PARK AND CEMETERY. 
128 
The president of a large manufacturing 
concern writes: “The city has assumed the 
authority of regulating the erection of 
buildings and prescribing that certain build- 
ings cannot be erected because of insecuri- 
ty from fire. Why cannot the city pro- 
hibit the erection of any billboards? A per- 
son owning a vacant lot would not be per- 
mitted to maintain a stagnant pond or any- 
thing else detrimental to health, and why 
should he be permitted to maintain some- 
thing that is detrimental to the eyesight?” 
From a prominent contractor and builder: 
“I have had a daily opportunity to form a 
decided opinion on billboards by reason of a 
board 50 feet long and 20 or 25 feet high, 
having been erected on the sidewalk line of 
the property directly adjoining a somewhat 
attractive three-story flat building I had 
built., thereby masking the entire side of the 
building, to say nothing of the inharmoni- 
ouss contrast between the painting on the 
billboard and the plate glass and pressed 
brick front of the building.” 
The president of a trust and safe deposit 
company says: One of the illustrated cards 
you enclosed happens to be directly in point 
as illustrating actual financial loss to the 
property owners caused by too extensive 
and unsightly billboards, for it is affecting 
the rental value of property we control situ- 
ated in this neighborhood. I mention this 
as it shows a loss by reason of this de- 
facement of our city which is not senti- 
mental. We have grown so accustomed to 
these unsightly and disfiguring billboards 
often running in two sections or stories in 
height along both sides of some of our 
streets and roads that we are not aware of 
the exce?dingly bad effects upon visitors and 
strangers, but I have had reason to know 
this defacement is especially noted and 
commented upon by them, and undoubtedly 
it affects the interests of the city ad- 
versely.” 
A firm received the view shown in one of 
the accompanying pictures and one of its 
members writes: “I beg to acknowledge re- 
ceipt of your postal showing billboards on 
Central Avenue opposite Grand Central 
depot. Certainly a disgrace to our city! I 
happen to be acquainted with Mr. Rein- 
statler. the jeweler, and induced him to 
discontinue his advertisement on that board, 
which he agreed to do.” 
From the treasurer of a large corporation: 
“We have your card setting forth the 
hideous sign board and shanties which greet 
one midway between Third and Fourth 
streets cn Central avenue. ' Owners of va- 
cant lots and poorly improved property are 
deriving a very good income by renting 
their property to the various billposting 
firms in the city and to the writer’s knowl- 
edge in many instances are paying taxes on 
unimproved property and deriving an in- 
come such as very well improved property 
would give them, through this renting out of 
their lots for advertising purpose. This in- 
come really comes out of the public, for the 
public has to use the streets along which 
these advertisements are located and has no 
escape from their ugliness.” 
A firm controlling large real estate inter- 
ests writes: “We recognize the good work 
that your committee is doing in endeavoring 
to lessen the billboard evil. We have is- 
sued orders that all the billboards surround- 
ing our property on Reading ro3d and Elsi- 
nore avenue should be removed by July 1st.” 
Another citizen writes: “Not only such 
old and dilapidated buildings as you picture 
are thus ornamented,, but our beautiful hills, 
the city’s crowning glory, have become mere 
backgrounds for these unsightly signs.” 
New York Wins Billboard Suits 
In the fight that is being made for 
the removal of the unsightly advertis- 
ing signs in Greater New York, the 
city has won a victory by the decision 
of Judge Aloore in tlie Eighth District 
Municipal Court. He lield that the 
sign ordinance was valid, and in three 
cases gave the city judgment for pen- 
alties for violations. 
Two of the actions were against the 
M. Weinburg Advertising Company 
and one against the New York Edison 
Company. 
All of the actions were brought for 
violations of the ordinance which lim- 
its the height of the signs to nine 
feet. The evidence showed that the 
Thirty-fourth street sign is twenty- 
five feet high, the one at Park avenue 
and 125th street twenty-five feet, and 
Edison sign eighteen feet high. 
No attempt was made to defend the 
erection of the signs, but evidence was 
offered to show that they were safe, 
and it was contended that the provis- 
ion of the Building Code limiting 
signs to nine feet in height was un- 
constitutional, as being unreasonable 
regulation. 
Briefs were submitted to Judge 
Moore on this question, and after 
considering the cases he decided that 
the ordinance was valid. He gave a 
judgment against the M. Weinberg 
Company for $50 for one violation 
and $250 for the other, and against the 
Edison Company for $250. The cases 
will be appealed to get the ruling of 
the higher courts. 
Signboard Travesties Art in Pittsburg 
Public indignation has been aroused 
in Pittsburg by an immense sign- 
board that has been erected directly 
opposite the Carnegie Institute. Upon 
it are portrayed travesties of master- 
pieces within the walls of the building 
dedicated recently to the people of 
Pittsburg by Andrew Carnegie. 
The objectionable signboard is 140 
feet long and about 20 feet high, and 
directly faces the Institute. It en- 
closes a fashionable boarding house 
that has practically been forced to 
quit business.. 
Among the signs on it is one ad- 
vertising a brand of beer that is as- 
sociated with the colors of the Car- 
negie tartan or plaid and which has 
been named after one of Carnegie’s 
institutions. 
La Touche’s picture of “The Bath”, 
which recently received the first prize 
at the international art exhibition at 
the Carnegie Institute, aijd which has 
been lauded and condemned from va- 
rious sources, has been taken as the 
subject to inspire enthusiasm in mod- 
ern plumbing fittings. While the 
completion of this picture has been 
delayed by inclement weather, the 
“artists” say that a modern bath will 
he pictured minus the satyr that spies 
upon the ablutions of the wood 
nymph in the French masterpiece. 
Residents of the neighborhood are 
so much annoyed over the construc- 
tion of the board that a request has 
been made for the passage of a city 
ordinance to govern the erection of 
these advertising mediums and pre- 
vent the despoiling of residental sec- 
tions. 
Billboards at Niagara 
The question whether billboards 
shall be allowed within sight of Ni- 
agara Falls is to he decided by vote 
of the tourists who visit the falls this 
summer, says J. Horace McFarland, 
president of the American Civic As- 
sociation, who recently had a confer- 
ence with Albert V. Greene, president 
of the Ontario Power Company. He 
says that if a majority of the tourists 
find the boards objectionable Mr. 
Greene and other prominent men have 
pledged their removal. 
New Law in Great Britain 
For many years sky signs have been 
forbidden within the metropolitan 
area of London and recently a bill 
passed the House of Commons by an 
almost unanimous vote which, if 
passed by the House of Lords, as 
there is little doubt it will be, will go 
far toward setting a limit in the 
United Kingdom to the practice of 
disfiguring the scenery with hideous 
advertisements. By this act the right 
of certain municipal councils to con- 
trol poster display is made general 
and in addition every place in town or 
country will be subject to regulation 
as regards advertising stations, while 
the local authorities will be able to 
regulate or forbid any advertising dis- 
play which may affect injuriously the 
appearance of public parks or pleas- 
ure grounds or disfigure the natural 
beauty of the landscape. 
The passage of this bill, according 
to Mr. Richardson Ev.ans, of “Scapa,” 
the organization which has made this 
result possible, is the outcome of fif- 
teen years of persistent effort. One 
of the features connected with this 
measure which in the opinion of Mr. 
Evans is of great importance is that 
by it a new principle is introduced 
into British jurisprudence, namely that 
scenery and the beauties of nature are 
public assets, of the enjoyment of 
which the people ought not to he 
lightly deprived. 
How Paris and Berlin Regulate Boards 
United States Consul General F. FI. 
Mason at Paris says that the first 
enactment relating to the subject of 
(Continued on page VIII.) 
