PARK AND CEMETERY 
3 
have to live amid such surroundings. How some peo- 
ple look upon these copied innovations is well shown 
in the following incident. 
A few days ago my foreman passing a house entirely 
screened by a twelve-foot iron fence, naturally stopped 
to take in the sights, when he was approached by an 
elderly couple inquiring if he could tell them what in- 
stitution it was and if it was an insane asylum. He, 
being a stranger himself, was not able to answer the 
query. If the character of the building is enhanced 
by a hedge, then by all means let us have one ; harmony 
we must have at all hazards, but who will claim that a 
stone wall or iron fence adds to the beauty of the build- 
ing? The invasion is here, but true Americanism will 
resist it— and will conquer in the end. Here on our 
great prairies, cradled by the balmy breezes of mid- 
summer, and the health, vigor and strength-giving 
northerner of mid-winter, broadened in conception by 
the great rolling plains, inspired by the pure atmos- 
phere and clear, penetrating sky, American art will 
rise and spread its beneficent influence over the en- 
tire world. 
VIEW IN WASHINGTON PARK, SPRINGFIELD, ILL.. 
ParK Development in Springfield, 111 
The first annual report of the Board of Trustees of 
the Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Spring- 
field, 111., tells of the successful beginning of an im- 
portant and intelligent scheme of park work that 
gives promise of being of great value to citizens of that 
community. The trustees have issued a handsome re- 
port covering the first year’s work, illustrated with 
many fine photogravure views, one of which is repro- 
duced here. 
The district comprises all of Springfield and capital 
townships, and parts of Woodside township, including 
the Valley of Ridgely. The tracts now under develop- 
ment are Washington Park, covering 132.16 acres, and 
Williams Boulevard, 18.17 acres. Organization was 
effected in 1899 in accordance with an act of the Leg- 
islature, but practically all of the improvement work 
has been accomplished in the past year. 
The tracts are all natural parks and can be success- 
fully developed with a moderate expenditure of 
money. They are covered with a natural growth of 
timber consisting of splendid specimens of forest trees 
with fine foliage. Nature has provided deep valleys 
that can be converted into large lakes at a nominal 
cost. Mr. O. C. Simonds, of Chicago, who prepared 
the plans for the development of the system, says of 
Forest Park : “The commissioners are very fortunate 
in being able to< secure such an attractive piece of 
ground. It is in fact a park already, containing a most 
