Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-14
A DOLLAR EARNED NOT so
GOOD AS A DOLLAR INVESTED
" the Managers Of the Proposed Fair
Remember This the City VIII
Profit Permanently by the
Monev Raised

i be a celebration of the one hundred and
iftieth anniversary of the adoption of the
Declaration of Independence No commit
tees have yet been appointed and no one is
commissioned to speak with authority re-
garding plans, but discussion of the project
is going on not only in this city but through
out the state as though the matter we're
settled.
OF course Philadelphia must take the
initiative, but with such unanimity Of senti-
ment as has manifested itself here there is
every reason for believing that the project
will be indorsed heartily outside of the city
and state as soon as the support of the other
states and Of the nation is asked.
Thought just now is turning toward an
international fair. not so large as that which
was held here to celebrate the centennial
anniversary of the Declaration. but large
enough to be representative Of the arts and
industries Of the world; and beautiful enough
to attract visitors from oil parts of the coun-
try. Unless something better is suggested
the fair plan will probably be adopted.
Architects and engineers have already
begun to draw plans for such a fair. One
set Of plans by Paul p. Cret Of the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania. was exhibited to the
members Of the Fairmount Park Art Asso-
citation yesterday afternoon and explained
by Andrew Wright Crawford, secretary OF
the Art Jury. Whether one indorses the
plans of Professor Cret in detail or not, the
general purpose Of his suggestions is COM
mendable. He has sought to arrange an
exhibition ground which shall trespass as
little as possible on improved property and
on the recreation area of the city and which
shall also include within its bounds part
Of the city in which it is admitted there is
need for permanent Identification. II his
plans or any plans similar to his should
finally be adopted much of the work done
would be permanent.
Those who studied the reproduction of his
plans in this newspaper yesterday afternoon
will recall that he proposes to utilize the
Parkway from Logan Square to the entrance
of Fairmount Park as the site for the main
exhibition buildings. The Parkway itself
would remain unspoiled, but the land on each
side would be used for the temporary ex-
hibition buildings. with the Art Museum
crowning the hill at the head of the Park
way at the end Of the vista that would start
from the main entrance at Logan Square.
There would be n court of honor in the
plaza in front of the museum, connected by
temporary bridge with the west bank of
the Schuylkill Professor Cret would cover
the railroad tracks along the east bank of
the river as far as Arch street and erect on
this roof series of amusement buildings
The river would be bridged again at Arch
street by q structure containing building
which would hide the railroad bridges to the
south, and on the west bank he would clear
away the stock yards and the abattoirs and
build temporary exhibition buildings. with
grass plots and flower beds between them
and the river as far north as the Spring
Garden street bridge. The space from
Spring Garden street to the Girard avenue
4
buildings facing the river.
The plan would recover for beauty both
banks of the Schuylkill as far south as Arch
street 1t would utilize the river itself as
a part Of the decorative features of the eX-
hibtion grounds, and at the same time utilize
the new Art Museum as the Crowning and
dominating feature Of the whole architec
tural plan.
The chief merit Of the plan. as we have
already suggested, lies In its arrangement
for making permanent improvements along
with the arrangements for housing exhibits
which must of necessity be temporary. This
is in line with the best thought on exhibition
planning. Paris adopted similar plan for
its fair in 1900 The exhibition grounds
were along the banks of the Seine The
work of beautifying the banks of the river
" uuu W llt VI
the grounds was so planned as to be en-
during When the temporary structures
were removed the city discovered the great
value of the improvements made, and il has
profited ever since by the foresight Of the
men who did the planning.
San Francisco had an improved water
front left after the buildings of its fair were
torn down
St Louis Inherited some permanent struc-
| lures from its Trans Mississippi fair.
Buffalo's park system is larger and better
| because of the wise expenditure of money
| 10 arranging for it's Pan American fair.
But about all that Philadelphia has left
to show for the money spent in the preparing
| for the fair in 1876 is the museum in the
Park To offset the value of that building
| it had to spend tens Of thousands Of dollars
in restoring the part of the Park occupied
| by the temporary structures.
| Whatever is done it will take tens of mil =
! lions of dollars 70 pay for it. Part of this
| must come from a congressional appropria
| ton, part from a state appropriation, part
| from a city appropriation and probably the
! remainder from the subscriptions of public
spirited citizens. 1t will be the part of
wisdom TO conserve as much of this as posi-
! bic and to make the expenditur" Of it carry
| forward some Of the public Improvement
| the need of which has long been admitted
The opportunity offered by the Schuylkill
which divides the city into two parts, has
never been utilized. If we can start the
work Of improving it's banks to add to the
attractiveness Of the exhibition grounds tht
time may come when it will b. to Philadel.
phia what the Seine is to Paris and th'
Thames is to London and the Charles il
fast becoming to Boston, 1t is n stream
Of great beauty as it winds its way through
the Park The attraction Of the Park caI
be carried into the heart Of the city b!
building boulcvards along the banks of tn
! stream and covering the railroads that ruI
along its banks, When this is done we shal
have an asset Of beauty unsurpassed in an
other city.
The celebration committee which III
Mayor is soon to appoint will doubtless Civ