Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-04
CITY PROBLEMS THEME
OF DIRECTOR LATHROP
Head Of Exhibit of American Bureau
Addresses Meeting of Archi-
tects and Engineers.
mot VOTING FOR THE JITNEY"
Says Skyscrapers Don't Pay Either
Economically or Socio1ogicalIy.
Parks and Fairgrounds Designated
as the Lungs Of Modern Cities.

"Skyscrapers do not pay. either from
an economical or n sociological stand
point. and wise city planning will limit
the height of buildings" said John e.
Lathrop. director of the city planning
| exhibit now being shown in Richmond,
at joint meeting of the Richmond
Engineers Club and the Richmond
| Architects Association, held at the
Business Mems Club last night.
Arthur Scrivenor. president OF the
Engineers Club, introduced Mayor
George Ainslie, who In turn presented
Mr.. Lathrop. Mayor Ainslie put in a
strong argument for city planning.
The Mayor said that 200 years ago
Sir christopher Wrenn in London was
urging city planning in that city; that
the plan that he advised was not ac-
cepted, and that to this day, London
people are regretting it. failure to
take Sir Christophers advice having
cost the city of London millions OF
pounds sterling. Mayor Ainslie said
| that in his opinion Richmond was at
the flood tide OF its opportunity in tho
matter of city planning. Coming on
the heeis or the larger annexation that
has just gone into effect" he said, "the
time OF NIL times Is here 20 adopt n
system of proper city planning.
TRANSPORTATION A LARGE
PROBLEM FOR CITIES
| Mr.. Lathrop went into a discussion
in broad outline of the various mat
tiers which are considered in the plan
ming of a city. One of the biggest
! problems he designated as that OF
transportation. He thought Richmond
had not yet worked out cohesive
plan of transportation, and he advised
| that this be done with every interest
protected and no one done Injustice
1T will take intensive study" he added.
You should not build for 1915 or 1920.
but for 1865. Until you do that you
will Just be patching and patching"
Sanitation and health were next con-
sidered. THE housing problem he de-
clared to be local in every city, each
having It's own peculiar conditions to
meet Mr.. Lathrop remarked in this
connection that It was the housing of
the working classes that cities needed
to consider.
TOO GREAT CONCENTRAT ALTON
ONE OF THE COMMON ERRORS
A common error with cities, said Mr..
Lathrop. Is an effort at excessive con-
centration. Not one great center. hut
Washington is developing with sew
eral subcenters and the plan is work.
Ing satisfactorily. You have got to
difuse the people rather than herd
them In centers."
Here Mr.. Lathrop went into a dis
cussion OF the question OF skyscrapers.
The skyscrapers of New York, he de-
clared. do not pay more than per
cent on the investment, IL that. The
top rooms of the tallest building in tho
, city are vacant. he stated
The question of noises is another
live question with cities that are look
ing to the future. according to the d.
rector of the city-planning exhibit
Under this head no discussed the lit
ney bus. II am not voting for the
jitney bus.'' he remarked. THE noise
they make on the residence streets is
something awful"
Parks and Fairgrounds are the lungs
OF the city, 1t was pointed out 1T
ought to be so that a child would not
have to walk moro than three blocks
to get to breathing space. The old
site Of Richmond College should have
been secured as a park for Richmond"
Closing his 1idress, Mr.. Lathrop
urged the engineers and architects TO
go down to S2l East Main Street and
inspect his exhibit. He assured them
that 1t was vibrant with human inter-
est and that he was proud to be even
its Janttor. The joint meeting dis
solved and proceeded to an inspection
OF the exhibition.