The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28

the unsightly streets nearby, in the
building of which all considerations
apart from the strictly utilitarian
would seem to have been banished
How odd that there should be such
/ symetry in American town flaming,
and such complete absence of it in the
actual building. Houses big and small,
handsome and hideous, pretentious
and insignificant, ornamental and sor-
did, huddle side by side in Earring
promiscurity, in mute testimony to
the stern material necessities and pre-
occupations of the past. One is tempt
ed to liken New York ,architecturally.
to garden overgrown with gigantic
weeds, cleared in parts to make room
for fair, we1l-trimmed avenues.
Such a superficial impression, how
ever, cannot blind one to the rugged
beauty of it all. What we see TODAY
in American cities is a picture of the
wonderful vitality and energy of the
men who made country. And what
country, picture that has grown
with each generation since the early
settlers, portraying faithfully their
efforts as they blazed the path of
progress. care for beauty in matter
could not be expected to penetrate
their ideals. concerned as they were
in building the framework of nation
of whose mighty destinies they must
have had an intuition, to account
for their amazingly swift accom-
plishments. Can anyone see a city
like Cleveland, little more than 100
years old, and not be moved to won
der? A city already enriched by in
dustry, city with a million inhabi-
fants, and Museum of Art, and
theatre that might rouse the envy of
a dozen famed European cities A
city with shops which would not be
out of place in Regent street or the
Avenue de fOpera There is the char
acteristic belt of ugliness around it.
OF course, denoting haste and the
neglect of all but the material neces-
stiles of the moment. Yet on all sides
see such strong evidence of swift
ly developing national artistic tenn
permanent that l am convinced the
present blemishes of Cleveland, as of
other towns here, will in due course
be swept away.
Activity of Clubs
One element of American city life
has particularly interested me-the
activity of advertising clubs" com
mercial societies and associations,
whose chief aim is to hasten the inn
provement of their cities and attract
men of talent, energy and industry
to aid in the march of progress. Mem
bers of such a club l met at Cleye-
land, and I can we'll believe that,
under their impulsion, the city is
bound to go ahead rapidly.
1t may be expected that bodies of
this kind will take in hand the beau
tifying of their towns and exercise a
control over the plans of new build
ings. They will, perhaps, change the
present Noah's Ark type Of street car
for one equally useful but less un-
slightly. They may get rid of the noise
OF the streets. which should imagine
makes 1t hard for a good many people
to sleep in New York and elsewhere.
Philadelphia reminded me of GER
tain parts of the city of London. even
to the narrowness of Its streets. odd.
1t seems to me, that town planners In
new country where they had plenty
of space to work in. should have bujlt
such cramped streets. l suppose 1t is
another illustration of the force OF
suggestion. The European model
was implanted in their minds. and
'-ey could not get away from it i'm
mediately, / llneu the Philadelphian
Law Courts, building of style; but
why did the architect make all four
facades Identical?
Washington is beautiful, and de-
spite an impression of artificiality is
distinctly pleasing, Its architecture
may rot he cepied by other cities, but
1t will probably serve as Inspiration.
lhe lighting of the capitol is peou-
liarly effective, / have come to the
conclusion that Americans are the
first oofer and light artists in the
world, They stand almost alone In
the art, In the combination of the
electric signs, which are a feature of
American cities, they are past mas
tars, ] can conceive of nothing more
beautiful than Broadway theatre land
at night with Its dassllng, seintiilat-
ing symphonies OF light, and Its orgy
of raler shaded and harmonized with
infinite skill and delicaeY..
Downright; 1898, unitee Gtstes Great
BRITAIN Canada and South America, BY
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