PARK AND 
CEMETERY. 
154 
THE CIVIC AWAKENING 
Improvement of Ogdensburg, N. Y. 
Ogdensburg, N. Y., is the latest of 
the small cities to secure expert ad- 
vice on its future development in the 
shape of a report suggesting definite' 
and comprehensive improvements. A 
general plan is the first requisite to 
proper physical growth of a city or 
town, and it is one of the most prom- 
ising signs of the civic awakening to 
see that the towns and villages are 
making preparations to be the future 
beautiful cities. Mr. Charles Mulford 
Robinson, of Rochester, N. Y., has 
prepared a detailed report for Ogdens- 
burg, N. Y., from which the following 
extracts will be suggestive to other 
towns: 
“We shall properly consider first 
the main portals of the city. Of these 
there are three: The ferry entrance 
and the railroad stations. There is 
no need that their present condition 
be minutely described as you are all 
familiar with them. At the ferry some 
attempts have been made to better 
conditions at those points where 
municipal responsibility and a moder- 
ate measure of private enterprise can 
readily show results. One small 
street space that could be spared at' 
an intersection has been sodded over 
and a larger triangle, at Catherine 
and Washington streets, has been 
commendably acquired and planted. 
The planting is not of the best, 
• 
though it is a proof of so good a spirit 
that I dislike to criticize. A few of 
the shrubs are well placed, but on the 
whole both shrubs and conifers give 
a spotty effect that is not good. On 
a space of this kind the massed plant- 
ing and open lawn plan should have 
been followed. The other little space, 
now bare except for grass, could carry 
with much of convenience and effec- 
tiveness an ornamental electric light 
pole; and could be made beautiful 
with shrubs — as bridal wreath for ex- 
ample. The poor little grass plot 
must get dusty and look pretty lone- 
some. The shrubs here would strike 
a stronger note, especially if rein- 
forced by the electrolier. 
“But the great need at the ferry 
entrance is complete reconstruction. 
The present shanties that serve as 
waiting room, ticket booth and custom 
house slander your city to every in- 
coming stranger, and I question 
whether from a business point of 
view so little money could any- 
where be expended more judiciously 
than in making here a worthier ferry 
entrance. Imagine the dock attrac- 
tively roofed over, the roof supported 
by white columns, with seats where 
one could wait for the boat, in the 
breeze and out of the sun, with the 
constant panorama of the river for 
entertainment. Would not that be 
worth while, for the comfort of your 
own citizens, quite apart from the bet- 
ter impression upon strangers. Then 
at the side imagine a little land pur- 
chased by the municipality and a 
structure erected upon it that should 
be well built, artistic and dignified. 
No doubt the rental that could be ob- 
tained from the ferry company and 
the customs house would pay the in- 
terest on the bonds, and perhaps it 
would provide a sinking fund too. But 
even if it failed to do that the city 
would have the land for its expendi- 
ture. Consider that all this could be 
done for perhaps three thousand or 
five thousand dollars, and ask your- 
selves whether it is not well for Og- 
densburg to take heart of grace and 
do the thing, with lasting benefit as 
concerns its own citizens, to put a 
better front to foreign shores, and 
more worthily to impress the strang- 
er who comes to you.” 
New Orleans City Beautiful Committee 
A movement has been started by 
the Progressive Union of New Or- 
leans for the beautifying of the city. 
The body is known as the City Beau- 
tifying Committee of the Progressive 
Union, and is composed of prominent 
architects, real estate men, civil' en- 
gineers and others with high civic 
ideals. Chairman Norman Walker 
in outlining the work of the com- 
mittee at a recent meeting, said: 
“The time is propitious for the 
people of New Orleans to get togeth- 
er and consider how we may beautify 
our city. The reason is plain to every- 
one. Within the next ten years the 
city will have been rebuilt, so it is 
well that this work be taken in hand 
now, and while it will take years to 
accomplish our ends, a start must be 
made, and it may as well be now.” 
Mr. Walker went into a general ex- 
planation of what had .been attempted 
in the past and called especial atten- 
tion to the remarkable work accom- 
plished by the City Park Board with 
so small an appropriation as $15,000 
per year. In this connection he 
argued that the old style of French 
and Spanish architecture should be 
preserved as well as a general observ- 
ance of fixed regulations in the man- 
ner of constructing new buildings and 
cited the regulations of the city of 
Paris, which made it obligatory that 
all new buildings should conform to 
a general style architecture under the 
supervision of a special department. 
Current Billboard Legislation 
An ordinance making it a misde- 
meanor to erect or maintain a bill- 
board or advertising sign larger than 
five feet square anywhere in the city 
south of Eagle avenue has been 
passed by the City Council of Ala- 
meda, Cal. All owners of billboards 
within the proscribed district and the 
owners of property on which bill- 
boards are located will be notified to 
remove them under penalty of arrest. 
The city council of Stockton, Cal., 
is considering the advisability of pass- 
ing an ordinance prohibiting the plac- 
ing of advertisements on bill boards, 
fences, telephone and telegraph poles 
and sidewalks. City Attorney Thomp- 
son has framed a proposed ordinance 
and submitted it to the council. 
According to an ordinance to be 
prepared by Assistant City Solicitor 
Cohen, of Des Moines, la., bill boards 
in that city hereafter cannot be over 
eight feet high and not nearer than 
eight feet to the side walk. If the 
council passes the ordinance, many of 
the unsightly advertisements through- 
out the city will have to go. 
New Haven Improvement Plans 
The Civic Beauty Committee of New 
Haven, Conn., appointed under a res- 
olution of a mass meeting of citizens,, 
met recently in Mayor Studley’s of- 
fice and decided to secure the services 
of Cass Gilbert of New York and. 
Frederick Law Olmsted, Brookline, 
Mass. The committee has issued an 
appeal stating that while it is ex- 
pected that the city will assume the 
expense of the work, that for the pres- 
ent funds are needed and citizens are 
invited to subscribe to a guarantee 
fund of $10,000. 
Shade Tree Protection 
The Shade Tree Commission of 
Plainfield, N. J., has been organized, 
and by virtue of the provisions of 
the act has published a Shade Tree 
Ordinance. The ordinance forbids the 
injury of trees in parks and highways; 
protects lawns on which notices for- 
bidding entrance have been placed; 
(Continued on p.'ige VIII) 
