PARK AND CEMETERY 
.AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
VoL XVII Chicago, February, 1908 No. 12 
A Worthy Example 
Too much credit at this time cannot be given to Mr. 
William Kent, of Chicago, for his gift to the United States 
government of 295 acres of Redwood grove, in Redwood 
Canon, Marion County, Calif., to be used as a National 
Park. In itself it is not only a valuable gift to the people, 
but it should be an alluring example to others, philan- 
thropically inclined, to go and do likewise. Mr. Kent’s 
gift has been warmly appreciated by the California clubs 
and Improvement Associations, and at a reception ten- 
dered to him at the California Club in San Francisco, 
Mr. Kent urged the women to make a supreme effort to 
secure Mount Tamalpais for the federal government, and 
suggested some means for accomplishing the purpose. 
Such generous and public-spirited acts as that of Mr. Kent 
could we!! be repeated in all the states, and the donors 
would not need costly memorials after death to secure 
recognition that they ever existed. They would be known 
by their works indeed. 
Ng 
Docks vs. Parks 
A great question is now being agitated in Chicago — 
whether the lake front from the Chicago River, south, 
shall be used to create an adequate harbor with ample 
dockage facilities; or, whether the projectors of the “city 
beautiful” shall use the said frontage for park purposes. 
At intervals for many years the project for creating a 
harbor commensurate with Chicago’s probable commer- 
cial requirements on the lake front, south of the river 
has bobbed up, but the South Park commissioners and the 
improvement associations have proceeded with the devel- 
opment of their plans for park building on the coveted 
site so aggressively and with so many promises of suc- 
cess, that when the mayor with the consent of the council 
appointed a harbor commission to investigate the ques- 
tion, quite a stir was at once created. It is too early to 
guess at what the final outcome may be, but it is con- 
ceivable to believe that as the people have been led to 
look upon a beautiful lake park frontage as a highly de- 
sirable finish to their wonderful city, the commercial in- 
terests may be able with the help of harbor experts to 
devise a project equal to all future requirements and 
which will not defeat the magnificent park scheme, nor 
injure the residential district already established along 
the lake front. If the report of the Harbor Commission 
be favorable to the harbor scheme, then a compromise 
should be sought so that the park proposition, with its 
attractive possibilities, may be saved. 
Ng 
Work for the Forest Reserve Bill 
It is a matter for sincerest congratulation that 
public intelligence is becoming concentrated upon the 
forestry issue, and that the practical work of the gov- 
ernment is meeting wuth the appreciation it most cer- 
tainly deserves — even its foes fast becoming its friends. 
Under the inspiration of the gifted and patriotic Forester, 
Mr. Gifford Pinchot, the organization of the government 
Forest Service is making remarkable headway, bringing 
order out of chaos, and securing large returns from the 
scientific and businesslike management of the reservations 
under its care. No parsimony of Congress must be per- 
mitted to interfere with this progress, and all forestry 
propositions should be carefully investigated and deserv- 
ing projects encouraged. Some time since the National 
Grange and a conference of State Forestry Boards passed 
a resolution recommending that a “liberal portion of the 
income from the National Forest Reserves be appropriat- 
ed by Congress to the several states and territories for 
instruction and experimentation in forestry in the Agri- 
cultural Colleges and Experiment Stations.” The states 
themselves should also be liberal in this direction. Pros- 
pects are quite promising for the passage of the White 
Mountains and Appalachian bill by Congress at this ses- 
sion, and there should be no doubt of it. The American 
Civic Association is making an earnest campaign for the 
passage of this bill, H. R. No. 10,456, introduced by Rep- 
resentative Lever, and every patriotic citizen and organ- 
ization should write and otherwise influence the local Con- 
gressman to work for this measure. 
Ng 
“The City Plan” 
In the February issue of “Charities and the Commons” 
appears the second of a series of four so-called “civic broad- 
sides,” which is entitled The City Plan. It is edited by Mr. 
Charles Mulford Robinson, and consists of some nineteen 
articles, contributed by authors of well known standing in 
the movement for civic betterment, covering the theory and 
practice of city planning. In the space at command it is im- 
possible to do justice to the educational importance of such 
a “broadside,” nor to the value of the material presented for 
changing habits of thought and prejudice so long dominated 
by the crude dogmatics of commercialism. In discussing the 
possibilities for improving some of our larger cities, it is as- 
tounding to find what lack of foresight and judgment has 
been displayed by those entrusted with the authority to de- 
cide upon public works and utilities ; not a thought for the 
future, nor for anything except the mere local facts. Up to 
the present the real estate interests have practically deter- 
mined the laying out of our cities, and the gridiron plan 
has best subserved those interests. This valuable and authori- 
tative series of articles must have an awakening influence, for 
they cannot be read without a feeling of shame that our 
great country, of unexampled resources, is so far behind in 
the matter of possessing beautiful cities. The maps, plans 
and illustrations accompanying the articles help to a more 
rapid comprehension of where we stand. Every reader 
should study the city plan. 
Ng 
Children’s Playgrounds 
Now that children’s public playgrounds have become 
an important part of a city’s equipment for the health and 
development of its future citizens, the question has been 
raised: What about competent direction? If the .play- 
ground is only to be looked upon as a place for games 
arid lots of fresh air, an efficient caretaker is about all 
that is necessary. If, on the other hand, the playground 
is to be exploited to its limits, it means the development 
of citizenship, and can be made an active agent to tliis 
end, of great possibilities. Thus, in this latter aspect not 
only is a trained attendant necessary at every playground, 
but there will be need of a competent director to super- 
vise the whole system, including the direction of the in- 
dividual attendants. Such a director must be chosen with 
the sole view to fitness and ability to meet the requirements.' 
