80 REPORT OF THE 



nation that the largest cities on the continent, with the least 

 natural advantage for either parks or drainage, have been 

 made by artificial means the healthiest cities in" the world. 



Thus Paris, situated on low ground, intersected by a small 

 river, but having in her survey an acre of public land, reserved 

 for public uses, to every thirty-seven persons out of her more 

 than two millions of inhabitants, even throwing out the great 

 forest of Fontainebleau, still maintains her lead in park 

 acreage. 



With the largest drains in the world she has the lowest 

 death rate of any of the larger cities, while in Brooklyn, in 

 spite of her splendid natural advantages, where health is a 

 drug in the market, the death rate is higher than in most 

 other large cities. And this fact glares at us with an uglier 

 look as we remember that Brooklyn is the third city in the 

 Union and, China and Japan counted out, the seventh city in 

 the world. 



Should she not take better care than that of her traditions? 

 Should she not begin the redemption of her record? Should 

 she not consult with some alarm her census? Should she not 

 have a better class of houses built for her working people? 

 Should she not have such broad streets lined with stately 

 mansions as are seen in Cleveland, Boston, and Washington? 

 Should she not have commodious hotels? Should she not give 

 a cordial welcome to the world's capital that is at her gates? 

 At the very least her face should not be set against these 

 things. 



Such a state of things, in spite of cheap unworthy defences, 

 argues a lack of that local pride, that hand in hand with high 

 intellectual attainments, goes forward as the leading power in 

 the development of other cities. 



Why is there such a self-confessed lack of public spirit in 

 Brooklyn ? 



Against such an anomaly stands out in grateful contrast the 

 public spirited self-sacrifice and sagacity of a group of nam, 

 whose very fewness only serves to set them off in a stronger 

 light. In that little group the prominent figure is that of J. S. 



