El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-09-08
d. MeeHEE 3 "a oMELL. ArehIteet..

l Of cure for the ills and failings OF
humanity
The great metropolitan park and
boulevard system Of Boston, one OF
the most extensive in the country
and one Of the most splendid in the
world. adds but an Insignificant item
10 the municipal budget in 1900 the
cost was about ~ cents per capita
This was the total cost for main
tenance and improvement and the
payment OF interest. and a quarter
OF this sum was money that was set
aside as a sinking fund, so that IN 80
years IL would be paid fOr-au this
at less than a iitne a month, yet in
the same year the cost Of maintaining
all the departments Of Boston was
more than SIS per inhabitant. 50 that
this system was costing little over
one percent Of the city's income. Long
ago this system had paid for ITSELF
many times over in the increased
value OF property. in increased pros
perity, in attracuyeness as a business
and residential feature, in the greater
number Of visitors and the stimulus
they give to every public enterprise
Too Many Cities Just Grow"
Most cities Just grow" a good deal
on the plan Of "Topsy" There is
usually complete innocence OF any
other plan than that Of the town sur
yeyor, whose lines have follow ed the
exigencies Of the real estate pro-
" adhered 10 William PENIS Phila-
delphia ideal Of monotonous
rectangles. We have some examples
here in this city. where the engineer
calmly took MS squares up and down
steep hills. with resulting grades,
that. while they make the streets
most efficient as sluces in every hard
rain. are otherwise almost useless
A map OF FL PasO viii show how al
most every addition to the city is a
In
without very much harmony as re-
lated 10 the balance Of the city
A we'll formulated plan would have
obviated this: il would also have
grouped the public buildings in a civic
center where their setting could have
been made more attractive and have
made them more easy OF access
Il is 10 be regretted that the new
postoffice and court house could not
have been so placed as TO have assist
ed in a project of this kind.
II has been said that the CHIEF thing
IS that people should learn 10 love
beauty; one OF the simplest and most
direct ways OF cultivating a taste for
beauty is by making cities beautiful.
not only BY erecting fine buildings,
but by giving them a fine setting in
natural surroundings
Time To Formulate Plans.
It IS a good time Tor this city 10
formulate some plans for the future.
The idea here presented is only a
starter or suggestion There is much
detail and many side issues that will
have to be worked out. but We be-
heve there are enough good men who
VIII interest themselves to work this
out with large public spirit II viii
upset IN the making some human bee
hives, the workers OF which will be
quite ready 10 sting. but we believe
The large majority OF citizens viii see
the necessity and the utility OF going
ahead
There are several ways a project
OF this kind might be handled. In
most cities a commission has been
appointed with the proper authority
to act and we would suggest that
this be done
We trust the seed we are planting
y III bear fruit and that from IL a
plan viii come fortl which viii result
not only in making the city more
beautiful and attractive. but more
convenient in its several lines OF
raf1ic and tremendously complete in
he essentials for its comfort and
lealth-