The Esthetic Improvement of Brussels 
The first efforts of L'Art applique a la 
Rue were directed at beautifying the shops ; 
and in this respect, its activity was very suc¬ 
cessful. At least one hundred new shop 
fronts throughout the city may to-day attract 
the notice of any observer awake to esthetic 
progress. But he must not be prejudiced 
against L'Art Nouveau , tor he will find it 
has held absolute sway over the designs. 
There were a few atrocities produced which 
brought down the sarcasm and scorn of the 
good natured Brussels “ bourgeois,” upon a 
A FOUNTAIN AND LAMP POST COMBINED 
With drinking place below for dogs 
fad they were pleased to call “ phoenia.” 
Perhaps it was fortunate that the style soon 
began to wane. It is now plainly on the 
decrease ; and, avoided by serious and well- 
established shopkeepers, it is left to saloons 
and those shops driving a short-lived trade. 
An instance may illustrate how strong is 
the feeling of the Belgians tor beautifying 
their capital. Two years ago, a street rail¬ 
way company, wishing to run electric cars 
instead of horse trams on the central boule¬ 
vard, proposed to erect ornamental trolley 
poles. As soon as it was known that the 
company dared propose erecting any poles 
whatever in the middle of the Boulevard 
Anspach , there was a general cry of reproba¬ 
tion. At this, the company further offered 
not only to erect poles but to light the 
boulevards gratuitously with powerful arc- 
lamps. At this business-like proposition the 
city administration permitted one dozen poles 
to be erected as an experiment. This the 
company did at its own expense. 'The 
standards, surmounted by electric lamps, were 
far fro m ugly, and the people were just begin- 
A LAMP POST BESIDE THE ROYAL GARDENS 
ning to get accustomed to them when, sud¬ 
denly, the whole question was carried to the 
Chamber of Deputies. Hot discussions in 
favor of the poles and lamps provoked still 
hotter discussions against the harmless poles. 
Newspapers poured oil on the fire. Petitions 
were signed, long speeches were delivered, 
and finally the Chamber passed a vote against 
the poles altogether. At an enormous cost, 
the company was then forced to build an 
underground system to carry the electric cur¬ 
rent. For six months the boulevards were 
entirely impracticable. Sewers, water and 
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