Plat B shows that which should come next in order. 



Plat C shows the extension of the foregoing to Seven Corners. 



Plat D shows the foregoing, together with the addition of land northeast and west of 

 the Capitol building, and 



Plat E shows the foregoing, with the avenue from the Capitol to the Cathedral. 



Inasmuchsas the Cathedral site has just been purchased since these plats were made 

 and the purchase of the block west of the Capitol has also been consummated, the order in 

 which the several parks of the development should be undertaken would be to some 

 extent modified. 



New York, December 6, IQ04. CASS GILBERT. 



We are at liberty to publish the following striking letter, dated January 14, 

 1905, written by Mr. Sherlock Swann to Mr. George Cary, of Buffalo: 



"The fire of last February burnt out an area of 140 acres, on which were about 1,500 

 buildings. Before the fire was fairly out, plans were set on foot to turn what appeared to 

 be a great calamity into what will eventually be a great blessing. A large committee of 

 our most prominent citizens was called together by the late Mayor Robert M. McLane, to 

 advise him as to what should be done. The result of their deliberations was the appoint- 

 ment of the Burnt District Commission, of which I have the honor to be Chairman, to 

 carry out a system of streets and wharf improvement recommended by them. A $6,000,000 

 loan was authorized, in addition to $4,600,000 which the city already had on hand, result- 

 ing from the sale of the Western Maryland Railroad. This entire sum, namely, $10,600,000, 

 was placed at the disposal of this Commission, to make the improvements already recom- 

 mended and others that might be thought proper. In addition to this sum there is to be 

 voted on at our spring election the issuance of a loan of $2,000,000 for the improvement 

 of what is called the "Annex," which is the outlying districts of the city; a loan of 

 $1,000,000 for the improvement of the Park System, and a loan of $10,000,000 for the con- 

 struction of sewers. Not being satisfied with this, the City Government is now effecting 

 plans to ask for an additional loan of $5,000,000 for street paving, $1,000,000 for the con- 

 struction of schoolhouses and $1,000,000 for the construction of firehouses, making a total 

 of $20,000,000, which, together with the $10,600,000 already on hand, will amount to $30,- 

 600,000. You ask the question how the City expects to be reimbursed for such an outlay. 

 It would be unnecessary for me to discuss with you, being a resident of Buffalo, the 

 enhancement of property values where improved pavements are laid, or the necessity of 

 having a sufficient number of school and fire-engine houses. The sewers when built will 

 be self-supporting. The amount intended to be expended for the park system will not 

 require any increase in taxation, as the receipts from what is known as the "Park Tax" 

 paid by the street railways, will be ample to meet the interest upon it and allow for a 

 sinking-fund. The "Annex" loan of $2,000,000 will bring hundreds of thousands of dol- 

 lars' worth of property into the full rate of taxes, which now under the original agreement 

 of annexation pays a very low rate; therefore, the question comes down as to how the City 

 expects to get a return for the $10,600,000, or as much of it as we may expend. I will 

 call attention to the fact that in the fifteen street widenings and the dock improvement we 

 will remove about 600 pieces of property from the tax books, so that it appears on the face 



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