PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Vol. XIX Chicago, April, 1909 No. 2 
Chicago Trees 
Chicago has passed an ordinance providing for a city 
forester who will take care of the trees under the control 
and direction of the Special Parks Commission. His duties 
include the inspection, regulation and encouragement of the 
preservation, culture and planting of shade and ornamental 
trees, plants and shrubbery in the streets and public high- 
ways. The ordinance also gives him control of the trim- 
ming and general care of all such trees, plants, and shrub- 
bery; and it also provides that lot owners shall do their 
share in keeping trees on their lots in proper and safe con- 
dition. Street trees must be planted at least 25 feet apart 
and not less than two feet from the sidewalk line. The 
usual restrictions are imposed subject to fine for non- 
observance.- 
Niagara Falls 
It is gratifying to record that the Burton Bill, enacted 
some three years ago to regulate the amount of water to 
be drawn from the Niagara river above the Falls for power 
purposes, and which would have expired by limitation on 
June 30 next, has been re-enacted to cover a further term 
of two years. This it is hoped will end the suspense con- 
nected with the preservation of the Falls by giving time 
for the completion of treaty arrangements between Canada 
and the United States and for any more specific legislation 
necessary. The American Civic Association handled the 
matter again in its own vigorous way. Mr. -Burton, chair- 
man of the Rivers and Harbors committee, a watchful 
friend of the cause, backed by an insistent public demand, 
presented a House Joint Resolution, which was passed, 
notwithstanding the rush of business on the concluding 
days of the session, under unanimous suspension of the 
rules. It was sharp work, excellently well conducted and 
carried through. 
Ng 
The Bill Poster Again 
In response to an energetic protest by a woman prop- 
erty owner, the City Council of Chicago has been asked by 
the mayor to prepare an ordinance prohibiting the posting 
of bills, posters and signs on vacant buildings. On three 
empty stores awaiting tenants, this lady found that bill- 
posters had pasted signs, posters, etc., on doors, windows 
and casings, and during painting operations a bill was act- 
ually stuck upon a newly painted door. Can any one ima- 
gine such unwarranted abuse of evOr questionable privi- 
leges. In her letter to the mayor of Chicago this owner 
pertinently stated: “You can’t rent shabby property.” 
Such evidence should help reformation in the billboard 
nuisance and inspire vigorous action. 
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The Outer Park System Idea 
A bill was recently introduced into the Delaware legis- 
lature authorizing the city authorities of Wilmington to 
acquire land for park purposes within five miles of the city 
limits, on a two-thirds vote of the City Council to that 
effect. A law already in existence permitted the acquisi- 
tion of land for such purposes within two miles of the city 
limits, on a majority vote of the council, so that the new 
law is virtually an amendment of the previous act. It af- 
fords wider powers of purchase with better protection for 
the citizens, and looks to be wise legislation, in that it 
increases the opportunities for the purchase of lands on 
better terms, and thus encourages the securing of park 
properties for future needs before suburban requirements 
and speculation limits choice and advances values. There 
are numbers of cities in nearly every state for rvhich such 
legislation would be helpful. 
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“The Survey” 
“The Survey,” Social, Charitable, Civic, is- the new title 
of the journal formerly known as “Charities and the 
Commons.” In view of the fact that a misconstruction of 
the scope of the journal was possible and probable under 
the former title, and in order also to open up a wider field 
for service to the cause with which it is identified, the 
publication committee deemed it wise to make the change, 
which, however, is only in name. “The Survey” stands for 
thorough study of “conditions as the necessary basis for 
social progress — the kind of study and of constructive pro- 
posal for betterment wdiiqh characterized the three issues 
of its Pittsburg Survey.” It is issued weekly and its work 
is so broad and intimately associated with the uplifting of 
humanity measured in terms of the common welfare, that 
its large subscription list should be a constantly increasing 
one. 
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The Sunday Funeral 
The abolishment of the Sunday funeral, which has been 
a progressive issue in cemetery affairs for some ' years 
past, will now, in all probability, take another step towards 
ultimate attainment. A conference is about to be held in 
Chicago between the clergy, representatives of cemetery 
and civic organizations, and the Liverymen’s and Under- 
takers’ associations, with a view to deciding upon a plan 
by which Sunday funerals may be reduced to the absolute 
minimum, regulated by the reepurements of the health 
authorities. This is a much needed reform and widely 
beneficial. 
The outcome of the Chicago efforts at supressing or 
minimizing the practice of Sunday interment, will demon- 
strate the possibilities of this reform in large cities, -where 
its gro-w'th has hitherto been slow. If it can be done in 
Chicago, it can be done any-svhere; Sunday funeral reform- 
ers will watch with interest the Chicago experiment. 
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“Graft in the Graveyard” 
The fact that a cemetery association has rules regulating 
the depth of foundations does not, it appears, insure that 
all foundations put in under the supervision of the ceme- 
tery superintendents are always in accordance with the 
rules. That such a thing as graft should enter into the 
building of foundations for cemetery memorials hardly 
seems possible, at least in any well-regulated cemetery, 
and yet assertions are made by those who are in position 
to know that such a condition actually exists. Complaints 
are also more frequent than they should be that monument 
dealers ignore, not only the orders of those in charge, as 
well as the rules provided for the construction of founda- 
tions but the ordinary requirements of doing such work 
properly. This is particularly the case in the smaller 
cemeteries and we note a growing tendency on the part 
of the trustees of such grounds to construct all founda- 
tions themselves, leaving to the dealer only the work of 
setting the monument itself. Such conditions call not for 
comment but severe practical condemnation. 
