PARK AND CEMETERY. 
238 
PARIS LEARNS V/ISDOM OF PARK PLANS FROM AMERICAN CITIES 
American cities have long been accustomed to look to Eu- 
ropean municipalities for models of civic beauty and achieve- 
ments in park work and outdoor art. It is interesting to 
note, therefore, that in the following article, by G. T. Grig- 
nan, translated from the Reuue Horticole, a distinguished 
French authority calls attention to the shortcomings of Paris 
in providing adequate park areas for future growth, and 
points to the work of American cities for guidance. 
In the booklet by M. Forestier referred to, several illus- 
trations of plans of American park systems are reproduced 
from the comprehensive report on “American Park Systems,” 
prepared by Andrew Wright Crawford for the Allied Organ- 
izations of Philadelphia. 
We quote as follows from the article: 
“Various European countries, as well as the United States, 
have for some time past recognized the necessity of find- 
ing a remedy for the excessive congestion of their population, 
and of reserving in the most crowded districts, and in their 
suburbs, park grounds and broad avenues which are to serve 
the inhabitants not only as pleasant walks, but likewise as 
providers of pure air. Many hygienists and Frenchmen, anx- 
ious about their country’s future, are considering this matter. 
It has been taken up by Mr. Forestier, the Inspector of 
Forests and Commissioner of Boulevards, Walks and Ave- 
nues in Paris, who has recently come forward with a thor- 
oughly justified warning in respect to the capital, contained 
in a tastefully bound booklet which bears the title of ‘Large 
Cities and Park Systems.’ 
Pari?, shut in by its fortifications, is at present a far too 
overcrowded city. After the admirable effort of Haussman 
and Alphand, it has, as Mr. Forestier states, committed the 
error of halting midway and of failing to further develop its 
park system. It has failed to foresee that its uninterrupted 
development demanded the proportional development of its 
breathing spaces, its parks and walks. It is still surrounded, 
especially to the west, by a fine belt of verdure, which is, 
however, constantly being trespassed on. The fortifications 
are bound to be demolished, and will most probably be re- 
placed by structures which will form a connection between 
the “Faubourgs” (outskirts) and the city of which they are 
an extension. The Bois de Boulogne itself is in danger from 
frequent inroads, against which the Municipal Council has re- 
cently adopted a formal resolution. It has not been possible 
to preserve the Champ de Mars. 
“The number of inhabitants for each hectare of park 
grounds, which is only 51.4 at Meriden, Conn., 94.7 at Boston, 
206.4 at Washington, 214 at San Francisco, and even 400 at 
Vienna, is 1354.7 at Paris ! In quoting these- figures, Mr. 
Forestier points out that they would be lower if the calcula- 
tion had been made to include the parks of Meudon, Saint 
Cloud and Versailles, the woods of Verrieres and the forests 
in the vicinity of Paris, all of which have not as yet been 
included in a plan of grounds to be reserved for the city, 
qnd the future preservation of which is not certain. In the 
interior of Paris, however,, there are only 247 hectares of 
garden spots and parks open to the public, and it will within 
Ijhe next few years have proportionally the smallest area of 
Ijreathing places and public parks of any of the large cities 
of the world. 
1 “The remedy for this state of affairs is indicated to us by 
the example of certain large foreign cities. It will be neces- 
sary to draw up an extensive plan, embracing the entire sys- 
tem, well arranged, and to methodically and gradually carry 
it out. On this basis the city of Boston, which has an ap- 
proximate population of 500,000, appointed in 1894 a special 
commission for the purpose of drawing up a plan, for the 
carrying out of which that city had, on December i, 1903, 
already expended a sum of 56,000,000 francs, while the ap- 
propriations for 1904 provided for the continuation of the 
plan by setting aside an amount of 15,000,000 francs to be 
expended for that purpose. At New York the efforts made 
were perhaps even more remarkable. That city, in 1902, de- 
voted about 26,000,000 francs to the opening up of new parks 
in the old city districts, certain parcels of ground having 
been paid for at the rate of nearly one thousand francs per 
square metre. Mulberry Bend Park, which has an area of 
scarcely more than one hectare, has cost nearly 8,000,000 
francs, while Seward Park, which is of the same size, cost 
twelve million. In the suburbs of New York, Essex County, 
which had only fifteen hectares available for park grounds 
and no avenues adapted for walks, borrowed 25,000,000 francs 
and acquired 1,400 hectares of land and avenues of a length 
of 5 kilometres, which represent, however, only the nucleus 
of a more complete system. In the year 1903 alone, the mu- 
nicipal government of Chicago devoted 32,000,000 francs to 
the opening up of new parks, preferablv located in the con- 
gested districts. 
“In Europe, the Municipal Council of Vienna adopted dur- 
ing the past year a new plan for the laying out of parks, and 
consented to a special loan of 50,000,000 france, to be used 
for carrying out the plan in question. 
“The result of these efforts is exceedingly remarkable, as 
shown by the plans and drawings attached to Mr. Forestier’s 
pamphlet. The total area of the open grounds owned by 
Boston and the other communities of the district, is 6,140 
hectares. New York is to have an admirable system of 
breathing places and avenues, some of which are to be from 
TOO to 300 metres wide. Chicago has even at the present 
time 84 parks, connected by 80 kilometres of avenues. Vienna 
will have a total park area of 4.500 acres for a population 
which has not as yet reached the two million mark. 
‘‘It becomes necessary to dwell upon the additional at- 
traetions which similar improvements would secure for Paris, 
which is far too indolent as a result of the confidence grow- 
ing out of the universal admiration which the city inspires. 
The exodus of Parisians to the Bois de Boulogne and to the 
suburban resorts, which recurs each Sunday, furnishes suffi- 
cient proof of their desire to breathe pure air, while the 
statistics of foreign cities show to what extent their popula- 
tion is attracted by the large parks and smaller areas through- 
out these eities. 
The recreation grounds provided in Chicago for the use 
of children', were, according to Mr. Forestier’s statement, 
visited in 1903 by about 800,000 persons, which number in- 
creased in 1904 to over a million. Moreover, we recently 
read in the English papers that notwithstanding the admis- 
sion fee of one shilling, Kew Gardens received more than 
90,000 visitors on Easter Monday. 
“It therefore becomes evident that the reform in question 
is universally desired. It has become a necessity both for 
the interests of the eapital, and for those of large cities in 
general. This is proven by an example frequently quoted by 
American associations, and furnished by the city of Leam- 
ington, which, after having been a much frequented water- 
ing place, went out of fashion, and, after passing through a 
short period of discouragement, awakened to the desire of 
beeoming a pleasant and agreeable resort. It succeeded in 
carrying out a complete plan of improvements by means of 
walks, avenues and parks, and found its reward in an im- 
mediate return of prosperity, an increase in the value of lots 
and the erection of more than 700 new houses within a period 
of five years. And these were the means employed for re- 
newing the prosperity of the city.” 
