URBAN COMMUNITY PROBLEMS 785 



the carriage-road by a ribbon of grass where trees stand as sentinels, 

 are protected against the dust. We have drawn up elaborate plans 

 to secure rational and esthetic streets. Even the workman's dwelling 

 may contribute to the charm of our familiar vistas. For beauty's 

 sake we are ready to sacrifice a building-plot, to open up a new 

 street plunging into old quarters, which will also become more 

 healthy, to plant a tree or to relieve the monotony of a bleak spot 

 with a fountain. Our parks, our bridges, our public edifices, are 

 sober but elegant. At the street-crossings we substitute rounded, 

 instead of sharp corners; this is more graceful, and wayfarers are 

 protected against unforeseen jostling. We fight for beauty and 

 against ugliness. Down with conspicuous party-walls; we cover and 

 disguise them. We make our chimneys a pleasant accessory of 

 the building. We will have nothing to do with gigantic signs on the 

 stores, and are opposed to glaring advertisements on our street-cars, 

 but we do not oppose placards posted on special stands, for they 

 give some gayety to the street, while they render service to the public. 

 We do not permit booths and repulsive erections to occupy privileged 

 places and spoil the general impression. 



" Our esthetic efforts have met with the sympathy of all, and any 

 attempt to spoil the nice features of our city is sure to awake a prompt 

 and unanimous resistance. 



" (e) Roads and Municipal Services. Roads being of primary 

 importance, we keep ours in good repair, after having constructed 

 them with the necessary expense. 



"On the inside of footpaths, a little tunnel easily opened at the 

 surface contains, beside the sewers, pipes and wires necessary to 

 the needs of each house and of the street. Thus no repairing 

 causes any trouble. 



" The clearing-awayof the dust has been dealt with, and its removal 

 causes no nuisance to the pedestrian. We use our sewerage for 

 fertilizing gardens and meadows, and we thus turn it into a source of 

 profit, making it at the same time inoffensive to the senses. 



" Our city tramways, for a moderate fare, put the inhabitant in 

 rapid contact with every quarter. Some of the tramways work 

 on a short-time concession. If their profits exceed a certain sum, we 

 provide that the surplus be divided between the corporation and 

 the city, or partly spent in reducing the fares. Other lines are 

 worked by the municipality. Time will show which of the two 

 systems is the most advantageous to us. 



" The ticklish railway question is now settled. Our central railway 

 station will eventually be removed from its outlying position. The 

 land reserved for other railways has been bought up by the city, 

 which pro tern is letting it for different uses. The question of rapid 

 transit has also been studied and solved. 



