PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Vol. XVII. Chicago, July, 1907 No. 5 
Value and Significance of Park Names 
A newspaper war has been raging in Denver, Colo., over 
a proposed change in the name of Congress Park to the 
"Walter S. Cheesman Park” clue to an offer of $100,000, 
with which to build a fountain, by the heirs of Mr, Chees- 
man. on condition that the park’s name be changed as above 
Congress Park appears to have been in large measure a 
government gift and has always been looked upon as the 
people's park, but the ma 30 r and certain other Denver men, 
a.pparently closely associated with vested interests, are back- 
ing the proposition. It is a proposition, if the newspapers 
rightly inform us, that reflects very seriously on all those 
advocating it. and which should not carry under any circum- 
stances. It will always have the appearance, considering the 
times through which we are passing, of misguided efforts of 
heirs to perpetuate and glorify a name which the conditions 
of the times more or less discredit. It would be a very 
cheap price to pay for such a perpetual memorial, and it 
would be ample to simply dedicate the fountain itself to the 
memory of the donor. The advisers of the heirs are doing 
them a great injury to press this matter, and the mayor and 
his colleagues are discrediting themselves beyond remedy, if, 
as we say. the newspapers are dealing with facts. If the 
ueople of Denver owe any gratitude whatever to the govern- 
ment for their Congess Park, let the government's aid be 
perpetually memorialized in its name. 
Ng Ng 
Civic Progress in Pennsylvania 
The Art Jury act which was noticed in the Mav issue is 
r.ot the only improvement law passed by the recent Penn- 
sylvania legislature. The governor has signed the Tree act, 
which was prepared and introduced at the instance of the 
.Vmeritan Civic Association, and a sjmopsis of which was 
also given in the May number. It provides for a commission 
of three freeholders in all townships of the first class, bor- 
oughs and cities of the commonwealth, who shall have ex- 
clusive and absolute custody and control of shade trees on 
all public highways, and it is a comprehensive and carefully 
stiidied law and one much needed. The ruthless destruc- 
tion of fine trees on tiic highways at the whim or caprice 
of the contiguous property owner or township official, has 
made such laws a necessity for the protection of the growing 
intelligence of the community. Another important bill in 
the interest of the parkways of Philadelphia gives the mayor 
and city council power to purchase, or acquire by condem- 
nation. properties within 200 feet of the boundary lines of 
all the public parks, parkways and pla\'grounds, for the pur- 
pose of resale, and with power to compel the construction 
of buildings with approved architectural and artistic features. 
'I'his will go a long way towards creating a city beautiful 
and should be considered by all cities having parkways and 
such like improvements. In these three acts Pennsylvania 
has three most valuable assets toward civic progress, and 
it only remains for the billboard act recently noted in these 
pages to be passed to place this state among the leaders 'in 
progressive civic legislation. 
Roads and the Automobile 
The fact that the automobile does considerable damage 
to the public highways, for a long time tentatively offered as 
a criticism against the aggressiveness of owners, is now 
generally conceded. And this fact creates quite a serious 
condition, for it either means a very large increase in auto- 
mobile taxation or license fees in order to make good the 
damage caused by that particular traffic, or a check to high- 
way improvement and extension due to a probable refusal 
of the average citizen to pay for class privileges. Mr. James 
H. Macdonald, State Highway Commissioner of Connecti- 
cut, discusses the question of the injurious effect of motor 
vehicles on macadam road construction in ‘‘Good Roads 
Magazine.” After two years of close study of the subject he 
says : "I am satisfied that no other agency at work on the 
roads has directed attention to the use of the roads to the 
e.xtent that the automobiles have.” So far as Connecticut 
is concerned Mr. Macdonald declares that its roads have 
shown more wear on the surface during the last two years, 
than for any similar period, since the commencement of 
macadam construction. The wear is accounted for by the 
rapidly moving motor cars creating a suction which remo\ es 
the protecting dust surface, as well as loose and insecure 
particles from the road surface. In detail this is a very seri- 
ous matter for the roadway, and will involve a change in the 
methods of construction and repair materially affecting the 
cost. A suggestion is made that coal tar, petroleum or 
asphalt, properly applied, would protect the surface of the 
road from the destructive force of travel, without having to 
change the foundation courses of macadam roadway. 
Ng Vig 
Park and Cemetery Conventions 
The annual convention of the Association of American 
Cemetery Superintendents is an event always worthy of 
prominent notice. The East takes it this year and Provi- 
dence. R. I., is the favored city ; and it may be depended 
upon that the three days, August 20-22, devoted to its ses- 
sions will be full to overflowing with interest to all m at- 
tendance, apart from the specific pleasure of practically . a 
sea shore outing. There is an active growing interest in 
the improvement and beautifying of our cemeteries, amply 
evidenced by the increase in the number of local associations 
which are all doing good work and are leading to a higher 
appreciation of the requirements of a cemetery from the 
modern standpoint. The Illinois. Ohio, and New England 
Associations, whose conventions have recently been held, as 
reported in these columns, are materially aiding the national 
association in its work and the cemetery superintendents and 
officials of every state of the union might well organize to 
build up public opinion and so hasten the time when every 
cemetery of the land will be a veritable God's acre. The 
Michigan Cemetery Association will hold its yearly meeting 
at Lansing on August 13 and 14. The work of the A. A. C. 
S. is always to be commended. On cemetery questions it is 
a commanding body, and the results of its discussions and 
work are authority upon which to base further progress 
But there is ample room still for its upbuilding in point of 
membership, thereby adding further to its influence, and w’e 
urge most emphatically that it is to the good of every cem- 
eterj' organization in the country to send a representatiee 
to the coming convei'.tion, and to arrange for membership 
in its ranks. This is no idle advice, but a proposition that 
will make big returns. Equally representative in its par- 
ticular field is the American Association of Park Superin- 
tendents, a vital and progressive organization, which will 
meet this year at 'foronto, Canada, August l.')-17. A par- 
ticularly interesting program has been prepared as noted 
on another page, and the practical field work with these call- 
able, energetic men is valuable education. 
