris and Berlin. Those at the French
capital are cultivated under private in
~terests; they raise artichokes and other
| vegetables on the lands enriched by the
city's sewers. The plan Of allowing pri-
vate individuals to hold land on these
farms has not proved satisfactory en-
hrely, for as loon as the torrential rains
begin the farmers refuse to accept the
further addition to their soil. and the
refuse from the. sewers is necessarily
turned into the Seine In Berlin, how
ever. the city owns the farms. and the
system is always in operation. 1t IL a
familiar sight to zee ever the cattle
feeding on the herbs of these farms,
and instead Of looking like a swamp
the lands are SO cleverly laid out that
the ordinary observer might not sns-
.pect their functions. for many trses
planted upon them give beauty and
color to the landscape"
=i-i-ss ~ - i-ii-s ~
Town Development. Magazine !.
says II you can't benefit your Z.
q community in any other way. 8.
T make It a point to Improve your !.