The Ocala evening star., 1920-01-31
BETTER LOOKS FOR BOSTON

Boston is preparing to alter some
of its most cherished historic feat
ures to meet the demands of modern
conditions. Small strips are to be
sliced from Boston Common, training
ground for troops in revolutionary
days, and arcading of the tower of
the Old South Meeting House, where
the famous "tea party" was Matched,
is contemplated. Traffic problems,
acute in this city of narrow "cow-
lane" streets. in each case are respon-
sible.
The pairing of the Common on two
sides of the 43-acre area has been
sanctioned only after the overcoming
of long-standing opposition by those
who held that no considerations of
modern development should disturb
this revolutionary landmark and
present day breathing space in the
city's center. Several years ago the
voters turned down a proposal to
shrink the Common in order to swell
the streets. But in the recent city
election the voters in all but two
wards declared in favor of widening
the streets from Common lands. The
two wards which opposed the plan are
in Charlestown. seat of another his
toric shrine. Bunker Hill monu-
ment
Under the plan. which is compro-
mise arranged between the street
commissioners and the Boston Com
mon Society, fremont and Boylston
streets, which bound the Common on
two of its sides, will be widened to a
maximum of 43 feet instead of SO t.
go feet as first proposed. This will
be accomplished without sacrifice of
lgreensward or trees. as the cuts will
be made from the broad malls of the
Common. The compromise plan car
ried with it an agreement that no fur
ther invasion of the Common would
be made.
Boston Common was bought in 1854
Il by Governor Winthrop and others as
common cow pasture and training
ground, and was one Of several such
tracts of communal lands and planting
grounds. Today it is the sole re-
mainder of these anceint commons
other holdings having passed into pri-
vate hands.
It was on Boston Common that rev.
olutionary soldiers drilled; from its
limits at Park Square, then the Back
Bay in fact as well as in name and
now "made land" the British started
for Lexington on April 10. ITS. Or
the Common the British mustered
their guns on Flagstaff Hill during
the siege of Boston. Colonial expe.
lditions set out against Louisburg anC
Quebec from the old Common. anC
Massachusetts regiments assembled
there prior to going TO the front il
the civil war.
The proposal to cut into the OLE
South Meeting House which was bull
in 1929 to obtain partial relief from
traffic congestion on Washington
street, is still under consideration
Mayor Peters approved the idea; th'
old South Association, guardians o.
the edifce. fell in with the plans un
der certain conditions, and the stree
commissioners reported in favor o.
the change. The conditions named b.
the association. however, including ,
demand for payment for the property
which is in the section of highes
valuation, have delayed acceptance.
Under the plan the main part of tn
church, in which the colonists work
ed out plans for the "tea party" AM
which was later used by the Britisl
as a riding school during the siege o
Boston, would not be disturbed. Tn
tower which juts out some twent.
feet from the front of the edifice
would be arcaded to provide passag
for foot traffic, the street line woul
be extended to run flush with tn
tower front and the sidewalk move
back to lead directly to the arcade
!, An additional twenty feet of stree
: -lspace at this point would ease con
siGerably the crush of traffic in tn
Ibottle-mouth Of Newspaper Row.