Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-04
CITY PLANNING
IS ENDORSED
Audience Wants Expert TO
Study Conditions in East
Orange.

The audience which heard lee
ture on the advantages of city plan
ming in East Orange High School last
night approved almost unanimously
a suggestion that the City Council
appropriate 1880 to engage an ex-
pert to study the municipality and
suggest plans for its development
The lecturer was Andrew Wright
Crawford, of Philadelphia, editor of
the city planning department of the
Philadelphia Public Ledger, secretary
of the art jury Of that city, and a
member of the National City Plan
ming Conference.
Mr.. Crawford's talk was delivered
under the auspices of the Municipal
Art League, which is sponsor for city
planning in East Orange. When the
lecturer had completed his talk and
exhibited lantern slides of munich
palities where city planning is in
vogue, former City Counsel Philemon
Woodruff suggested the recommends
ton that the City Council include
the $500 in this years tax budget.
His motion was promptly seconded
by School Commissioner Hubert. and
the audience indicated its approval
by rising vote
Interested spectators at the lecture
were Mayor Julian A. Gregory, who
has urged the City Council to ap-
propriate funds for an expert; City
Engineer William D. Willigerod. City
Clerk Lincoln E. Rowley ana Coun-
Gilman Warren ]. Stoddard.
That there are tremendous oppor-
tunities in East Orange for a plan
ming commission was emphasized by
Mr.. Crawford City planning, MIR.
Crawford explained, does not mean
a city beautiful, but is meant to touch
| on every phase of municipal activity.
1T has to do with the whole physi-
| cal side of d city," he said, 'includ-
| ing legal and financial matters
Such problems as street and park
| systems, said Mr.. Crawford, must be
! considered together and not sepa-
/ rately. Planning commissions, he
| continued, must erceive future de-
| velopment of the city and provide for
| the growth" Districting municipal
| ties so that Objectionable factory and
| other buildings cannot creep into res
! idential localities is an important
phase of the work, he explained. The
| purpose of the commission, he said,
would be to protect the community
| from spectators who might wish to
! put up undesired structures.
| He criticised the manner in which
! Central Park, New York, was laid
out, declaring il shut off two impor :
| tant thoroughfares. Sixth and Sew
/ enth avenues, which run north and
| SOUTH He dwelt for some time on
| the mapping out of streets, and said
| a curse in America is straight thor
oughfares.
! As regards issuing bonds in mu-
inequalities, he said he did not be-
| lieve it was right to borrow money
| to construct something which might
| be out of existence by the time the
bonds are finally paid. Excellent rail
road stations in a city is a big ad-
vantage, he said, as they are the
! vestibules of municipality, and
that it is from them that the first
impression of a city is gained by
| visitors.
When explaining the advantages of
Fairgrounds. Mr. Crawford advocated
having the recreation centres opened
all day and part of the night and his
remarks were applauded by high
school students who heard the talk.
w. Give Crosby, president of the
art league, addressed the assemblage
after Mr. Crawford's lecture in which
he told of the difficulty experienced
in arousing enthusiasm for a PLAN
ming commission.
Mr. Woodruff when making the
suggestion about the appropriation
said East Orange is an excellent field
for the commission. declaring that il
it is not a great city in time it viii
be part of a large municipality.