El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-09
Roundabout The Country
The Value OF Recreation To The People OF 4 City
Some Very Striking Examples In Two American Centers

CT LOUIS. 40, July 9.-The more
- we get about over the country the
more most OF US are convinced that
Fl Paso is woefuIly lacking in the
amusements necessary for its peo-
pie. Wherever you find a c0utented
people. you find plenty OF amuse-
ments- Los Angeles, particularly, and.
in fact, most all of California is pop
ular because it is a playground You
find other cities popular with their
own people and visitors in proportion
only 10 the amusements they afford
during relaxation hours.
The first thing a Kansas City resi-
dent begins talking about is the Won
derful park and boulevard system Of
that city ST. Louis people boast their
parks AID their river excursions.
Even II u does grow hot here" said
a ST. Louis newspaper man TO me. I'VE
can always run down 20 the river
tthe AlsslSsippl, hop in q boat and
soon feel comfortable. Get hot as
you please during the day. you can
take ride Tor three hours on the
river Ior 80 cents and come home re-
Ireshed- BY that time the breeze is
blowing and you can sleep we'll"
St Louis also has many beautiful
parks and one of the features OF the
system like that OF Kansas CITY. are
the public bathing and wading pools
Tor children At any hour Of The day.
hundreds or mothers may be seen
sitting on the grass watching their
Allle ones lisporr themselves IN the
water clear. cool. constantly running.
in the smaller WadinE pools IN kan
sas city. fountains continually ope-
rate and not only may the children
wade. but they can enjoy the luxury
OF a shower out in Gods sunlight and
air.
Both these cities realize the neces-
sity for affording their people places
Eor relaxation and, while there are
parks everywhere - particularly in
Kansas City, more so than ST. Louis
is no such thing as a Keep
or the Grass sign. The parks are
made for the people and the people
utilize them 20 the fullest extent. In
the larger parks, furthest out OF the
city, bake ovens and other places for
cooking picnic and outdoor lunches.
are provided. Boating is a feature
on all the lakes large enough. and
there are many OF these, all OF them
artificially constructed. Just as we
might DO I'm II Paso in the arroyos up
at the base Of Mount Franklin.
The wonderful beauty Of kan
aas Clty'H cliff drive could be du-
plicated In Fl Puso-s scenic drive
and even improved, for Kansas
city has no such outlook from fits
drive a. we have ut home. Tou
can only look upon the muddy wa
tiers Of the Missouri or the smoky
yards Of the railroads from the
Kansas City drive.
II IS true they have more rain I'd
here for vegetation, but the park de-
parlment has TO water many OF the
trees along this drive and holes had
10 be blasted In the solid rock and
Iresh dirt poured in 10 make room
Tor some OF the trees Now. each
side OF the drive is matted with trees
and vines and you can imagine your
self q thousand miles from cfvfliza-
ton as you spin along its bitulfrhic
covered surface, except from spots
where, through the vegetation YOU
catch glimpses OF the railroad Yards
or the sluggish old Missouri
Nobody ever saw a happier
ruddier lot Of children than you
find playing in these parks.
Their shout iE real music, their
glowing faces an Inspiration. Jack
SheehGn and couId vision Little
Bette and Little Chris and hun
dredH Of other little ChFises and
little Kettles enjoying just such
childish sport NJ II PnEO if we Of
II PnHo would make up our
minds that we must do our duty
towards the coming generations
ana 20 TO work on our scenic
driveway and parking system as
we should do.
The people Of Kansas City are so