The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-17
FEAR SKYSCRAPERS WOULD
MAR BEAUTY OF LONDON
Plans of New Yok To Erect National Trade Club and Ex
position Building On Island In the Strand At -
Aldwych Sets People On Ears.

LONDON March l7.r-Although at
the time Irving T. Bush, president OF
the Bush Terminal company. New
York, announced he had acquired the
desirable island In the Strand at
Aldwyeh as site for an international
trade club and exposition building. IL
was declared that British architect
would design the structure and keep II
ln harmony with London architecture,
There were great fears that London
would be ruined .....
Several months have passed. and the
public Is still being warned by letters
To newspapers that the beauty Of Lon
don is threatened by a rise OF ugly
skyscrapers, There also are letters
from other Londoners who are IN favor
OF tall buildings 20 relieve the office
and housing CONGESTION
So far as Mr., Bush's plans are con
cerned he has set all fears at rest with
this signed statement:
we are too deeply apprcciative of
the beauty of the old buildings OF Lon
don to wish to attempt anything which
is not In complete harmony with them
and the traditions which surround
them, From the standpoint of utility
tall buildings have their place in the
United States. but We hope 10 erect I'M
London building which will not only
be useful, but from the viewpoint Of
architectural beauty and sympathy with
TO London and to our enterprise"
AZ the. present time the height Of
London buildings Is restricted to 100
faet by the London building act OF
1894 The tallest structure is limited
10 height Of so feet from street level
to Cornice with an additional two
stories of 20 feet height sitting back
on the roof.
Ii has been suggested that If by
special permit this building height Were
raised to 200 feet. the effect would be
to swamp the already overtaxed sub
ways, trans and omnibusses with extra
traffic, and that the little twisting
streets of London would he changed
into black Caverns In the matter OF
business centers London is like a head
With many coWicks, The largest cen
ter Is the city, the ancient nucleus OF
the metropolis, whose lord mayor of
London Is the executive of only it's vii
lage-ltke area. In the daytime mil
lions OF workers pour into the office
buildings Of the city; at night ii Is
empty 70" 1t has practically no resi-
denCes.
M What We want is not Capitalization,
.#but decentralization, spreading out
more, writes An lrew T Taylor. J F.,
=. S A., from the county hall. to the
Times, There are certain businesses
In the city which require to Congre-
gate around tho Stock exchange
Lloyds, Mincing lane. etc, but there
are very many businesses which could
quite we'll he farther away from the
city, such as insurance offices etc,
and these are already spreading out
He also takes up the difficulty Of
fighting fires in tall buildings. and de
clares that from many visits to New
York | always return with thankful
uess to London, and bless the promo
ters Of the 1924 building act"
The tallgSt building in tnDHpn-
Queen Anne's Mansions near St
James park, L. stories high, very
expensive service flats always cited
as an example Of skyscrapers 1t was
built by special relaxation OF the law.
and since has always been referred 10
as a "mlliouaires' sum" II Is both
plain and unsightly. with hideous bulges