PARK AND CEMETERY, 
224 
the duty, but there may be oversights in the incep- 
tion of such a project over which those called upon 
finally to decide upon details mayclaim no respon- 
sibility. The question involved in this condition 
of things is, then, the Art Commission, in which 
should be vested the authority to encourage or 
discourage proposed monuments, just according as 
such projects are deemed desirable under all the 
conditions imposed, both as to site and subject. In 
a great city there are occasions where a fine site 
may await a fine monument, while many inferior 
ones may be offered; and, on the other hand, a fine 
work of art may await the determination of an ap- 
propriate site. There are so many intricate ques- 
tions relating to the demands of really high art in 
our cities that require the profound study of the 
masters of art; and this criticism on the relative 
values of a proposed monument and its accorded 
site raises one of the most important questions con- 
nected with the artistic adornment of our great 
cities, and one that requires the most enlightened 
conrideration of present civilization to solve. 
* * * 
The other phase of the monument question in 
our cities is that of the donation of works of art, 
and it is suggested by the proposed gift of a bronze 
replica of Bartholdi’s group of “Washington and 
Lafayette'' to New York City by Mr. Charles 
Broadway Rouss in memory of his son. There ap- 
pears to be no stipulation attached to the proposed 
donation. The group was erected in Paris in the 
Place des Etats Unis not very long since, and as a 
work of art is pronounced one of the finest produc- 
tions of the sculptor. The great historical associa- 
tions represented by the monument give it an ap- 
propriateness as a worthy gift and honor the 
donor, and this is further emphasized by the fact that 
unlike so many experiences in art donations, no 
bothersome strings seem to be hanging to it. But 
the prominent idea apparent in such a gift is the 
memorial feature. Twne and again these columns 
have suggested the broad field open to those finan- 
cially able, to provide for a city’s art decoration by 
such memorials as would preserve, so far as fore- 
sight could possibly do, the intention of the- 
mourner, and at the same time make the public re- 
sponsible for the care of the memorial from the 
very nature of its possession, its intrinsic value as 
a work of art, and its educational interest both for 
the present and future. What greater honor could 
be devised than that the name of a loved or re- 
spected one should be associated with the gift of a 
work of art to a city’s adornment, to be handed 
along time’s pathway, the beauty of the one enrich- 
ing the memory of the other. 
RESIDENCE STREETS, IV. 
MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION. 
It is not the intention in the following remarks 
to discuss the details for the instruction of builders, 
but rather to speak of those features which add or 
detract from one’s comfort in the actual use of 
streets. 
SIDEWALKS. 
As before stated there are places where the 
mere walking along a certain line makes a suffi- 
ciently smooth and agreeable footway, but usu- 
ally it is necessary, for the sake of comfort, to 
build a sidewalk. The first material used has gen- 
erally been wood. When new a wooden sidewalk 
is quite agreeable to walk on, especially if the 
planks have been dressed to a uniform thickness, so 
that the surface is smooth; but a walk to look well 
and be comfortable to walk on should be nearly 
level with the adjacent ground. When so laid the 
stringers are necessarily placed so that the condi- 
tions are favorable to rapid decay. The planks rest- 
ing on the stringers shrink and swell with changes, 
in the weather, and before very long become loose, 
so that one is apt to stub his toe, or break his um- 
brella or cane in walking. On the whole, wooden 
sidewalks are not s itisfactory or economical. Brick 
sidewalks are durable, and can usually be built for 
5 or 6 cents a square foot. They are used quite ex- 
tensively in many cities, and make a fairly satisfac- 
tory walk for the price. Asphaltum walks are 
smoother, but usually so much tar is used in their 
construction that they become soft in very warm 
weather, and then get out of shape. Concrete or ce- 
ment walks have been used for many years, and have 
proved so satisfactory in every way that some cities 
have passed ordinances requiring that all sidewalks 
shall be constructed of this material. They are more 
expensive than brick, but are also more satisfac- 
tory. As usually constructed they are rather too 
light in color, especially on bright, sunshiny, sum- 
mer days. Stone sidewalks are the most expensive 
of any, and are generally less agreeable to walk 
upon than those constructed of cement. The latter, 
if properly constructed of good materials, are also 
more durable than stone. 
ROADWAYS. 
Gravel roads are used in many places be- 
cause of their cheapness, and, if properly con- 
structed, may be very satisfactory. Many of the 
Swiss roads, which are considered the best in the 
world, are built of gravel. The most satisfac- 
tory road of this kind is one in which the gravel has 
been screened and deposited in layers of various 
degrees of fineness, the coarse at the bottom and 
the fine at the top. It is always a mistake to use 
