!.;'.t;.-iM,;:; v^ 
 
 
 I A CITY PLAN 
 
 1907 
 THE CIVIC LEAGVE 
 
 OF SAINT LOVIS.
 
 GEISEL LMRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of CAUFORNIA, SAN D«GO 
 
 LA XXLA. CAllfOKNIA
 
 ^ll fJUE X^ 
 
 
 ■RELIEr-MAP- v<->:x^ ■ CITY or- 
 
 or THE ^"^"^ST LOUIS 
 
 o
 
 Relief Map of Saint Louis City and County
 
 A City Plan 
 
 For saint LOUIS 
 
 REPORTS OF THE SEVERAL COMMITTEES 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE EXECUTIVE 
 
 BOARD OF THE CIVIC 
 
 LEAGUE TO DRAFT 
 
 A CITY PLAN 
 
 7^ISS^ 
 
 laor
 
 "flbealsi are lihcstavB: von will not 5uccccJ> 
 
 in toucbuui tbcni with ^owt banC'fs but cboo5= 
 
 inci tbcni as vour gui&es an^ tollowino tbem 
 
 vow will reacb \>our ^e5tin^^" 
 
 —Carl Schurz.
 
 Table of Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1. Statement of the Executive Board 7 
 
 2. The Need of a City Plan for St. Louis 10 
 
 3. Historical Sketch— Physical Growth of St. Louis IS 
 
 4. A Public Buildings Group 30 
 
 5. Civic Centers 37 
 
 6. An Inner and Outer Park System 54 
 
 7. Street Improvements 71 
 
 8. A Municipal Art Commission 88 
 
 9. Legislation Necessary to Carry Into Effect the Suggested 
 
 Improvements 95 
 
 Index Ill
 
 List of Maps and Illustrations 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1. Rolii-f -Mai) nf St. Louis, City and County Frontispiece 
 
 •J. Map of St. Louis, 1704 17 
 
 :i. .\Lip oi St. Louis, 1804 18n 
 
 4. City Limits in 1822 1.'2 
 
 f). City Limits in 1841 -'.") 
 
 0. City Limits in 18.Vi and 187(1 27 
 
 7. Pul)!ic Buildings, Group, Cloveland '.idi( 
 
 8. Washington Group Plan ■H)l> 
 
 !t. Plan No. 1 for St. Louis 32n 
 
 II). Place Vendome, Paris 32h 
 
 11. Trafalgar S(|uaro, London IWf 
 
 12. The ZwingerhotT, Dresden 'Mb 
 
 K!. Theater Place, Dresden, and National Museum, Berlin '6-lc 
 
 14. New City Hall M>ri 
 
 1"). Proposed Municipal Group, St. Louis 'Mh 
 
 1(>. .\ Chicago Civic Center .... 38 
 
 17. School Buildings in St. Louis ... 40« 
 
 15. Free Public Lecture, Chicagf) i-'i 
 
 111. .Mullanphy Playground .... 44(i 
 
 20. Soulard Civic Center 46" 
 
 21. Playground Scenes in St. Louis 48'i 
 
 22. Typical Swimming Pool oOk 
 
 2:i. Terminus of Kingshighway . '>4f( 
 
 24. The Kingshighway oQn 
 
 25. Kingshighway — Forest Parle 50^ 
 
 2(). Ravine in O' Fallon Park ")8a 
 
 27. Route of Riverside Drive fiOrf 
 
 2S. Riverside Drive, New York lil 
 
 2!l. River Front Treatment in European Cities 02" 
 
 30. Cross Section, River Des Peres Valley . 03 
 
 31. River Des Peres in Forest Park 64a 
 
 .32. Route of Des Peres Boulevard 56« 
 
 33. Entrance to Yellowstone National Park 70 
 
 34. Map of Chicago Parks 70« 
 
 3."). .Map of District of Columbia . . . 70?* 
 
 30. Map of Providence 70c 
 
 37. The River Front as It Is 72« 
 
 38. The River Front as It Should Be 72h 
 
 39. Cross Section of River Front Improvement . 72c 
 
 40. Water Front at Algiers 74" 
 
 41. Closer View — .•\Igiers' Water Front 7-ib 
 
 42. Champs Elysees, Paris 70" 
 
 43. Junction of Lindell and McPherson .Xvenues 80« 
 
 44. Cross Section Residence Street 81 
 
 45. .X. Street in Cabanne District 82a 
 
 46. Cross Section, Business Street 83 
 
 47. Suburban Right-of-\Vay 84 
 
 48. Lindell Boulevard HOrt 
 
 4!l. Proposed Monument to St. .'Vnge U'2ri 
 
 jO. Map of St. r^ouis and Vicinity .\ppendi,x
 
 Members of the City Plan Committees 
 
 GENERAL COMMITTEE. 
 
 WM. TRELEASE, Chairman, Director, Missouri Botanical Gardens. 
 
 JOHN D. DAVIS, Vice-President Mississippi Valley Tru^t Company. 
 
 DWIGHT F. DAVIS, Member Public Library Board and Public Bath Commission. 
 
 JOHN F. LEE, President St. Louis Bar Association. 
 
 J. LAWRENCE MAURAN, Architect, Chairman Public Buildings Commission. 
 
 J. CHARLESS CABANNE, President St. Louis Dairy Company. 
 
 INNER AND OUTER PARK COMMITTEE. 
 
 JOHN D. DAVIS, Chairman. 
 
 ROBERT S. BROOKINGS, President, Board of Directors, Washington University. 
 
 ENDS CLARKE, Pre>ideni St. Louis County Livic League. 
 
 LEWIS D. DOZIER, Director, Mercantile Trust Company. 
 
 DAVID R. FRANCIS, President Board of Directors, Louisiana Purchase Exposition 
 Company. 
 
 GEORGE C. HitCHCOCK, Attorney-at-Law, Member of the City Council. 
 
 J. A. HOOKE, .Assistant Sewer Commissioner. 
 
 CHARLES H. HUTTIG, President Third National Bank. 
 
 GEORGB E. KESSLER, Landscape Architect, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company. 
 
 ALBERT B. LAMBERT, President Automobile Club. 
 
 ROBERT AlcCULLOCH, Manager United Railways Company. 
 
 SAUNDERS NORVELL, President Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Company. 
 
 MAJ. JULIUS PITZMAN, Civil Engineer. 
 
 WM. TRELEASE, Director Missour' Botanical Gardens. 
 
 CALVIN M. WOODWARD. Director School of Manual Training, and School of Engineer- 
 ing, Washington University. 
 
 CIVIC CENTERS. 
 
 DWIGHT F. DAVIS, Chairman. 
 
 MRS. PHILIP N. MOORE, Former President Wednesday Club. 
 
 HENRY WRIGHT, Landscape Architect. 
 
 FREDERICK G. ZEIBIG. Former President Real Estate Exchange. 
 
 STREET IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE. 
 
 J. CHARLESS CABANNE, Chairman. 
 
 HERMAN VON SCHRENK, Pathologist, in charge of Mississippi Valley Laboratory, 
 
 Department of Agriculture. 
 WILBUR T. TRUEBLOOD, President, St. Louis Architectural Club. 
 THEODORE C. LINK, Architect, Member American Institute of Architects. 
 EDWARD FLAD, Consulting Engineer, Former Water Commissioner. 
 JAMES C. TRAVILLA, Superintendent, Street Department. 
 W. P. H. TURNER, President Turner Real Estate Company. 
 
 MUNICIPAL ART COMMITTEE. 
 
 J. LAWRENCE MAURAN, Chairman. 
 
 W. K. BIXBY, Cha rman. Board of Directors, American Car and Foundry Company. 
 
 MURRAY CARLETON, President Carleton Drv Goods Company. 
 
 JOHN FOWLER. Capitalist. 
 
 HALSEY C. IVES, Director, St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts. 
 
 LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 JOHN F. LEE, Chairman. 
 
 J. LIONBERGER DAVIS, Attornev-at-Law. 
 
 LUTHER ELY SMITH, Attorney-at-Law. 
 
 CHARLES NAGEL, Attornev-at-Law, Former President Commercial Club. 
 
 R. F. WALKER, Attornev-at-Law, Former Attorney General of Missouri. 
 
 B. SCHNURMACHER, Attornev-at-Law, Former City Counselor.
 
 A City Plan for Saint Louis 
 
 STATEMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 
 
 7'o llir Mriiihcis itf I In l,i(ii/iii- (liiil llir ('if'r.ilis f/f St. Louis: 
 
 HICKEWITII we prcsciil lor yonv coiisidcratioii and appi-oval a 
 plan tor the inipi-ovcmi'iil of St. Louis, whit-h lia.s been drafted 
 witli yrcat rare liy I lie several eoiiniiittees composed of forty- 
 two eitizeiis represent iiiii almost e\'ei-.v jirofessioii and intei-esi in the 
 city. 
 
 Ill N<»veinlier, I'Jd."), tlie Ivxecntive Hoard apjKiinted a coinniittee of 
 five to consider tlie feasibility and scope of a comprehensive city )dan. 
 This comniittee consisted of ^^'nl. Trelease, Director 
 Scope of a City "' "'•' -Missouri ISotanical (iardeiis; .lolin D. Davis, 
 Plan. \'ice-l'resi(lent (d' the Mississippi Valley Trust Com- 
 
 pany; .T. Lawrence Manran, Architect and ('iiairinan 
 <d' the J'uldic I'.uildiiiiis ( ommission ; Jolin F. l>ee, I'residciit of tiie 
 St. Louis I'.ar Association, and Dwiiiht F. Davis, member of the I'ublic 
 Library IJoard and I'ree i'.aths Commission. xAfter considerable 
 investijiat ion into the conditions in St. Louis, and a carid'ul su!-\cy of 
 the widespread movement for civic improvements, the commit lee 
 rei)orted that a city ]»lan for St. Louis was not only feasible but most 
 essential and desirable. It outlini'd in a lieneral way the main features 
 of such a iilan. and recomiiiciiilecl tlie a]i]>oiiitmeiir of ti\'e committees 
 to prepare tentative repoits coverini; tlie various parts of the ]>\:iu. and 
 a .li'eiieral committee to co-ordinate the recommendations of the se\-eral 
 committe<'s and incoi-]porate them into the tinal comiireheiisixc re]>ort. 
 
 The prolilems sii;Liiicsted for consideration by the several committees 
 wet e : 
 
 I'M A iirouj) plan for municipal buildiii;;s. 
 ( /) I An inner and outer park system. 
 
 (el Civic centers — the ;irou]iinii *>( small parks and i)lay- 
 liiounds, public baths, branch libraries, schools, model 
 tenements, p(dice stations, tire eiiuine houses, and other 
 public and (|uasipublic institutions.
 
 8 A CirV IM.A.N Fdl! SAINT l.nllS. 
 
 ( '/ 1 Si led iiii]ti-<i\ciiiciiis — iiiiiiii I lidi i>iii^lil';n-rs, i-i\ci- rroni 
 iini>n>\cin('iils, H'limxiil nt' w ires ninl |mi1cs, street inninii. 
 tree phuitiiii;, imhlic <-iiii\ciiieiices, (Iriiikiuii- romihiins. 
 moniniietits and otiier sti-eet einliellisluueiirs. 
 
 ((') A .Municipal Ai't ('oiiiniissidii, whicli slumM have general 
 supeixision n\-er tlie ilesiiius U>v pnlilic hiiililiiiLis and 
 all works (d ai-t In lie erected in St. l^onis. 
 
 ([\ l>eiiis]al ion necessary t<> carr\' inin eflect ilie jdans as 
 outlined. 
 
 Tin- Exi'ftitivc Itoard was fortunate in heiiiu aide to secure llie 
 liratuitotis services, on tliese vavions committees, of some of the most 
 
 ItrominenI commercial, technical and jn'ofessional 
 Character nien of the city. I'i-e(|ueni meeiinj^s of the sexerai 
 
 of Committees, coniinittccs were held, a close stud\' was made (d' I he 
 
 |iroldems liid'ore them, and their recommendations 
 have heeii cartdtilly collated hy the li'eiieral committee. 
 
 \Vhih' the rejiort is issued at this parlicidar lime with tho hope that 
 it will furnish siniucstions for tlie piililic imjirovemeiits contemplated 
 
 in the recent .f ll.l'OO.IMM) liond issue, its ]>riniary 
 Object of the ohject is to sniijily this city with a jdan which w ill. 
 
 City Plan Report. to some (■xtent, direct its future (h'veh)i)ment ah)n^ 
 
 riiild lines. The ])ieceni('al policy which has (diar- 
 acterized its past i^rowth can no Ioniser lie ]iermitted if this citv is 
 to retain her position as one of the liieat .\nierican mnnici]ialiiies. 
 .Vnother (piaiiei of a cenlnrv will see our ](opulalion increased to 
 a million and a (piartei-, and the limits of the city e.vtetided as far 
 west as Clayton or Kirkwood. A fuiidaiM<'nial plan to meet the needs 
 of this growth is necessary. The industrial future of the city demands 
 it. A commei-cial center inxites into its i!,ates visitors, retail merchants, 
 and sli(i]ikee|iers I'roiii the snrionndiiii;' conntr,\' an<l travelers from 
 everywher( . In order to have them tarry awhile and retnrn asiain the 
 city must he made attractive, which means dean streets, ])leasant 
 homes, jjoofl transjiortatioii facilities, ])arks, honlevards, and stately 
 pidilic liiiildini;s. A city can not. in the modern sense nf the word, 
 maintain a hijih conimenial standing; unless it maintains, at the same 
 time, a hiuh cixic life.
 
 sTATKM i:.\T oi' Tin: KxiccrrivK I'.oakh. y 
 
 ("oin];i'iili(>ii lictwccii riiics is liccuniiiit; kcciii-i- ;ill tin- tiiiit^ as tiaiis- 
 ]iiiitaiiuii taciliiii's iiici-casc. It diic ciiy makes itself more iuviting 
 tliaii its iieiiLililioi- it is Ixmiid to attract more peo])le. 
 Competition -^ i-itv, after all. is a lii-eat Imsiiiess estalilislimeiit 
 
 Between Cities, in wliith ilinu^ainls of srocUholder.s are interesteil. 
 Irs sireet plan must he couvenleut and attraetive, 
 its linildiii^s nnist he architecturally beautiful, and it must furnish its 
 residents and visitors the sann^ comforts and conveniences which its 
 neiiihhois can sniii)l\, if it expects to linhj its rank anionti proj^ressive 
 nrhan centers. 
 
 Furthermore, if a well-detined plan is not now determined upon 
 it will have to he done hy the futni-e Sr. Louis at tremendous cost. 
 To a\iiid this mistake the ("ivic League lias drafted this i-eport. 
 which it now submits to the citizens for their ap]>ro\al. and to the 
 city ofticials for theif- consideration and adopticm. It is not exi»ected 
 that the plans, fontemplatins«- an ex])enditure of more than f 25.000.0(10 
 of jiublic icveiiite. will be carried oitt w ithin the m^xt few years. Iitit 
 thev will furnish a uiiide, so that when a ]iitblic buildinii is erected, 
 the ])aik s\siem exteinled. or a statue locati-d. it will be done i-iiiht 
 instead n\ wionji'. and some effort will be made tow.-iid the artainment 
 of the practical ideals included in these recommendations. 
 
 We desire to acknowledije the nuiny courtesies anrl the valitable 
 services rendered by the Street, Sewer and Park Depaitments of the 
 City (tovei iinient. and especiall\' the ser\ ices of .Mr. 
 Acknowledg- 'ieoriic E. Ke.ssler, Landscai)e Architect (»f the Louisi- 
 ments. iina I'urchase Ex])ositi(Ui Company; Henry Wriiiht. 
 
 Land.scajH' Architect; James C. Tiavilla. Sujierintend- 
 eni Stieel 1 »e](arrment ; .T. .\. lluoke. Assistant Sewer ( 'ommissiou'-r ; 
 Williiii T. Truebhiod. I'resident of the Architectural Clui>. and to 
 the manv oilier iiublic-s])irited citizens who have liiveii freely of their 
 time and means to the furtherance of this w(U-k. 
 
 Uespeci fully submitted. 
 
 EXECtTIVE BO.JiRD. 
 yi.wo Feslf.r. Secretary. Henuy T. Kknt. President. 
 
 GotVERXECH C.M.HOrX. .\. .\. McMlI-t.AN. 
 
 Dii. M. B. Ci.Di'Tox, .1. Lawhence Machax. 
 
 DwiciiT F. Davis. Saixhers Nokveli.. 
 
 Edward C. Ei.iot. Chari.es Reb.stock. 
 
 J. H. Grxur-ACH. Ciiari.es A. Stix, 
 
 .1. L. HoRXsuy, B. J. Tai-ssig, 
 
 T. S. McPhketers. Fred. G. Zeibig. 
 
 St. Louis, .lanuarv S, 1007.
 
 The Need of a City Plan for St. Louis 
 
 STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE 
 
 V'o the E.rcciil lit liiiinti (if Tin ('iri<- Lcih/ik: 
 
 Till'] (iciicral ('iry I'laii ('(iiiiuiitlcc, ii]>iioiiit(Ml liv tlic IM-csidciit of 
 tlic Ecajinc to co-onliiiaTc The several reports of the various i-oiu- 
 iiiiTtees and incorimrate tlieiii into the liiial coiniireheiisivo plan, 
 liei;s h-ave to rejiorl llial it lias held fre(|iieiit sessions, carefMlly 
 ronsidered the reconnneiidal ions of each coiiiniiltee ill tlie liiiht of their 
 relation to the whole plan, and herewith suhniits the resnlls nf its laiior 
 in tlie I'orni of a reiiorl. We ho]ie that tiie jilan as outlined will al least 
 aid in aroiisiuLi the jiuhlir sentiment of St. Louis to ihe need of cixic 
 iin]iroveiuents on a roni|U'eliensi\'e scale. 
 
 In order to carry out iutelli;Lii'iitIy the duties assinned to it, your 
 ("oniniillee considered the situation from the poiufs of \iew of the 
 present location and to]io^rapliical advantaiics of St. Louis, the niove- 
 ineiits in other cities for ini])ro\'ements, and the obvious iieedw of a 
 wcll-detiiied ])lan for tliis city. 
 
 Si. Louis occupies a mai;nificenl natural situation in the hend id' 
 the river, with a topoiirajihy which niiyhl have made it one (d' the 
 most lieatitiful cities in America, an undiilatint; 
 Present Conditions surface with ridiics admirably adapted lo w ide 
 in St. Louis. ii'i'l lieauiiful houlexards, and a fan-sha]ie(l 
 
 arrangement (d' streets which i;a\'e every o])]ior- 
 tunity for con\'euient. wide and cumfortahle tluu-oniilifares extending; 
 from a common axis in all directions back from the river. These nat- 
 ural advantaji'es have by no means been fully utilized. The city has been 
 ]»ermitte<l to expand to the north, west and south withotit any directinii 
 jdan. Its <;rowth has been hajthazard and has followed the lines (d' 
 h'asi resistance. Real estate sjteculators and iu-o](ertv owners have 
 been iiermitted to follow their own caprices and .self-interest. The 
 results are that instead of havinii a city with convenient and coiii- 
 niodious rhorouiih fares, jileiitv' of open s])aces and s(|uares, and a 
 liarnionious m-oupiuii id' juiblic bnildiusis, wi' have narrow streets, few 
 breathing; spaces, and a i;cneral absence, in the business portion of the 
 cit\, of those features which make a citv attractive.
 
 STATKMKXT OF TEIK nKXHUAI, I OM M ITTKK. 11 
 
 From tlic ii\cr fi-oiit to llic city limits at fvcry step in the west ward 
 <;r<i\\th of tiic lily are seen evidences of tlie failure to see the relation 
 of tliinjrs. A iK'antifiii river front lias been ^ivcii 
 Neg'lected Natural over witliout rescr\ation to smoking factories and 
 Advantag'es. railroad i racks. The maiinificent Idutt's in South 
 
 St. Louis ovcrjonkini; the river an- toda\ licinii 
 scon])cd (df foi- liri<k — Idutfs which should luive heen the sites for 
 lieautiful homes and dcli.iihtful snuill parks and lireathiiifi' s]»ots. 
 Between .Mill ("reek Valley and BisselTs Point, from ^Main Street to 
 firaiid Avenue, where li\c iiiie-liiird of ilie city's ]in|iulatinii. arc fuuiid 
 only two small i)arks. A trij* throu.iih the husiuess sections will show 
 scarcely a siu.ule oj)en si>ace oi' monument to relieve the im])ressiou 
 of jieneral u.uliness in that district. 
 
 II' the journey he extended into llie heautiful i-csidcutial sections, 
 foi wliich St. I.oiiis is famous, the lack of a well-devised jdan will still 
 be seen, l^uildiui;' lines have not been observed; 
 Absence of business Idocks and livery stables have been jter- 
 
 Rig'ht Planning'. mittcd to eiicroacli niinn jiurely residence streets; 
 flats have been jammed in betxAcen beautiful homes; 
 the choicest paved streets have beconu- nuiin thoroughfares for heavy 
 hauling; and only the "Places" are protecte<l from the encroachment of 
 street cars, switch tracks and olijectioiialilc bnii<liiigs. Tin- average 
 citizen, w ho is seeking a (|ui(>t home away from the noise and discomfort 
 of traffic, is helpless in the face of this riot of conflicting and seltish 
 interests — the direct results of a lack (d' jilan and insufficient reg- 
 iilal ions. 
 
 While these same conditions, in more or less modified form, exist 
 in ]iraclically every American city, a large nnnilier of them have set 
 about to change these conditicuis and hav(> 
 Widespread Move- adojited and are ]iui ting into ettcct comprehensive 
 ment for Civic jdans for the grouping id' pnidic buildin.us. the 
 
 Attractiveness. construction of jjarks and parkways, the creation 
 
 or eidargement of ])ark systems to im lude exten- 
 sive (Hiter belt park areas, I h<' w id cuing ami improving id' thon nigh lares, 
 the beautif.xin.u' of water-fronts, and otiier forms of civic improxcmeiits, 
 which will result at no distant da.\' in idaciiig American cities among 
 ii:c tirst in the WDi-Jd of w clj-oidcfcd niiinicijtalit ics. Not less than 
 twenty American cities are considering extensive modititations in their 
 city ])lans. Scarcely a mouth jiasses without the n])pointment of a
 
 12 A riTY ri.AN I'Ol! SAINT LOlIS. 
 
 coiiiiiiissioii (H- tli( ciniilnN iiiciit <)t nil i'Xiicit ill sonic iiii](niiiiiit city 
 to consider liiis (|iicstioii. 
 
 New York, wiiich lias alrciHlv spent millions for small parks, jilax- 
 yrounds ami free pnlilic liatlis in tlic coiincsied portions of tlie city, 
 lias drafted |ii cliiiiiiiary plans for extensive iiiiiirii\-e- 
 New York City. nieiits alun;^ ijie entire water-front of tlie city, for 
 I lie widening id' a nnnilier of main tlioroninlifares, 
 the liiKiipiiii; ol piililic Iniildiniis aliniii ilie ( iiy Hall I'ark. the a<lo])tion 
 i)( a ]M'riiiaiienl street svsieiii fill- tlie iiiilmill districts, and a vast 
 scheim I'nr cininect int; the \arions liori>iii;hs with ilanliattan Island. 
 
 <'le\eland. (Hiici, has actually hejiiin the formation of one of the 
 most extensive civic i^iioiips in America hy secnrini; tweiitv-fonr Iducks 
 of valnalde laml in tin- heart (d' the Inisiness district. 
 Cleveland. extendinii from the i»nlilic siniare to the lake front. i>ii 
 which will lie erected, alonji' a central mall, federal and 
 miiniripa! lniildiii;L;s. as well as theaters and other (|iiasi-]»nl)lic Iniild- 
 inii's. On the lake fruni is to lie erected a ."ijiB.OOO.OOd I'liion Railway 
 Station, in front of which will lie a lake-froiit park constincted hy 
 tilliii!.; in a considerahle area of the lake. These inijirox-ements. coslini: 
 .fl .").(>( )((.(}( Id. will furnish an eiit iaiice-w;i\ to the citv which, for diiinity 
 and heantw will hardlx lie surpassed in aii\' city of the world. 
 
 Chicajio has alreadv a jiark sysieiii of einlitv-fonr jiarks and twciity- 
 nine miles t>\ connectiiiii houlexards. aiiiireiiatinj:' H.KI'.t acres, and 
 iiicliidinu t wentv-eijiht small jiarks tlioroni;iily eqnipped 
 Chicago. \viih free li.nhs. swimniinu po(ds. readin<i rooms, hrancli 
 liliiaries. asseiiddy halls, jiymnasi-.ims and ])la.vjironnds. 
 A ]dan has heeii comjdeted calliiiii for the ]inrchase of an outer park 
 area or forest reserve of :?(t.d(IO aci-es alonj; the Des Plaines l{iver and 
 aliont Lake ('aliiinet in Cook Coiinly. at a prolialde cost of if|;2."),(KK),0(l(l. 
 l'iirihermor< . the <"oniiiiercial <'liili has employed the services of I). II. 
 Itnrnham. the well-known architect, to draft a city jilan for ("hicajio 
 as broad and com]»rehensive as the \\'ashin;L;ton ])lan. 
 
 San I'raiicisco. a few inonllis hetore the recent disaster, had com- 
 pleted the (liafi of a comiireheiisive iilan for the improvement and 
 adornment of the city, in<-lndin.n roails, drives, jiarks. 
 San Francisco. playi:ronnds. civic centers, puldic Imildiniiis and 
 niinieion-; detailed su<i5iestions. If the new city is 
 able to carry out these plans San I'rancisco will he one of the most 
 heantifnl cities on the continent.
 
 ST.vTi:>ri;\T df tiik ckxkkai. i u.m AiriTKr:. • 13 
 
 Boston lias iidI niil\ llic tiiicst ami iiiusi coiiijilcri- iinici- licit park 
 systcMii ill .Vniciica. cinisistiii:;: of :.'.;!()(( acres aud twcnty-tlii-cc miles of 
 lioulcvaids. lull tlic city is snrrotindcd Ity a iiictro|)olitan 
 Boston. l>aik system of more than ten tlionsaml acres cnniu'cted 
 by beautifnl drixcs and jiarkways. Itoston lias one ci\ic 
 center <ironi). fifteen ])layiii-oiinds. ten lieacli liatlis, twelve float init baths 
 and eleven sliowcr batbs — all fri'i- lo the people of the city. 
 
 Kansas city. .Missouri, a city i>f a little more than 2(10.(10(1 popnla- 
 tion, has a park area of over I'.OOO acres and tliiriviune miles of 
 boulevards and park driveways. Seven million didlars 
 Other Cities. have been spent in the past ten years on this jiark and 
 lionlevard svstem. AX'asliinjiton ("ity and the IH.strict 
 of ( 'oluinlpia, if liie plans alreadv adojited are carri<'d ont. will have 
 not only a park area of s.(l(M» acr<'s and a .system of i)arkways sixty- 
 five miles lon^. bnt a lirouji of federal and (inasi-i)nblic bniblinins 
 iinsnr]ia.ssed in anv city of the world. l*rovidence has pro]iosed a 
 nietroj)olitan ]iark svstem of a tlionsaml acres and shore drives ei;:hteeu 
 miles in lenutli. St. I'anl has jdanned a picturesipie iiii-onp of jtublic 
 Imildinns with the new Minnesota cajtitol in the center. The Twin 
 Cities have aiireed njion an nnii|ne system of paries and honlevards 
 linkinii' the river drives with ilie inland lakes. Detroit recent ly drafted 
 plans for beantifvin;Li its water-front. Denver emjiloyed an expert to 
 offer siijiiicstions for elaborate street improvements and boulevard 
 extension. Kveti the smaller lities have caniiht the spirit. I'roliably 
 more civic expert woiU is bein^ iloiie todav than at an\' time in the 
 world's history. 
 
 ^^'hile St. Louis has not been so far behind in this mo\-ement. as is 
 seen in the report of the I'nblic lluildinus ('omniission and the Kinjis- 
 
 hiulnvax ( 'ommission, the time has come when 
 St. Louis Needs these reports should be incorporated into a more 
 
 Well Defined Plan. complete city plan which is essential to any 
 
 systematic develo]»nieiit of this rajiidlv urowini; 
 city. St. Louis today, if the |ireilict ions of her leadinu citizens are 
 correct, is on the exc ol a remarkable expansion in pojinlation, trade 
 and in(lusir\. The city will, in all jirobability. contain bv 102.") at 
 least a million and a i|narter iidiabitants. This means the extension of 
 streets, the crowding of the clow ii-low u business sections, the iirowth 
 of suburban areas, mid ilu' creation of scores of municipal prolilems 
 which will directly alleci the health, comfort atid jileasure of the
 
 14 . A ( TIV I'LA.N l'(JK SAl.NT LOl IS. 
 
 million and a iinartcr jicojilc tlicn coniirciiatpd within a radius of ten 
 iiiilcs fi'(tni till' City Hall. Tlicsc conditions make a woll-dctincd ])ro- 
 lii-ani for civic dcvcloimiiMit iniitcrativo. 
 
 In tlic consideration of tlic rcjiorts of die \ai-ions coniniittccs we 
 liavc k('])t constantly in view tlic practical and the attainable. We 
 have considered the eity as it is, its location, its 
 A Practical Plan. to]>oi;ra)iliy, its ])resent conditions and fntnre ])os- 
 sihilities, and have attenijtted to co-ordinate the 
 excellent recoinnieiidations of the various connnittees into a compre- 
 hensive ]dau which, if carried into effect, will enable the city to realize 
 to some extent its opportunities for gi'eater civic comfort, convenience 
 and beauty. 
 
 It is not expected that these imi»rovemeuts will all be attempted in 
 the immediate future. They must necessarily be extended over a 
 nuitdier of years, and be executed only as the city develops and its civic 
 l>rid<' and tinaucial ability enlariie. 
 
 A report of this extent, co\-erin,i; so many different jihases of 
 municii)al imiirovements, must necessarily deal only w ith licnei-al jilans 
 and recommendations. The details must l)e left to those who carry 
 oul llie suiiijcstions contained in the report. 
 
 The advantaucs to be juained from the adojition of a comitrehensive 
 scheme are several; it will i;i\i' due iniiioi-tance to each held of 
 iiinnici])al impro\-ements; it will furnish a nucleus 
 Advantages of a around which |iul>lic sentiment can crystallize; it 
 City Plan. ^vill hel]) to realize the unit\' of oni- civic life by 
 
 lirin.miui; toi.;cther the dit'ferent sections of the city; 
 but mor( than all else it will tend to hrini; civic orderliness and beauty 
 where otherwise will continue to exist a \;\v]i of unity and an absence 
 of diiiuity and harmony. If these results, even in a snmll <l(\inree, can 
 be secui'ed by this report your sevei-al committees will feel fully com- 
 pensated lor the time and effort liiven to the various details of this 
 I'li'll- Kespect I'lllly sulimitled, 
 
 GENERAL CITY PLAN COMMITTEE. 
 Wii. Tkki.e.\sk. Chairman. 
 J. CiiAitMoss Cab.'vn'XE. Joii.n D. Davis. 
 DwiiiiiT F. Davis. J. Lawrkxcr Maiha.n. 
 
 John F. Lee. 
 Mayo Fesler, Hecretary.
 
 Historical Sketch 
 
 THE PHYSICAL GROWTH OF ST. LOUIS 
 
 A( iLAX< 'I'^ ;il llic iiijiiMif St. Louis will show a <-ily w liosc ]>li\sical 
 (l('\i-ln]uiii-iit and {'.\]iaiisioii to tlic north, west and soulh liave 
 followed no wcll-dclincd plan. Suhdivisions have Iktii opiMUML 
 siiccis have hccn jdaltcd and the limits of the rity extended with little 
 ilioiiLiht ot the futuii' needs of a ureat nieti-ojxilis. Streets, it is trne, 
 have iu a jieueral way, lint with many irre*<ularities, followed the fan- 
 sha]ied arraniienient wliicli has heen foreed upon the city by its nnif|ue 
 position in the hend of th<' i-ivei-, lint no effort has ever heen made to 
 ])rojeet strai;^lit. w ide, commodions thoroughfares radiating from a com- 
 mon renter or ojx-n s(inare in tlie heart of the city. Park spaces in the 
 crowded ]iortiou have heen sadly neglected; the grouping of ])nl)lic 
 liuildings has received little attention; and the natural advantage of 
 location anil topograph\ wliiili this city has possessed has been 
 seriously disregarded excej)! where tlu' demands of trade and ronnnerce 
 have made it expedient to take advantage of it. 
 
 The history of St. Louis fui-nishes no story of a concerted efforl to 
 agree n|)oii a city plan wliieh wouhl have prevented many of these 
 irregularities and much of the inconvenience and 
 History Shows No actual discomfort whicli have been left as a jier- 
 City Plan. manent iidieritance to the generations who will 
 
 reside within the ]iri'sent boundaries. If a definite 
 .scheme of extension and develojiment had been agreed upon as late as 
 1S2*J, when the city \\as first incorjiorated ami when its western limit 
 was Sex'enth Street, its growth could have been dirc^cted along right 
 lilies with only slight changes in the existing streets and at little cost 
 to the tax payers. lOven as late as 1S41 a well-defined ]ilati weuld have 
 eliminated many of the present obstructions to free communication, 
 but advanlage was not taken of these ojiportunities and the ])resent 
 l)hysical outlines of the city with its street irregularities, its lack of 
 wide main lliorouglifares. its aliseuce of open spaces and attractive 
 s(|uares and \istas. are the icsults of an undirected growth of more than 
 a hundred years. A brief historical sketch of this physical growth will
 
 16 A CITY PLAN Ff)I! SAINT r.OTTS. 
 
 slinw liow sdiue of tlu'sc roiiditioiis dcvoloiicd junl liow futile it would 
 hi- to iitl('in|)t iiiiy vndical chaiifics in llic iicncrai jdan of the city. 
 
 Il was ill Xovcinlici-. 1703, tliat ricrvc l.aclcdc Lii;iii'stc and his liaiid 
 of liadci-s from New (M-!caiis landed on tlie hanks of the ^Iississi|)j)i at 
 
 what is iKtw the fool of Walnut Street. Here lie found 
 Founding' of ■' liniesioiii- lilulf rising ahoiit forty feel aho\c Ihe 
 
 St. Louis. 1763. ordinary lieii;hl of the water, sloiiiny hack in two 
 
 or three terraces to the west and extendinji' some two 
 miles alon;; llie river-frorii. 'i'liis lilniT and ihe recedinji terraces above 
 aud to the west were covered with a heavy frrowtli of timber extendiujx in 
 an irreuular line as far back as Fourth Street. From this ])oint on 
 the top of tiie hill and to the west was a broad and uudiilatinii iirairii- 
 witii lier<' and ihcre clnm])s i>( scrub oak or hejivier growths of tindier. 
 Alon^ what is now Mill « 'reek Valley was a aiore heavily wooded 
 rejiion. l!ra( kenridye, in his "Views of Louisiana."'' written several 
 years later, says of St. Louis and its en\irons: 
 
 "Lookinii to the wcsl a niosi charminL; coiinir.\ spreads itself 
 before lis. It is neither \('ry level nor hilly, but an a.iireeable 
 wavini: surface, and rising: foi- several miles with an ascent almost 
 imperceptible. Iv\ce])l a small belt to the north, there are few 
 trees; the rest is covered w ith shrubby oak, intermixed with hazels 
 and a few tritlinii- thickets of thorn, crab apide or ]ilum trees." 
 
 In December. 17ti:>. I>aclede marked the site for his new tradiiii: ]>ost 
 in the vicinity of Walnut Street and the levee, declarin*;- as he did so, 
 
 "This settlement will become om' of the finest cities 
 First Streets and "^ America." In the spriug of 1764, after winter- 
 Building's, ill!.' at l-'ort ( hart res, Aiiiiuste Chouteau and thirty 
 
 of the ]iarly returned to the site of the ])ro])osed 
 settlement and beiiaii cleaiiii.u the laud on the river-front for the erec- 
 tion of a ])ost house for the commander, cabins for the men aud a large 
 shed oi- store house for the |iroleciion of the ])rovisions. tools and 
 stoics. The jiosi house, the liea(h| uarters of the tradinii compan_\', 
 which was built on the blocks now bouiidecl by .Market aud Walnut, 
 Main and Second Streets, .served as the focal point from which all 
 measurements were first made in assigning lots, platting streets and 
 locating other buildings. In his first ]tlat of the village Latdede re- 
 served the block adjoining the trading post on the east and fronting 
 the river as "La Place d'Arines," or I'liblic Sipiare. and the block 
 adjoining the jtost to the west as the location for Tlie church. Those
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 
 
 17 
 
 Samf J^uis d 
 
 es 
 
 no'"- 
 
 ^. 
 
 FORT / F / £ PAK MoNsicuH D. f/fAA/COii, 0£ CovS^T. 
 t/S(/T£ fVAJVT tOlON£i. £T L/£ar£ A/A/yT & Ot/V £ fi f*£ U R , 
 Oe LoLpart^t. Octt^^nta-Ct D£ S JL/NOI & £ At /7eO 
 
 
 A. lA rooM. D£Ar/s it//vfi. c. B Ai r/ o/^ ■.. o. Po^ t £ % , s. o o t/ v £ /i^ £ Aff^ /vr 
 
 f E6Lli£. &. P,.AC£. H. />tTlT£ ft>V,£Jt£ / £ /^ fit AC £ M £ A* T S ^^i. PA ff-r , c <, l ' £ f^ !,. 
 
 \4. Ml, LAvliRC ^o'Em 17&0 f».« OROfO Ob (#oy w i ft ■ t »« t ••■*, 
 
 Jf €^rttf^9 out it fs^t4»nT ett (€^jyya-frrt ,1 w ^/a n 
 Stt lows /" Se^t: 'OiS. 
 
 .MAP or SAINT LOLIS. 1764.
 
 18 A CITY rr,AX for saint louis. 
 
 to the uoi-th ami .-south aloug I Ik- rivcr-frout wi-re theu assigued to those 
 settlers who desired to build homes. The tirst assiguments were nuule 
 to faee ou Main Street, wliieh left the splendid river-front as the hack 
 yard instead of tiie frt)nt yard of liie village. Even at this early date 
 St. Louis liegan to turn its hack on that natural feature of tlic land- 
 scape which niiuht have lieen utilized to enliance the lieauty of I lie 
 future city. 
 
 The next ste]) in the village i)lan. after the individual assignments 
 to the settlers were made and the cabins erected, was tlie arrangement 
 for a "Commons," Avhere all the live stock of the 
 The Commons. sei tiers might graze. A considerable tract of land 
 lo the south and we.st of the village, well wooded and 
 watered, including the present area bounded approxinialely iiy fourth 
 and Tenth Streets, Tark ami Clark Avenues, was set aside f(u- this 
 ]»uri)ose and during the summer of ITtJo was securely enclosed by the 
 united labor of all the .settlers. The eastern limit of tbi.s enclosure 
 furnished a ]M(rtion of the tirst western boundai-y to the village. 
 
 The new community then turned its attention to the .selection of a 
 tiact of laud as a "Common Field," most suitable for cultivation. To 
 the west and iu)rth of the village, in what was then 
 The Common known as "Ka (Jrande I'l-airie," was a stretch of open 
 Fields. ]daiu, fertile and especially ada])ted to farming, ex- 
 
 tending from the present Alai-ket Sti*eeT to the i'.ig 
 .Mound (near .Mullanphy Street) on the north an<l from I'.roailway to 
 .Jetfer.sou Avenue on the west. This tract was divided into .strips one 
 ari»ent tl02i>; feet) in width and forty arpents (770 feet) in de])th, 
 and assigned to the various settlers for cultivation. As the ]Mii(ulation 
 increased these c(UHmon fields were extended until in 177.") they co\-ered 
 .several hundred acres to the west of the village. They were known by 
 various names, such as "La Grande Prairie," "La Prairie des Xoyers,"' 
 "La Prairie de Cnl de Sac," "La Petite Prairie" and "La Prairie 
 Catalons." 
 
 Th(> close of the year 1704 saw a total of forty people located in the 
 new .settlement, but the year 17G5 witnessed a considerable increa.se in 
 the poptilation by the addition of immigrants from the 
 Growth French settlement in the territory east of the ^fississippi, 
 
 of Villagre. which had been transferred to the British. The.se new 
 settlers were c(u-dially welcomed by Lacdede and add(>d 
 an important element to his new settlement. During the snmmei- of 
 l~(\o tnore than eightv verbal grants of lots were made to these new
 
 MAP ST LOUIS 
 
 AD. 1604 
 
 MAP SHOWING HOW ST, LOUIS EARLY TURNED HER BACK ON A BEAUTIFUL RIVER FRONT.
 
 Map of Saint Louis, 1804
 
 IIISTOKirAL SKETCH. 19 
 
 scltlci's. This iinlmsincss-likc niclliod of iiiMkiiiti grants coiitiiiucil 
 until ITtHi, when ("ajjtiiin Louis ^^t. .Vn.ne dc licllcrivc, tlic FitiuIi 
 Liciitcniint-dovernor, arrivctl at St. Loui.s and began the adininisti-ation 
 of affairs. He at once replaced the method of verl»al <irants liy reipiir- 
 iiiii lliciii to be re,i5istered in llie ''IJvres Tei-rien," or lieuistcr of heeds. 
 In IKitj the settlement .sometimes called "Laclede's Villajic" coiisisled 
 of se\i'nty-ti\'e Iniildiufis, two streets and some 300 peo]»]e. 'PJie two 
 
 streets. La Hue Koyale, afterwards La Hue i'rin- 
 St. Louis Under eipah- mow .Main Street|,aiid La Kue de i^'IO^lise, 
 Spanish Rule. ('burch Street (now Second Street), were each 
 
 thirty-six I'^rench feet in width. Most of the in- 
 babiiants lived on .Main Street. IJv 1770 the villajic had increased its 
 jiopulation to alioul .">0(l and the numlrer of buildings to 11.">. In 17S0 
 a third parallel street was added, wliicb was called La IJue des <"iran,iLics, 
 or Street of the I'arus (now Thii-d Street |. It was so named because 
 of I lie numlier of barns and slieds which graced it. In ]7!)S (Jovernor 
 Delassus bad a c<'nsus of rpjier Louisiana Territory taken, which gave 
 the i)opulatiou of St. Louis as 925 souls. Dui-ing tiie w liole jieriod 
 of Sjiauisb rule over the Louisiana Territory, from 1770 to ISOO, little 
 attention was ))ai(l by the Spanisli authorities at New ()i-leans to this 
 .settlement on the .Mississippi. Not even was the line of fortiticalious 
 wliirii liad been projected about the village completeil. Throughout 
 this period of uiore tluin a tpiarter of a century St. Louis was left 
 unmolested and free to develop in its owu way. 
 
 In 1804, when the region was ceded by Napoleon to the Fnited States, 
 St, Louis, according to .Major Amos Stoddard who took possession of 
 
 r]ii)er Louisiana for the federal goxcrniiient, con- 
 st. Louis in 1804. tained only ISd hou.ses built chietiy of wood and 
 
 stone, .^lost of these were located on La Kue 
 I'riucijiale (.Main Street) and La Kue de L'Egli.se (Second Street). 
 There were few buildings tiien on Third Street. Tlic lilock where the 
 rianters Hotel now stands was a comuHUi i)asture for the village cows. 
 Several cross streets, thirty I-'rench feet in width, had by this time been 
 ]>latted, as is indicated by the accompanying map. Kue de bi Tom- 
 I Walnut Street) was liien the main thoroughfare leading back from 
 .Main Street to the fort on the bill at Fourth and Walnut Streets, where 
 tile Southern Hotel now stands. .Most of the tow n was siuitb of .Mai-ket 
 Street.
 
 20 A CITY IT-AX lOR SAINT LOUIS. 
 
 Up to this time The village hiid im legal boundaries, unless the out- 
 lines of the old S]iiinish fortifications, as shown on the map of 17(!4 and 
 which were never completed, conld lie called l(>gal. Not even were the 
 lionndarv lines between the individual holdings well detincd. In 1S(I.~) 
 a Board of Commissioners was a]i]»ointe(l to ascertain and adjust all 
 <|Ui'stions of land titles i;rowing out of the early sysiciii of making 
 verbal grants. 
 
 In 180!) the "Town of St. Louis" was duly incorjioralcd liv tlic ( 'onrt 
 of Common Pleas. Its limits as stated in the articles of incoipoiation 
 were: "negiuTiing at Antoine Ray's mill on the 
 St. Louis in 1809. bauks of the .Missi.ssijijii ( now the foot of Fraid<liu 
 Avenue), thence running west sixty aijicnts (to 
 IJroadwayi. ilieme south on a line of said .si.xty arpents in the rear, 
 until the same crosses the TSarrier Des Xoyer (about Chouteau Avenue), 
 thence due south until it comes to the Sugar Loaf ( Fifth and Kutger 
 Streets), thence due east (along Rutger Street) to the ilississippi 
 River." The population at this time wa.s estimated to be 1,200. Mr. 
 I'dllon, in his history of early St. Louis, describes the town as he first 
 •saw it in 1800: 
 
 "There had been little change in the surface of the ground from 
 its first .settlement in 1764, a period of nearly forty years. * * * 
 The river-front presented at that day a limestone bluff extending 
 from abotit the foot of I'oplar Street on the south to above Roy's 
 Tower at the foot of Ashley Street on the north. * * » There 
 were but two roads ascending from the river to Main Street, viz., 
 at Market and Oak Streets. These ascents were very abrui»t and 
 rough, (|uarried through the limestone rock by the early iidiab- 
 itants witli crow-bars and hamniei-s to enable them to get to the 
 river for water. ♦ * * There was no Fourth Street south of 
 Elm. * * * South of this it was but a road with two or three 
 hou.ses." 
 
 In 1811 the limits of tlie village were slightly changed so as to extend 
 along Broadway to ^lill Creek A'alley, thence down the creek to its 
 mouth. In r.rackenridge's "Views of Louisiana." written at this time, 
 we have a pen ])icTure of the town as it apiteared in isll. In this 
 sketch he says : 
 
 "The town is built between the river and a second l>ank, three 
 streets ninuing ]iarallel with the river, and a number of othei-s 
 crossing them at right angles. It is to be lament<'d that no s]»ace 
 has been left between the town and the riAer. For the sake of 
 the ]>leasnre of the ])romenade. as well as for business and health.
 
 HISTnliKAI. SKKTIH. 21 
 
 there should luivc liccti no ('ncroaclmicnt on the niai-ijin of the 
 nolile stream. * * * How dillVi-cnt wonltl liavc lii'on its aj)- 
 jx-arancc if Itnill in the same ciciianl manner, its liosom opened 
 to the breezes of the river, the stream enlivened by scenes of 
 business and pleasure, and rows of elesiant and tasteful dwcllinirs 
 looking \\itli pride on the liroad wave that passes." » * * 
 
 "St. Louis is the seat of government of the Territory and has 
 always been considered the chief town. * * * This jilace oc- 
 cupies one of the best sirualiniis mi the .M ississijipi. l»oth as to site 
 and geoiirapliical jiosition. » * * jj j^ pmliably not saying 
 too much that it bids fair to be second to Ne^\■ Orleans in impor- 
 tance on this river." 
 
 The tiiw II grew slowly from 1S((4 to isli', adding only now and then 
 a new house or a few addilional settler.s. But the results of tin- war 
 
 of 1S12 and the general revival of trade and interest 
 The First '" ^'''^ Middle West gave a new impetus to St. Loui.s. 
 
 Subdivisions. l''V ISlfi the population had increased to 3,000, .so that 
 
 the residences and shops could no longer be confined 
 to the three north and south streets. In .May of that year Colonel 
 Augnste Chouteau and Judge J. I>. ('. Liuas opened the first sub- 
 division "on the hill," extending from Fourth to Seventh, and from 
 St. Charles to S])ruce Streets. This addition contained some fifty 
 acres. The streets in the new subdivision were made much bi-oailer 
 than the oiiginal ones and crossed each other at right angles. In this 
 same year the town of North St. Louis was laid out. Here were located 
 a lunnber of mills, whicli aideii miiili ilie early development of a con- 
 siderable town, other towns grew u]) about St. l-ouis. and b\- 1S21 
 theii cond)ine(l ])o]udations amounted to !),732 jx-rsons — the town of 
 St. Louis containing 5,500 of this number. 
 
 The til St (lirecioi\ jiublished in this year contains an interesting 
 descii]ption of the town as it then appeared: 
 
 "Eight streets run parallel with the river and are intersected 
 by twenty-three others at right angles. Three of the preceding 
 are in the lower iiart of the town and the five others in the u])per 
 ]»arl. Tlic streets in the lower part of the town are mirrow, being 
 from thirty-two to thirty-eight and one-half feet in width; tho.sc 
 streets on "the hill" or u])iter i)art are much wider. 'The hill" is 
 mmh the most pleasant and .salubrious, and will, no doubt, become 
 the most im])roved. The lower end of .Market Street is well i>ave<l. 
 and the trust(M's of tlie town have ])assed an ordinance for ])aving
 
 22 
 
 A CITY rr.AX FOU SAINT LOl'IS. 
 
 of tlic si(lc\\;ilks nf .Main Sii-cri. Iicinj; the second from and parallel 
 to tli( liver, and I lie iiriiuiiial one for Imsiness. This is a very 
 wliolesoiiie reiiiilatioii ol (lie trustees, and is tlie inoi'e necessary 
 as this and many other sti-eets are sometimes so extremely muddy 
 as to l)e rendered almost impassahle. 
 
 "It is to he hoped that the trustees will next pave tlie middle 
 of .Main Street, and that they will proceed <iradiiallv to imjirove 
 tlie other streets, which will contrilmte to make the town more 
 healthy, aihl to the value of jiroix'rty and make it a desiraldc i)lace 
 of residence. On the hill, in the center of the town, is a jmlirK- 
 s(|iiaie 24(1 liy :!(l(l fret I ]iresent Court House block |, on which 
 it is iniendc<l to i)uild an elegant Court House. The various 
 coni'ts are held at i)resent in Iniildiniis ad.jaceiit to the I'uhlic 
 Scpiare. A new stone jail id' two stories, seventy feet front li.v 
 thirty feet deej), stands west of the site for the Court House. 
 
 ".Market Street is in the middle cd' the town, and is the line 
 dividinii the north jiart from the south. Those sti'eets riinnini; 
 north from .Market Street have the addition <d' North to their 
 names, ami those i-unnin.i; in the o]i]>osite direction South. The 
 houses were tirst numlu'red liy the imhiisiier (d' this directcu-\ in 
 .Alav, 1821." 
 
 CiTV Limits ix 1822. Few Hoc.^k.-^ West of Seventh Street. 
 
 The followinji year, Hecemher, ISi'i', witnessed the incorporation of 
 St. Louis as a city with its limits detineil as follows: "That all that 
 
 district of country cimlained within the followinii 
 St. Louis limits, to-wit : hejiinniu!.; at a jxiint in the middle of the 
 
 Incorporated main channid of the .Mississippi Ixiver, due east td' the 
 1822. southern end of a hridi;e across .Mill ( 'reek, at the lower 
 
 end i'{ the low n of St. Louis, thence due west to a point 
 at which the western line of Seventh Street, extended southwardly, will 
 intei-sect the same; thence northwardly, alon<i- the western side of Sev-
 
 HlSTOIilCAL SKETCH. 21 
 
 clltll Street, ;lll(l ((illtiimillg ill Ihilt ((Ull-se to ;l point due west of tlie 
 iioitlieni side of Koy's Towel*; riieiit-e due east to the middle of the main 
 chauiiel of the ]{iver .Mississijn)! ; thence with the niiddh! of llie niaiii 
 channel of said river to the hej;iniiiug; shall be, and is herein', erected 
 into a city, iiy the name ot tln' cil\ of St. Lonis." The total area in- 
 cluded within these limits was a little move than 385 acre.s. 
 
 rp to this time little attention had heen iiiven hy the people to the 
 stieet plan of the city, and practically none to huildiuii line rciiulations. 
 The iilattiuii of streets had been left to those who 
 Early Street opened new subdivisions, and a uniform buildiini line 
 
 Improvements. seems not to have ap])ealed to ihem as even a 
 necessary convenience. l>ut now that the town had 
 becouH a city with a ]>opiilation of almost (),(IO(l peojde, the citizens 
 became aroused to the necessity of some rei;ulations. Accordintily, in 
 1828 the first Hoard of Aldermen api)ointed a committee to "in(|uire 
 into the trtie situation of the streets, lanes and alleys of the city." auil 
 to recommend simie "pi-inciide ujion wliich said streets, lanes and alleys 
 shall be ])ermanently tixed." The committee, after iiivesti|:;ation. madi' 
 a icjiort in which they stated that the width of the oriiiinal streets 
 was thiity feet ( I'lcnch measure i. while that of the later subdivisions 
 was thirty-six feet. They pointed out that little reuard had lieeii paid 
 to sticet lines li\ builders, and that in numerous instances buildinjis 
 and fences extended consideiably beyond these lines. To remedy these 
 conditions the committee recommended that a new survey be made and 
 that property owners be com}»elled to conform to established lines. 
 It is unroi-lnnate that this committee did not look fuitliei- into the 
 future ol the city and recouimeiid at that eaily date the adojilion of 
 a street i>lan which would have estalilished broad and conxciuent liiuh- 
 ways extendinii in all directions from the heart (d' the business district. 
 
 This first I'.oard of Aldermen jiassed an ordinance f(U' the ])a^■iI\^^■ 
 of a few streets and re(piirin,ii jtroperty t)\vners to pave the sidewalks 
 
 in front of their property. Prior to the incorporation 
 First Street "I 'be city sexcral attempts jiad iieen made to cover 
 Paving". the ••unfathiunal)le mud of St. Louis," bin the un]iro- 
 
 ;ii-essi\-e ]H)rtion of the iiduibitanis had been able to 
 defeat those ellorts. I'.y ISi".) a number of streets had been i)aved.
 
 24 A crrv i-lan lou saint louis. 
 
 Tlic iiaiiiinji of streets was next considered. Previous to lS(t!» tlie 
 old Fi'(MkI) uanies had iteen retained. From 1800 to 1820 streets 
 
 rnuuinfi; east and west iiail liirn known liy tiie letters of 
 Naming- of llie alphahet willi liie preti.x imrtli and s(>\itli i nt' .Market 
 Streets. Street i attaciicd. in ISlMj an ordinance was ])assed 
 
 Iciiallv cstaldisiiiun .Market Street as tlie dividinj;- line 
 lietwci'U llie nnrlli and soutli, naniini; tlie north and sunth streets hy 
 nnnil)crs and llic cast and west si reels after the names nf trees, aceord- 
 \u'j, ti: Mil' riiiladel|ilna plan. 
 
 'I'jie years from ISlT) to 1S40 were years of prosperity and rapid 
 liTowth for St. Louis. The city in 1830 extemh'd aliout a mih* and 
 
 a half alonj; the river-frout and ahout a half mile back 
 From from Jlain Street. Yet the whole city might have been 
 
 1825 to 1840. packed twice over within the present area of Forest 
 
 I'ark. In 1833 the John I>. C. Lucas addition lietween 
 Seventh and Ninth, ilarket and St. Charles, was opened. In 183(i the 
 Sonlard addition bounded by Park and ( leyer Avenues, the river and 
 ('arondelet Avenue; the O'l'allon adilifion Ix'tween Seventh and Fiuiith 
 Streets, Wasliiujiton and Franklin Avenues, and tlie ("liristy addition 
 from Ninth to Twelfth Streets between Franklin and Lucas Avenues, 
 were |iiil on tlie niarki'l. In 1838 and 1830 severa4 other ;idditions 
 were ojiened. All of this ex)iansion and extension of streets took jilai-e 
 with seeminj'ly little thon^iihl that these improvements should follow 
 a well-defined plan. No one seeme<l to peer into the future and .see 
 how nianv of the present defects in the city plan miglit have been 
 avoided by a little foresijiht on the ])art of the inhal)itants of 1S4II. 
 From 18.",0 to 1S40 the ]io])ulation increased threefcdd, reaching in the 
 latter vear Hi,l(i!t, imt the city extended only a little beyond Seventh 
 Street. P.eyond that point along Washington Avenue, which was then 
 the choice residence street, nunu'rous .scattered honi(>s bad liei'ii built 
 on th(> iirairies. 
 
 The dire(,-tory of 1838 indicates the general tone of prosperity- wliicli 
 characterized this decade of the citN's history: 
 
 "The \ast number of buildings which wi're erected last season 
 and this year have extende<l the city much beyond its chartered 
 limits, and the general ju'essure in ccnnmercial tran.sactions has 
 not in the least retarded the improvement of St. Louis. The in- 
 ducements to build u]( the citv are as strong as ever, consisting in 
 the continued high rents and the great and increasing demand for
 
 HISTOIJKAI. SKETCH. i5 
 
 flwelliii,2;s, Ijiisincss limiscs iiiiil offices. Heavy lnisines.s operations 
 arc driviiifi' tin- retail dealers liaek froiii Front and from ^lain or 
 l-'irsl Streets, and i)ro|ierty in tlie liaek streets, cross streets and 
 in some of ilie alleys, is increasini: in value to an iin|(arallellcd 
 extent. 
 
 •'From the point wlicrc tlic most active business centers, the city 
 is e.xtemlinu ii]( and down tlie rixcr and liack from its mariiin so 
 steadily and the jx-rmam-nce of the structures are such as to i;ive 
 promise of resultinji in the tine tinish of one of the most ]ioptiIous 
 ami M|)nlcnt cities in the Union. • * * 
 
 "A county road has been ordered to run from the ferrv landini: 
 hack into the interior of the county. These pndiminaix works 
 are iiiicmled to pave the way to those ultimate iniprovemenls w hidi 
 will extend the city of St. Louis, at no distant day, to that hiiih, 
 heautiful tract of country enihra<-ed in South St. i^ouis. which, 
 about two years ago, was laid out into avenues, streets and lots 
 in antici])ation of such extension. 
 
 "The opinion, however, prevails jjenerally that the i^reat manu- 
 facturing district of St. Louis will be sotitli of tln^ ]»reseut improved 
 part of the city. This inii)ressiou arises from the appan-nt cer- 
 tainty tliat the iron ^Mountain Kailroad will terminate or liegin 
 on tli( river lielow, or at the lower extremitx of the citv." 
 
 CiTv I,i\OTS IX I841. Western Bocndary, Abolt Eighteenth Street. 
 
 In 1881* the lioundaries of the city were slightly changed in order 
 to nmke them more nearly straight. Two years later 1 IS^] ) tliey were 
 extended, so as to iiulmh' North St. Louis. St. 
 Limits Extended <ieorge. Ceulral St. Louis and a number of smaller 
 1841. additions on (he north and south. The new bound- 
 
 aries of 1S41, which contiinu'd to be the limits tintil 
 185."). were, bi-ictly stated: beginning at the foot of Wyoiuiug Street. 
 thence west along ^y\•omin^ Street to ("arondelet Avenue, iheiu-e ahnni-
 
 26 A iVV\ ri-.\.\ FOK SAINT LOUIS. 
 
 ( 'nroiidclrl A\('inu' to ( 'lumlcini Avcmic Ihciicc due iiurlli in I duk 
 Street at the lliotltll of Stonv <'l-eek, tliellce due east aloili; Dock Street 
 to tlie rivei. Tlie total area within the city limits was then ahout 
 four and one-half s(inare miles. 
 
 \'<y 1S44 the |)o]in]at ion had inniped to :'>4.14(t. and accoi-<linLi to llie 
 (lirector\' of 184.") "was increasing laoi-e ra]>idl,v than any town of its 
 
 dimensions iu the Union." Dnrinii, these years 
 St. Louis Becoming niany new additions \\ere opened and sold. I5y 
 a Metropolis. 1N.')0 the ]io](nlation liad increased to 77,S(i(t. 
 
 An extensive sewer system was ado|)ted. street 
 ini])roveni('nts beitan to mceive more attention, oninilms lines were 
 cons(»lidated and the city liciian to assnme the ways of a metropolis. 
 It was ex]>andin,ii so ra]>i<liy to tiie west that in 1S52 the iidiahilants 
 residin;.; in the disii-ict iietwcen the cit\ limits ial)out IOij;liteenth 
 Street I and (!rand Avenue to the west formed a "Second .Mnnicipalit v 
 of St. i-onis." The incorjioration of this new municipality into the 
 city pro])er was tlie issue of I lie (dectioii of 1S.~)8, and also of IS.'i.'i when 
 the Stale Legislature authoi-ized the extension of tlie city limits so as to 
 iuclndi this and other suliurhau towns. 
 
 This act of is.").") increased the area of the city from four and (Uie- 
 half square miles to sexcnti'en s(|iiare miles ami alisorhed tlie towns 
 (d' Second St. Louis and r.remeii, tlie villages of Fl(u-<'iice and Miiih- 
 laiids, and a nuiiilier cd' populous additions to tlie west and south. The 
 new lioundaries of the cit\ were as follows: 
 
 "All liiat district of connlry situated in the counlv of St. Louis, 
 embraced within the lollowinu limits, to-wit : Iteiiinninu at a 
 point in the middle ol Hie main cliaunel of the .Mississi])pi Uiver 
 wher( the conlinuat ion ol the south side of Keokuk Street east- 
 ward! v would intersect .said main channel; theiice wcstwardlv l)y 
 the said line of the south side of K'eokuk Street to a point (Will feet 
 west (d (irand Avenue; thence northwardly, and parallel to said 
 (Irand or Lindell Avenue, at a distance of (i(i() fe(4 therefrom, 
 until it intei-sects the Itellefontaine Koad ; thetice northeast to the 
 line dividinii iownslii]is forty-tive and forty-six north, rauije seven 
 east ; thence easiwardly with the .said line and in the same direc- 
 ti(Ui to the niid<lle of the main chainud of the .Mississipjii Uiver; 
 tlieiHc southwardly with the nieaiiderini;s of the main channel of 
 sai<l riv<'r to the place (d' Icuinninjj,, is hei-eliy incoi-porated into a 
 citv l»v the name of 'The ("itv of St. Louis.'"
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 
 
 27 
 
 The city cDiitinucd in cxiuiihI laiiiillv into this new area, particnlai-ly 
 Id tlic west and soutliwcsl. New streets and nunienms sulidivisinns were 
 oitened. Tiie political excitenieut of the ten years 
 First Street Cars piceedini; the outln-eak of the Civil War seemed 
 in 1859. lo have little elfect on its rapid orowth. By 1S60 
 
 tlic populalion, according to the T'nitcd Slates 
 Census, had increased nioi-c than 100 ]ter cent in ten years, rcarhinii- 
 in that year 1S5,58T. The year ])receding ( LSoO i saw the tii-si street 
 
 SiicwiNG City Limits of 1S55 Xear Grand Avenue, and Present Limits 
 
 Established in 1876. 
 
 car line built under the direition of .Mr. I-2rastus Wells, lather of the 
 present Mayor. The tracks were laid along Olive Street from I'^onrth 
 to Twelfth Streets, and the tirst trii> of the horse-car was altend<'d witli 
 great enthusiasm. During the same year the Hroadway line, cxicuding 
 from the city limits at Dock Street on the north to the limits at K'cokuk 
 Street on the south; the Franklin Avenue line, from Fourth Street 
 to Garrison Avenue; the Chouteau Avenue line, along Chouteau Avenue 
 lo St. Ange Avenue; were all hnilt and the old omnibus lines on these 
 streets abolished.
 
 28 A CITY ri.AN FOl! SAINT LOT'IS. 
 
 Hut :lll (if this l;l|)i(l m-i(\\tli \\;is clicckcd hy tllc nlltlilCMk (if ll(»-<tili- 
 
 ti<'s in ISdttiUKi tiio rldsiiii; nf the river to rrallio. f^t. i.diiis, sitiiiHcd ;is 
 it \v;is (HI tlic hdi-dcr iiinl \vitli a popuiiitiou radicallv 
 
 Outbreak of di\'i(i('(i in sciiiinicnt lictwccu the North and Sontli. 
 
 Civil War. wa-^ nol in liic nnxid lioni ISdd to 18(i4 to foster the 
 
 same rapid deNciopnienl wliicli cliaracteri/.ed llie decade 
 
 Ix'lore the war. The one-hundrediii anuixcrsary of its fonndiii^ came 
 
 at an in()|i|iortunc' time to ajiiireciate the iiroi)li('('v of its founder w lien 
 
 lie declared "Tiiis sellhMiienl shall liec(mie one of the tinest cities ill 
 
 Amei-ica." 
 
 The period of ]Hdsperity followiuii the < 'ivil War saw tlie city rapidly 
 extended in all dii-ections, hut aloini' the already established lines. Ne\\- 
 
 additions and snhdixisions were o](ened and s(dd, l)nl 
 Since the War. the i)lan of the streets was naturally adajtted to the 
 
 already e.\istiu>i- highways. The city's limits in IStiT 
 were extended so as to include the town (d' Carondelet, and in INTO 
 the\ were pusjied far west to the Kixcr Desl'eres and SUiid<er IJoad. 
 Already estahlished tliorouiihfares were ]irojected westward into llie 
 unhnilt district, hut the time had passed when a well-direcled plan 
 of street airain;cmeiil conid lie adopted. The direction of the city's 
 i^i'ow th and its general arranucmenl wei-e already well determined, and 
 only the direst necessity will lie aide to altei- their direction except in 
 slijiht details. 
 
 No mention has lieen made of one of the most essential features of 
 a city plan, namely: parks and open spaces. St. Louis, in the early 
 
 days, had, of course, little need for parks. The 
 History of Parks, outlyiuii prairies and forests furnished alumdant 
 
 opportunities for recreation. As late as 1S4I>, with 
 the limits extending only to Seventli Street, tln-re was little need of 
 park land. Chouteau's I'ond in Mill ('reek Valley, where now stands 
 ('ujiples' Station, furnished facilities for rowing and ti.shing, and Lucas 
 (iroN'e to the west was a natural jiark on tlu' outskirts of tlie city. 
 Yet as early as ISli;, \\lien ( 'ongress authorized the sale of the ("om- 
 nions and ("ommon Fields for school pur])Oses, land for three park.s 
 was reserved, nanndy: Dakota Park, (Iravois Park and I>a(dede I'ai-k. 
 In INK) three citizens jiresented to the city laud for a church, .school and 
 public jiark. In 1S4(I Washington S(|uare, now occupi(xl by the City 
 Hall, was purduised by the city with the understanding that it should 
 be used as a ]iulilic s(piare forever. In lS4l* < 'arr S(iuare was donated
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 29 
 
 to tlic citv l),v Will. ( '. ('iii-i-. Ill 1S14 Lafayette I'ai-k was at<|iiii-(Ml liv 
 piurlia.sc fi-oiii the old ( 'oiiiiiikms. Im ISdt Ilvdc I'ark was imi-cliascd 
 and ^[issdiiri I'aik crcalcd \>y oi-diiiaiicc In islKi Ilnildn I'aik was 
 ac-(|nii-cd hy |innliasc. In 1S71 l.yon I'ark was transl'crrcd to ihc 
 cify 1(\' the War Hcitarl iiirnl, and in 1S74 Ihc llircc lai'i;cr |>arks, l^'orcst, 
 O'Fallitn and ( 'arondrlci, were ]iin'<-liascd nndcr ad of llic Slalc Lcnis- 
 latnro. 
 
 This l)rief liistorical skctcli will ilhistratc in a slit;lit dcLircc (lie 
 absence thronf^liont its history ol' a wcll-eonsidered plan to ,unid<' I he 
 growth of tlii.s city. If a l/lCnfanI had lieen called in consultation 
 early in the ceutnry, and a coin|;rcli('nsi\c plan had been agreed upon 
 with due attention to ojien spaces, attractiAc s(piares, and liroad radi- 
 ating tlioronghfares, St. Louis, with iier topographical advantages and 
 location, might have heconie a far more attractive city tlmn it i.s today. 
 It is not yet too late to protit from ]iasi exjiericnce ami jilaii wisely for 
 the future (ireater St. Louis.
 
 A Public Buildings Group 
 
 REPORT OF THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS COMMISSION 
 
 ST. l.oriS, al lliis liiiic, lias an ()|i|)ni-t iinil y which schh>iii coincs to 
 a hiri;c city to carry oiil a iiiainniticcnt sclicinc for the <>Toni)iiii;' 
 of licr i)uhlic hiiildiiiiis, and to cstahlish for h(M*solf an archi- 
 Icclnral center wliicli for all time will ]»lace her anionji' the first of cities 
 famed for the di;Linity and L;randeiir of her mnnicipal hnildini;s iircnip. 
 Two million dollars have heeii voted hv the ]K'o])le for a new ("onri 
 Tlonse. .lail, I'olice Conrts and Health 1 )eiiartment ; and the Liltrary 
 I'.oard is idanniny the erectinji of a .$1, .")()(),( 10(1 lihrary huildinji. These 
 structnres will fnrnisji a nucleus for an admirahle group center in the 
 heart of the future business district. 
 
 The advantages to h( derived from a j^Kiupiui; (d' jiuhlic and (|uasi- 
 IMihlic hnildin,i;s are seveial : I'irst, i( fuiiiislies an opportunity for 
 
 harmonious treatment and architectural effects 
 Why Group whicli can he secured only hy oroupinji the huild- 
 
 Public Building's? ini^s alioul a common court or .s(iuare. Each 
 
 Imilding in the group eontrihutes its share to the 
 dignity, heautv and attractiveness of every other. Unrelated huihlings. 
 however imposing they nniy lie in th<'Uis(>lves, lose much of their 
 elfectiveness liy standing alone. Se<-ond. the groii])ing of pulilic Ituild- 
 ings will gn'atly facilit.nte public Imsiness, which means economy to 
 the entire ])eo]ile. Third, they will serve as a s]dendid example of tlie 
 advantages to he gaiuod hy the ])roper arraugeuu'uts of Ituildings about 
 an ojien park space, wliich will have its iiitiueiice on all sub.seciuent 
 pri\ate as well as ]iublic liuihling ojierations iu the city. 
 
 Fortunately, the city wisely jilauned for this im]irovement scune 
 thi-ee years ago, when the rublic lluildings Uomniissiou was a]>]M)inted 
 
 hv the flavor to jirejiare a comprehensive .scheme 
 Building's Group t'"' massing the ])ub]ic buildings about a central 
 Plans Ready. jiark or ])laza. The excellent re])ort of that Coni- 
 
 niission, slightly moditied, is incor](orated into this 
 report with the hearty endorsement of all the committees.
 
 x 
 
 O 
 'J 
 
 
 > 
 
 5 
 
 :3 
 
 ■J 
 
 ■J
 
 < 
 
 X 
 
 X
 
 KEPOUT OF THIO PUliLIC BTILDINOS COMMISSION. 31 
 
 THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS COMMISSION'S REPORT 
 
 "Tvpcojiiiiziiig tilt' absolute necessity of providiiiii' at onee new and 
 adequate quarters to replace tlie ])resent Four Courts and Jail, as 
 well as the old Court House, the Connuission lias }>iven its attention 
 to a study of the most economical location of these proposed new 
 l)uildin,£is, with due rejiard to convenience, provision for sr^^^vth and 
 dignity of arrangement commensurate with the metropolitan character 
 of the city. 
 
 "In this connection, the Commission decided to outline two schemes 
 of apparently equal merit. In any such scheme it was natural to take 
 the present City Hall as a starting point or nucleus of 
 Plan No. 1. the group; the next natural step was the adoption of 
 Twelfth Street as the main axis upon which to build a 
 group. Moreover, the city already owns the site of the Four Courts, 
 as well as the old City Hall i)roperty. So the Commission laid out 
 a jilan, which is reproduced in this re]iort, showing a completeh' 
 developed municipal court terminal ing the tine, broad apprdach 
 furnished by Twelfth Street. 
 
 "A group of municipal buildings, as indicated in Plan No. 1, forming 
 a southern extension of Twelfth Street and o((ui)ying property largely 
 now in the possession of the city, suggests itself as an extremely 
 desirable arrangement, both for the convenience of the conduct of 
 public affairs, and for the presentment of a dignified architectural 
 effect. 
 
 "The present City Hall occupies a portion of Washington Park, 
 having its most important frontage on Twelfth Street, and suggests 
 the propriety of a court building of corresponding jjlan and size on the 
 opposite side of this wide thoroughfare. 
 
 "The small blocks between Market Street and Chestnut Street 
 should be acquired and devoted to smaller buildings, such as a hall for 
 Public Records and an Historical 3Iuseum, and would atl'cu'd ample 
 space for ](ublic parking and surroundings for monniiiciital buildings. 
 
 "The other buildings related to this scheme are suggested as being 
 devoted to a Law Library, Executive P.uilding, Police Department 
 Il<'ad(|uarters, Jail Puilding, Fire Department, Engine House, Morgue, 
 and other municipal purposes. 
 
 "The plan also indicates the proper location for two important 
 monuments or fountains. The space offers an unusual opportunity for
 
 32 A CITY l'I,AN Vnil SAINT LOlIS. 
 
 a strictly iiinin(i]);il (lc\cln](iii('iit, and \\nul(] form a tine architectural 
 picture. 
 
 "Furthermore, the liuildiii^s would he so closely relited that (liey 
 would fuiiiish exceediuiily convenient intercourse. They miyht, if 
 necessary, he connected h\' undei-<iround ])assaiu;es or suhways. lighted 
 hy electricity, and they might all he heated and operated from a central 
 ])lant."" 
 
 "While Plan No. 1 seemed natural enough and entirely feasilde and 
 ratioiml, it had a sufficient numliei- of disadvantages to force the 
 • 'ommission to re-examine the ground and prejjare 
 Plan No. 2. another plan for comparison with it. Twelfth Street 
 seems to he es.seiitially a l)usine.ss street, and its present 
 rapid rale of develoimient south .should not he retarded. Furtlier, the 
 value of those hloidcs, needed at once, is high, and those needed in a few 
 yeai's for fnither de\"elo](nient would lie liigli ciiongh, perhaps, to force 
 the ahandonment of the adopted ])lan. Another dra\\ha(d< lies in the 
 fact that the Four Courts and Jail must he utilized until new (piarters 
 can he built, and therefore, in this scheme, the new Jail building would 
 not he ]ilaced wliere it belongs, adjacent to the new Court House. 
 Again, wliile a municijial coui-t would tinis be constructed, it would lie 
 a miniature and of insufticient si/,e to secure a dignified coniposili(jn 
 with accessory parking as a setting. 
 
 "Agreeing that the ("ity Hall must be a component ]>art of any 
 scheme, another i)lan was ])re])ared |>lacing it on the east of an axial 
 line drawn north and south, midway between Thirteenth and Four- 
 teenth Streets. Assuming that the new Public Library will .some day 
 rest on this adopted axis, the Commission conceived the ])lan of 
 re])lacing old Missouri Park by o]ieuing a continuous jiarkway between 
 Thirteentli and Fourteenth Streets from Olive Street to Clark Avenue. 
 
 "We have been too short-sighted in tlie jiast in giving np these 
 invaluable breathing sjiots and failing to ]irovide others to fill a vei-y 
 ai'tual want. Every city of the old world and every city in this country 
 which has had time to think, in its huriy to keep abreast of mercantile 
 progress, is now <leA-oting its energies and vast sums of money to the 
 creating of jtarks and open places. Ilei-e we find the hajijjy o])portunity 
 of thus creating a public blessing, as a necessary means of arriving at 
 a jturely [)ractical end. On either side of this parkway abutting on 
 Thirteenth and I'ourteenth Streets, from Olive Street to Clark Avenue, 
 opportunity is given for the erection of nieiianrile houses \\hicli could
 
 »■]
 
 REPORT <)i' Tin: i-i I'.i.ic r.riLDixGS commission. 33 
 
 not exist on those streets tOfliiy. Imt it is to he lioped that siicli oppor- 
 tiiiiities as are here picscntcd loi- jncarinji (|nasi-|(iililic lniihliniis, sueli 
 as tlieaters, music halls, hotels, etc., will not he overlooked. Ndt one 
 first-elass, or even second-class, hnildiug would he removed, and jiar- 
 ticular attention is called to the class of huilding and the tenantry 
 wliich wiMild he removed hy sncli a ]i(>althy cleaninc; out as is proposed. 
 
 "This puhlic parkway, heautilied with monuments, fountains, 
 shaded walks and heautiful trees, terminates in a broad, <icnerous and 
 imposin<;- municipal court flanked on the east by the City Hall and on 
 the west hy the proposed new "Courts," while adjacent to it on llu" 
 south is located the new -Tail, the offices for Poliee, Fire De]>artiiient. 
 the Moryue, Dispensary, and the necessary detention rooms. On the 
 south of the City Hall is suggested a building which is designed to 
 cover the recjuirements of growth and development in the years to come. 
 Thus, for the same reason, has the Commission seen fit to reserve for 
 future needs and future construction the liuildings shown on the main 
 axis terminating tlie inuiiicipal court, tying the civic group together 
 and balancing in its mass and majesty of location the beautiful Library 
 which must soon occupy the magnificent site, and which will stand 
 ready to lend itself to this ])i-()posed scheme for the betterment and 
 uplifting of (mr city. 
 
 "The C(mimission has had the benefit of the judgment of two of our 
 best judges of realty values on the two schemes under consideration. 
 
 They agree that the actual acquirement of land 
 Cost of Land for ""t »'i\^' owned by the city of St. Louis, essential 
 
 Plans Nos. 1 and 2. t(» Plan No. 1 (the Twelfth Street municii)al 
 
 court), would cost .f2,285,oG(), while the actual 
 aciiuirement of land under Plan No. 2, including all the open parkways 
 and sites for neAV buildings, would amount to 12,(571,308, after deduct- 
 ing the market value of the old City Hall and the Four ( 'ourts property. 
 The parkway alone is worth millions to our people and this ])ark 
 scheme not oidy gives tiie desirable ojien sjiace to an eiioniioiis niiinlicr 
 of our citizens using east and Avest arteries of trafiic, but it also brings 
 the City Hall and the i)roposed Courts into an intimate relationship 
 with the heart of the city and our every-day life, \\ liich few of us have 
 known. 
 
 "St. Louis has the oi)portunity, at a little more than the cost of 
 the buildings, which are an immediate necessity, of securing a breathing 
 si)ace, a beauty spot and a scheme for present grouping and future 
 development, of A\hich we may all be jn-oud.
 
 34 A (ITV IT. AN rol! SAIXT LOIIS. 
 
 "In i)reseutin<i' tlie airuiiipiiiiviiig report vour Commission l)ep;s to 
 state that it lias propai'od this comprehensive scheme for the develop- 
 ment of the city's official Ituildinc; aloni2; well-defined lines, not with 
 the exjiectation that the whole jtrojcct should he undertaken uikUt 
 one administration, hut rather with a view to so place the hnildinj^s 
 most ur.ii-ently required at the present time as to start a ]dan so 
 ol)viously advantajieous that in years to come succeedinc; administra- 
 tions will recognize the desirahility of adding to and tinally completing 
 the jn-oject prepared. 
 
 "I'^or th(> present the Commission suggests the erection of one 
 building of the size of the present City Ilall, placed symmetrically 
 thereto, as indicated in the plans. This building 
 First Buildings to sboubl contain all the courts now using the Four 
 Be Erected. <'ourts and old Ccnirt ITouse buildings, the Police 
 
 and h^ire Department headijuarters. Dispensary 
 and detention rooms, etc., and adjacent thereto a modern Jail building. 
 The Commission has cai-efully estimated the total cost at |2,725,000, 
 subdivided as follows: 
 
 ".^lain building housing all departments. . . .f 2,22.",000 00 
 ":Modern jail building 500,000 00 
 
 '*In order to place these buildings on Twelfth Street, facing the 
 City Hall, as .shown in I'lan Xo. 1, without purchasing any other 
 property to complete this scheme, after deducting 
 Comparative Cost credits from the sale of vacated city property, 
 o! Building's would cost, as estimated, .^245,350, or a total 
 
 Under Each Plan. immediate expenditure along the lines of Plan Xo. 
 1, of .f;2,l)70,3r)0. In placing the.se buildings as 
 shown in Plan X'o. 2, and acquiring all the land lying between 
 Thirteenth and Fifteenth ir^treets, and extending all the way from 
 Chestnut Street to Clark Avenue, after deducting credits from the sale 
 of vacated city property, leaves a slight balance in favor of the city on 
 the credit side, or a total immediate ex])enditure conforming to Plan 
 Xo. 2, of a trifle less than .f2,725,000. 
 
 "If Plan X'o. 2 is followed, it not only gives a larger amount of 
 property for future develo])ment, but it gives a i»romise of that parkway 
 projected in the report, completing the vista from the new Public 
 I..ihi'ary to the municipal group by providing at once a very large 
 ]>roportiou of this proposed ojK'n spare in the form of a veritable City 
 Hall Park.
 
 X
 
 Theater Place, Dresden. 
 
 Natuinai, MisEi'M, Berlin. 
 Slidwiny till- Artistic Advantages of Broad Plazas.
 
 inOI'ORT OF THE I'TI'.LIC P.Tir.DIXOS COMMISSION. 35 
 
 "No one reading the accompanying report can fail to recognize the 
 inii)erative need of expending this monej- for the urgent needs of the 
 (lopartnieuts which it is proposed to house, and no good citizen can 
 (limbt the wisdom of expending this money in a way which promises 
 the l)est future results for our city. 
 
 "Respectfully submitted, 
 
 "John Lawrence Mauran^ CJniinnini. 
 
 "Wm. S. Eames, 
 
 "Alp.ert 15. tJitovES, tSvcrchiri/." 
 
 In European cities the grouping of public buildings about a central 
 park or mall has become the rule and the result is that European cities 
 are justly famed for the beauty and dignity of 
 Group Centers their public structures. Paris has taken the lead 
 
 in European Cities, in this movement in the building and arrange- 
 ment of its numy civic centers, such as the Louvre 
 and Tuilleries Garden. Vienna, with its "Ringstras.se" in the heart 
 of the city, lined with imposing public and (luasi-i)ublic buildings, 
 has even surpassed Paris in the grandeur and dignity of its centers. 
 r>erlin, with its splendid "Unter den Linden," furnishes another 
 ii(huirable example of the effectiveness of the pi"oper grouping of 
 museum, theaters, galleries, statuary, fountains and monuments about 
 a central park. ^Moscow with its "Kremlin," St. Petersburg with its 
 "Group Center" upon the Neva, Brussels with its "Grand Place," are 
 interesting illustrations of the same principle. Florence, Venice, An- 
 twcr]). Dresden, and a score of other cities, might be mentioned which 
 have realized the architectural A^alue of providing great focal points 
 for their chief public edifices. 
 
 Among the cities of this country there is being manifested a strong 
 desire to bring together public buildings and to locate them witli a 
 
 view to securing greater dignity and eifective- 
 Group Centers ness, as has been pointed out in the statement 
 
 in American Cities, of the General City Plan Committees. St. Louis 
 
 has a plan already prei)ared and the money 
 a]i|>ropriated to erect a portion of tlie buildings contemplated in tlie 
 report of the Public lUiildings Commission. Business is ra])idly ex- 
 tending westwai'd. Twelfth Street will soon be in the heart of the retail 
 district. A group site can now be secured at a comparatively reason- 
 able cost. If it is ])osl])oned i-e;il estiile \;ilnes will increase so rapidly
 
 36 A CITY I'l.AN I'OR SAINT LOlIS. 
 
 Iliiit tlic ]mrcli;i.sc of the 1:111(1 will lie |)rii(t ically out of the (|M('siiuii. 
 Under no circunistauoes sliould this oj)]!!)]-! unity of establishing a focal 
 center for ]iul»lic editit-cs be permitted to ]»iiss. It is not so iniportant 
 that Plan No. 1 or IMaii No. '2 of the < "oiiiiiiissi()n"s report be followed, 
 Init we strongly recommend for the proper grouping of ])nlplic biiildiiigs 
 the adoj)tion of some comjirehensive scheme of sufficient elasticity to 
 take care of the future civic development, and along lines similar to 
 those suggested in the re])ort of the I'ublic IJuildiiigs ("ommission.
 
 Proposed Municipal Court and Public Parkway
 
 Civic Centers for Saint Louis 
 
 SMALLER BUILDING GROUPS 
 
 THE Un-m ''Civic ('cntci-," as understood by this committee, refers 
 not, as is often the case, to auy one institution wliich may sui)]dy 
 some of the needs of a neijiliborhood, hut rather to the groupinji' 
 of the various public, semi-])ublic and private institutions wiiicli 
 have for their object and aim tlie mental, moral or iihysical improve- 
 ment of the neiiihliorhood in which they are located. T'sed in this 
 sense, a civic center would comprise, among other things, a public 
 school, parochial school, public lil)rary branch, public i)ark and play- 
 ground, public bath, model tenement, social settlement, church, homes 
 of athletic or social organizations, iKtIice station and fire engine house. 
 The grouping of these institutions around a common center would 
 be a distinct beu(>tit to a neighborhood. It would center the interests 
 
 of the people in the neighborhood and would enable 
 Advantages ^^**^ different institutions to sni)plement one another. 
 
 of Civic Centers. I'^oi* example, it would enable many i)arents to use 
 
 the various institutions in their only leisure hours, 
 the evenings, by leaving their children in the playground or .social settle- 
 ment near by, whereas otherw ise they \\()uld be unable to leave them 
 alone at home; it would give a splendid opportunity for an liarmonious 
 architectural and landscape treatment of the various buildings, thus 
 adding to the intrinsic beauty of each; it would fo.ster civic pride 
 in the neighborhood and would form a model for im])rovement 
 work, the influence of which would extend to every home in the 
 di.strict; it would give to the immigrant — ignorant of our customs and 
 institutions — a per.sonal contact with the higher functions which 
 the government exercises towards him, developing his interests in 
 municipal activities by substituting for a feeling of governmental 
 antagonism towards liim. as inanitesied in the only municipal institu- 
 tion M'ith which he is lirought in contact — the jwlice station — a feeling 
 that the government is, after all, maintained for his individual well- 
 being as well as for that of the native-born inhabitant. Lastly, it 
 would develop a neighborhood feeling, which in these days of specializa- 
 tion lias grown weak, witli a resulting lack of interest in local jiolitics
 
 38 
 
 A ciiv ri,AN von sai.nt i.oris. 
 
 SOUTH PARK C0MM155I0NERS 
 
 ARMOUR SQUARE 
 
 TYPICAL OF OTHER SMALL PARKS. 
 
 CHICACO ' ■ -^ ■ T T 
 I I I- 
 
 
 A CHICAGO CIVIC CENTER. 
 One of the Typical Small Parks.
 
 CIVIC CKNTMUS FOl! ST. I.OriS. 39 
 
 and the consequent coiTujition jiikI disrcuiird of tlic hcst interests of 
 the jx'oplc liy tlicir rciii'csciitntivcs. 
 
 In i)lunuiu,u' tlicsc vai-ious civic ccnlcrs tlic coniiuittcc icit Uiiit it 
 wonid best serve its ]iur])osc liy kcci)iiiii in mind the practical i)ossil»ili- 
 tics of realizing- its plans ratlicr llian li.v drawinj;; 
 Plans Limited to "!' "" 'd<'al ]ilan, wliicli, for tlic iin-scnl at least, 
 $670,000. would lie iiiipossihlc of acconii)!isIinicnt. In ]ilan- 
 
 nin,n' foi ]iarks we lia\e confined ourseJNcs williin 
 the limits of the proposed liond issue, assuminji- .f(»7(>.0(HI as lieinji Ihe 
 niaxiniuni amount that the city will lie able to speiiil for the acquisition 
 of new parks in the near future. I'or the vai-ious centers su.^iii'sted, 
 however, we feel that the phin is fairly complete and tiiat it can easily 
 be elabcu-ated in the future. The considerations which ])riniarily 
 inlliu'iiced the choice of the dilferent locations for these centers were 
 density of population, social conditions, and the location of institutions 
 already established. One of the greatest needs of the cit\- is a coni- 
 in-ehensive .system (d' small jiarks in the down-town disti-ict. Parks 
 are, ])erha]js, the most imjiortant factors in the neiiihborhood life — 
 after the school — and from the ;esthetic standpoint the park should 
 form the center aionnd whicli tlie imihliniis are crouped. 
 
 Taking the city as a wliole, St. Lmiis (h'votes a vei-y satisfactoi*y 
 ]M(rtion of her total area to iniblic ])ur|)oses. Thus, !t,l.'sr).it!t acres of 
 a total of 39,27(>.25 acres, or 23 per cent of tlie total 
 Park Distribution acreage of the city, is devoted to parks, streets and 
 in St. Louis. alleys, and school grounds and school liuildings. 
 
 When these tigni-es are studied by districts, how- 
 e\'<'r, gross ine(iualities appear. I)i\iding the city nmghl\' into three 
 districts: that between the river and .lelfer.son Avenue to be called 
 the Eastern District, that between -lett'erson and <!raii(l Aveiines the 
 Central, and that from (Irand Avenue west to the city limits the 
 Western District, we find 
 
 IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT 
 
 277,02S ]>eople, or 4S.;j jx'i- cent of the total jiopulation i 1000). 
 
 7,(!(i!J acres, or !!)..") per cent of the total acreage. 
 
 148.59 acres, or O.fl ])er cent of the total jiaik area. 
 
 IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT 
 123,519 peoples or 21.4 ]>er cent of the pii|in]al inn. 
 3,835.75 acres, or 9.7 per cent of the total acreage. 
 170.15 acres, or 8.3 per cent of tiie ])ark area.
 
 40 A CITY I'LAX I'dU SAI.NT LOUIS. 
 
 IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT 
 
 17;!,7!tl people, or o(».o pel- cent of the poi»iilation. 
 27,771.50 acres, or 70.,S per cent of the total acreaj;e. 
 1,799.83 acre.s, or 84.7 ])vv cent of tlie ]iark area. 
 
 Ill other icoids. JjS per cent vf the people have easy access to less 
 than 7 per cent of the park area; 21.) per cent of the people have 8 per 
 cent of III! /Kirk urea, irjiili .id pi r cenl of tlie pet/pie Jnire S.'i per cent 
 of the park ar<(i. 
 
 Putting the above figures iu another lorni, we find that in the 
 
 WESTKKN DISTRK T THERE IS ONE ACRE OF PARK AREA TO EVERY 90.5 
 PERSONS, IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT ONE ACRE OF PARK AREA TO EVERY' 
 701.2 PERSONS, WHILE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT THERE IS BIT ONE ACRE 
 OF PARK .\(tEA TO EVERY 1,871 PERSONS. 
 
 It nia.v he argued that these figures are misleading, as Forest Park, 
 wliich lies in the Western District, exists for all the people of the city. 
 While this is partially true as regards the people living in the Central 
 District, the number of those living in the Eastern Di.strict who are 
 able to .spend either the time or the money nece.s.sary to visit Foi'est 
 Park is so small that we believe the proportion as given above is 
 approximate!}' correct. 
 
 We feel that there is al.so a i)ressing need for more play space iu 
 the public .schools, especially in I Ik- Central and Eastern Districts. 
 
 Assuming thirty scjuare feet as the recognized desirable 
 Need for recreation space per child for public schools, we find 
 
 More School ^'"^^ '" t'"' Western District ten schools, or 33 per cent 
 Playgrounds, "f tlie total luiinhei'; in the Central District, ten schools, 
 
 or 50 per cent; and in the Eastern District, twenty- 
 seven schools, or til per cent of the total, have less than this minimum. 
 Thus, in the districts where the schools should have the most recreation 
 area per child, there the least is provided. In this connection, however, 
 we desire to add that the present Board of Education has recognized 
 this need and has greatly enlarged the grounds of the Fremont, the 
 Carr, the Dessalines and the Garnett .schools, and this policy will no 
 doubt prevail in the purchase of land for all new buildings.
 
 William Clarke School. 
 
 \ KATMAN Hli:il SciKlllI.. 
 
 . 
 
 •7 -^ 
 
 < 
 
 
 '"i 
 
 ^ rmtm ■ w^ ' wp ■ HI'' 
 
 pBD 
 
 11 
 
 1 "^ 
 
 HIS 
 
 
 
 : 
 
 »*-! 
 
 
 — 
 
 . "■«- ' 
 
 ^i" 
 
 
 '-;' 
 
 ■- 
 
 Blow School. 
 
 TYPICAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN SAINT LOUIS. 
 Important Features of a Civic Center.
 
 CIVIC CEXTEHS KOU ST. LOUIS. 41 
 
 All iuvestigation recently undei-taken in New York by the Metro- 
 ];cilit;iii Park Assoi-iation sliowo<l that the death-rate for chihlren in 
 the lilncUs Itonlerinii' on Steward Park was 1.4") per 
 Small Parks cent, while that of the blocks directly behind — which 
 
 Decrease Death ilid inii have the pure lii;ht and fresh air of the others 
 Rate. — \\ as -2.07 per cent. In other words, there were 145 
 
 deaths in the blocks facing the park to 207 in the 
 hack blocks. If these ligures ax'e correct — and the inve.stigation wmild 
 .seem to have been carefully nuide — small parks in crowded districts 
 are life-saving institutions to the people living near them. 
 
 A report made in this city some three years ago — noi, however, 
 supiKHled by statistics but based upon the .statements of the police 
 captains — shows that in the districts in which play- 
 Playgrounds grounds were situated there was a very marked 
 Decrease decrease (50 per cent) in juvenile crime in the 
 Juvenile Crime. iicigiili(iili("Ml of tlic playgrouuds. Looking at this 
 statement in the light of the testimony of tlie 
 President of the St. Louis I5oard of Police ( "ommissioners before the 
 Legislature in 1902 — that "a great majority, probably 90 per cent, of 
 the habitual criminals are persons wlio haA'e committed their first 
 offense against the laws while children under the age of sixteen years" 
 — the Ircmendous value of the parks and ])laygrounds, nu-rely as a 
 preventive agency in minor juvenile crime, becomes obvious. 
 
 The recent catastrophe in San Francisco shows a further advantage 
 of a large park area in the thii-kly built neighliorhoods, both as a 
 ])rotection against the s]iread of tire and as a refiige 
 Open Spaces for '" linies of danger. If San Francisco had not had 
 Fire Protection, a large park as a place of .safety for thousands of its 
 homeless citizens, the suffering woidd have been 
 niucli more inten.se; if the city had had a nund)er of park jtlaces or broad 
 boulevards in the path of the flames it is possible that the conflagra- 
 tion might have been checked. 
 
 From a consideration of the above tigures it is obvious ihal tiie 
 people living east of Jefferson Avenue ai-e not receiving a fair share 
 of the public benefits. When the vital importance 
 Needs of Eastern "" ""' "''^^ '^^ ^^"' p>'<M"''' develo]>ment of the health 
 District. i"id morals of its citi/eus — and es)(ecially of lis 
 
 poorer citizens — is considm-ed. it will readily be 
 seen that merely as a ]>rovision for the .social welfare, if for no other 
 reason, a larae increase in the park area east of .TetVerson .\ venue must
 
 42 A CITY I'LA.N FOlt SAl.NT I.OllS. 
 
 I)(' made. Sduiols, jiarks and ]i1a.\i;rniimls, publit- liallis and lik(' insti- 
 tutions arc necessary to the pliysical, moral and mental development of 
 the people livinf>- in the congested districts. To deprive 48 per cent 
 of its citizens of tlie full benefit of these institutions is social suicide 
 to a communitv. 
 
 As an exam[)le of the inefficient, unscieiitilic methods of "city 
 making" of the past, the district between Seventh and Fourteenth 
 
 Streets, Cass Avenue and Morgan Street is in- 
 Civic Center at structive. In this district there live — if, indeed, 
 Tenth and Carr Sts. it can be called living — some 21,7G2 ])eoi(le, the 
 
 average density per acre being 20().49. While 
 these figures of congestion may seem small to one acquainted with the 
 conditions of overcrowding in foreign cities and in some of the Eastern 
 cities in this country, the fact remains that this is the worst "slum" 
 district in St. Louis. Tlie modern oliserver, familiar with ilie enlight- 
 ened methods of treatmejit for such districts, would exjject to find the 
 streets well paved and well lighted, sanitary restrictions rigorously 
 enforced, housing conditions carefully regulated, plumbing fretpieutly 
 iusi)ected, tuberculosis and other diseases strongly controlled, and 
 criminal conditions carefully investigated and studied. The educator 
 would expect to tind, together with tlie sjiieudid new school buildings 
 recently erected in this crowded disti-ict, an accessible jiublic lilirary 
 branch, a free public lecture cour.";e, a fully e(|uipj ed park and play- 
 grouud, and a free public bath — in short, every institution Avhich would 
 tend to promote the mental, moral and ])liysical upbuilding of the 
 people of this district. Unfortunately, oidy two of these institutions 
 have thus far been lu-ovided. Throughout this section are found poorly 
 lighted and unpaved streets, .sanitation filthy beyond description, 
 housing regulations left to the tender mei'cies of the rapacious laud- 
 lord, plumbing rai-ely, if ever, inspected, the ravages of tuberculosis 
 unchecked, ci-ime puiiished but not ]ii-e\'eiited and absolutely no 
 provisions maib' for jmblic reci-eation. 
 
 Fortunately, the needs of this district will be ])artially met by the 
 recently oi)ened Patrick Henry School, equipped as it is with every 
 modern educational device and adapted especially to the needs of the 
 crowded population; and by the first free municipal bath now under 
 construction at Tenth, between Cass Avenue and Riddle Street. But 
 a park and ]ilayground is the crying need of this district. The lot of 
 the children, e.s])ecially in the summer time, is pitiful. Play is an 
 ab.solute necessity for the healthful growth of children, yet their only
 
 CIVIC CKNTKKS Idl! ST. MlIIS. 43 
 
 playiiTounds arc the streets, broiling lint aiid danjicious liccansc of tlie 
 coiistanllv jtassini; (i attic or tlic alleys and liack yards between the 
 teneiiieiits, aiiiifl tin loatlisome sfeiicli of the jiarbaiic aslies and tilth 
 of all kinds inljciii'd ilicic in detiaiice id nnenforced oi diiiaiices. ( ';ni 
 this be healtlifiil toi cilliei- the ]ili.\sical or nioial trainiiiin of <mi future 
 vt)ters? Ai( not conditions snili as these ;it least ]iaitly resi)onsii>le 
 for the "floaters," whose votes are boiiiiht and s(d(i for a ^lass of i)eer 
 on eliMtion day? 
 
 .V soiiiii] |iubiic ])(dii-y di'iiiaiids tiie (■stal)lislniicnl of a park in this 
 disnirt. ('air I'ark, thonjili near 1>\'. is liardly lariic euouuh to jirovide 
 
 foi' its own immediate iieij;lihorhooil. The hcdt of 
 A Park Greatly n<'niocs lietween Elexcnth and Thiiteeiith Streets 
 Needed. se]iaiate< the r\\<> districts, as do also the diifercnt 
 
 nationalities, different cnsfonis. and dillVrent social 
 
 conditions of the two neiuhborh Is. The park shonld lie so located 
 
 as to bind toj^ether the institutions now (^stablisheij or in course 
 (d' coiistniction there. Accoi-diin;ly, we icconniieiid that the block 
 between Tenth, Eleventh. <'air and iliddie Stieets be ]inr( based by the 
 city for a park. This would connect the Patrick Henry SchottI, the 
 Public iiatli anil St. Joseplfs Cliurcb with the Jewish Alliance, -Icffcr- 
 son School, 'j'iiihei elb Israel. Sheerith S"phanl. Ilclh llaiiim<'dri>sb 
 Ilaii;.;adol, Kinyon (iaiilee Uajitist. ( "oiiure^Liational Inion < huiches. 
 the (irace Lutheran .Mission. Sisters (d Xotic Dame, the I'ouitli Dis- 
 trict I'(dice Station, and IMn <nui](aiiies Xos. IS and 4(1. This would 
 also Ik a sjdeudid location for the institutions workiii.u ainoii': Italians, 
 as this nationality is takinji jtossession of this locality, and the former 
 ■Jewish residents arc rajiidly moving westward towards .Jefferson 
 Avenue. 
 
 A model tenement wbiili wnuld providi healthtul and sanitar\' 
 
 lixinu jilaces and would set an e.\am]de in (deanliness and decency to 
 
 the surroundinii iieiiihborhood wiAild be a i;real boon 
 
 Public Lectures '" ''''^ localilV. There should lie public lecture 
 
 and Vacation couises iu the new Tairick Henry School and in the 
 
 Schools. s\immer time a \acatioii school. These wnuld supple- 
 
 ment the rei;ular school curriculum and would make 
 school attractive to tlu' Italian child, who lacks the desire for learnini;- 
 \\hicli i)OSse.sses his .lewisb iieii;hlior, and whose interest in school 
 matteis consecpn-ntly needs everv stimulus. Some provision should be 
 niadi for the older people in the wa.v <if recreation centers and public
 
 44 A CITY I'LAX I'dlt SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 lectures. Tin- f;ut tliiil (lie cliildrcn of iiiimiiiTJUils i-aitidly assiinilnte 
 new ciistoiiis and mamicrs and jiniw dail\' farther and farther away 
 finiii llieii- parents is a Irajicdy to the individuals and a serious reflec- 
 tion on the coniniunity. Tlie ])arents siiouJd lie ^iven a cliance (o 
 develoj) witli tlieir cliiidren, tiius iiindin.n totictlier the lionie willi a 
 new ti<'. Furtlierniore, tlu' cross-streets slu)n!d he ]iaved and lcei)t 
 clean, sanitary measures strictly enforced, liousinii conditions carefully 
 iincstiiialed, and oidinances jtassed to i-enulate tJie ])revaleii< e\ils. 
 AltlKuijih tile nearness to the Central Tiil)rary may make a hrancli 
 huildin^H' unadvisalde liei-e, there should he a reading' room in connec- 
 tion with the civic center. 
 
 The district in the iieinldiorhood of Cai-r Scpiare is becomiufi' more 
 and more densely iiojiulated, and, conse(|uently, its social needs are 
 
 hecominii' constantly more pressinji'. The population of 
 Carr Square Ihis district consisted formerly of (iei-mans, Irish and 
 District. Anu'ricaus, hut within the last five years there has heen 
 
 a larije influ.x of Russian .Tews. The waves of immigra- 
 tion would seem to he swee])in<i' the Americans liradually westward 
 to Jefferson Avenue, the Irish and (iermans to the north, and the 
 neiiroes to the south and immediately east of this district. Still further 
 east are the Italians and Poles. To one familiar with .T(Mvish clmi-acter- 
 istics, it would he unnecessary to say that the people of this district 
 are thiifly, well-to-do and lienerally law-abiding-. A superficial glance 
 at the honsinii' conditions would seem to indicate that there is little 
 over-crowdinp;, hut a (doser investigation shows that most of the houses 
 are cut up into furnished rooms, many of them with little or no light 
 or ventilation, while the hack yards are huilt u]) with rear tenements. 
 Th(> sewage system is anti(]uated, the plumhing defect i\e, and yard 
 closets, ash pits and garbage receptacles are in a tilthy and unsanitary 
 condition. The lack of ])rivacy in the crowded tenements and the 
 corrui)ting influences of factory life weaken the moral fiber of tlie 
 children to a degree little realized by those unfamiliar with these 
 conditions. Housing conditions are \itally impoi-tant in the crowded 
 districts, and (h'mand nuu*e consideratiiui than they Inive hitherto 
 received in the interests of the public health. The back tenements 
 shelter vicious gangs of toughs and criminals and are the breeding- 
 spots of crime.
 
 THE NL'CLEUS OF A CI\'IC CENTER. 
 Scenes from Miillanpliy Playground.
 
 (Tvic ( i:ni T.iis i(Pii ST. i.iir'is. 45 
 
 ("ail- I'ai-k toiiiis ilic iiaiiii-al (•ciitcr toi- tliis distriri. (li-oujicd 
 ainiiiiil till |)aik. ilic <"ai-r Sdiool, ilic .Nh-inoi-ial Taln'niaclc ("luinli. 
 
 lli( ( '(iiniic^ialioM Sliariis Sjiiiard, and rlic 1 >ciitsc!ic 
 Carr Park as a I-xanui'lisiln' Kiiilii'. lorm iIk^ iiuc1(mi'< tni- a mucli- 
 Civie Center. ikm'iIciI civic cciiIim. A ])la\L;iiiiiii(l iia^ lin-n cstali- 
 
 lishcd iu the pai-k and a pnlilic liatli sliunid Ih- Iniilt 
 facini^- it. This would lie a s]d('i!did Ideation for a sncial scitlfnicnt 
 f(tr work anion^ tlic Jewish iienjile. Furthermore, a readini; room 
 branch of the I'vililic IJinaiy should Ik- established here to serve as 
 distrilintinji' iioint for tills disii-ict. The .lews are lu-i:L:ht. earnest and 
 a|)]ii('ciativc of any advantiiiic .uiven them, and thev slioidd lie ;;i\'en 
 every educational advantajic 
 
 -Vll o]H;i>l t unit \' exists fol- the estaliiisjiiiieiil <if a ci\ic center, ade- 
 (|uate for tlie jiresent needs of this district, in connection with the 
 iiinniciiial iilay.iiround at Tenth and Mullan]iliv Slr<'('ts. 
 Mullanphy 1'"' property exteiidinj: alonji the .Alullanphv Street 
 
 Playground, fiont of the jilaviiround from Tenth to Eleventh Streets, 
 and now under lease l)\' the munici]ialily. should lie 
 purchased liy the cil V. If should also |iuichase the small lot nn Tenth 
 Street, now under lease, and the hou.ses on Eleventh Street, now ow ned 
 by the Mullan])hy ISoaid. In these houses there should he established 
 a ^vmnasium and ]iiihlic hath house, a branch readinii loom of rlie 
 I'ldilic Library and a hall for public nieetiu.t>s. The iilayjiroiind could 
 thi'ii be enlarucd by din tillinu and by the removal of the present 
 temporary library and bath buildings to the iierniaiK'iit (|iiarters. 
 
 The pro])erty recently ]iurchased by the city for a ]iark at (Jarrison 
 Avenue and North Market Sticet should be jirovided with ball tiehls. 
 
 iiymnasiic a]i]iaratus. and other e()uiiimenl tor the use 
 A New Park, ot the older boys and youuiicr men of the northern 
 
 disirici u( the cii\-. This would furnish a larue jcirk 
 e;i-<ily accessible to the street cars and de\dted ];rimaril\' to sports for 
 th( lii-ow ii-up boys. One corner ot the park should be laid out as a 
 lilay;:ioiind for the youiiuci- children in the iiiimediate iiei;;libiirhood. 
 There should also be erected a public bath fronting;- on the park, and a 
 branch readinu room ot the Public Library in the near vicinil\. 
 
 The abandoned water wurks at I'.isselP.s point wnuld be an ideal 
 site for a river-front ]iark and playiironml, which could be »'siablished
 
 46 A CITY I'l.AN I'OK SAINT I.OtlS. 
 
 at slight cost to the city. The Imildiugs already tlicre 
 Bisseirs Point coiiltl he fixed np as a }»;yinnasiuni, shelter aud swim- 
 Playground, iniiiii ])()ol at a cost of less than |4,000, and the iiier 
 
 j\ittin.u- into the river would afford a restinji ]i]ace, 
 (Doled liy ihc liver lireezes, lor tile people of that district. TJie swiiii- 
 nuu'j^ pool would Iceep the lutys out of tlie river and would tlius ]irevent 
 the loss of many lives eacli suuinier. Aithoujih tliere are hut few 
 houses in tlie immediate vicinity, we are informed by residents of this 
 disliici iliat even without any attractions many liniidreds of cliildren 
 come liere to play. It would lie a slmrt-sijilited jiolicy not to take; 
 advantage <if this opportunity, especially as this park mijiiit ultimately 
 form one of a chain of parks along the river front. We recommend, 
 therefore, that the Municipal Assembly appropriate the sum of .ffi.OOO 
 for the establishment and maintenance of a ]ilayiiround at Uissell's 
 Point. 
 
 In additiim to the playjirounds as alio\c planned foi- tlie iiorilieiii 
 section of the city, there should be accommodation provided for mothers 
 
 and small children in Hyde Park, (iambic Place and 
 Hyde Park, -lackson Place. This is necessitated by the fact that 
 
 Gamble Place, small cliildren should not be forced to walk far m- to 
 Jackson Place, cross crowded streets in order to get a jilayground. 
 
 As will be seen by a glance at the map accom|)anying 
 this i-e]ioi-t, a playground in each of the above-named parks wouhl 
 coiii|)leii- the system as pi'oposed for the whole district. There should 
 also Ik' a reading room in each of these neighborhoods. 
 
 The nucleus of a civic center already exists in the neighborhood of 
 St. Louis Place. A long, narrow park stretches fi'om Maiden Lane to 
 Hebert Street and fronting it are the Zion ( "hurch, 
 St. Louis Place a f'"' I'lair Scliool and the Little Sisters of the Poor 
 Civic Center. Asylum. The iieojile in the immediate proximity of 
 
 the jiark are wcll-lo-do, but a few blocks away 
 there is a large settlement of jioorer iieople who need the advantages 
 of the recreation offered by a jiai'k and public bath. .Many of their 
 houses are old and unsanitary, and few of tliem liave baths. Special 
 provision should be made for the cliildren of these poorer people, 
 for at present they perhaps feel a little unwelcome in the more 
 aristocratic St. Louis IMace. The two small squares which are cut otf 
 from the re.st of the ]iark by the intersection of North ^farket and 
 Henton Streets, and where some jilayground e(|nipment was jilaced 
 during the ]>ast summer, should lie turned into a ]ilaygrouiid and open
 
 
 PLAN roR 
 SouuARD Civic CcM-rcR 
 
 THE SOULARD CIVIC CliNTER. 
 A SnKgi--stc[| Trc.ilnicni Wliicli Will .\iit Interfere With tin- Markei Place
 
 The SoLilard Civic Center
 
 CIVIC CKNTKIiS FOi; ST. I.OUIS. 47 
 
 air swiiniiiiii^ |Minl. ( )ni' of llic conicrs fronting on tlic ]»ark wonld 
 make a sjilciidid local ioii for a hi-aiicli ])ublic library building, since 
 tills would be a ccutrai distributing jioint, with pxcollcnt strcot car 
 facilities. We would also suggest to tlie authorities in charge of the 
 Asylum that by taking away the high wall surrounding it they woidd 
 add greatly to tlie beauty of the neighborhood without in the least 
 detracting from its jiriAacy. A public bath should ultimately be estab- 
 lislie<l here for the large and gi-owing population in this neighborhood. 
 Wlien till complete .system of civic centers as hereinbefore elab- 
 orated was first outlined, it was planned to establish a center in the 
 neighborhood of Jefferson Avenue and Dickson 
 A Playg'round West f^treet. This plan contemplated the jmrchase 
 of Carr Square. "f tlie vacant property lying between Jefferson 
 
 and Twenty-fourth, O'Fallon and Biddle Streets, 
 for a park and i)laygroun<l, and the erection of a public bath and 
 po.ssibly a iniblic library branch on corners facing the park. The 
 civic group would then have comprised the park, bath and library 
 buildings, and the Good Samaritan ITosjiital, the Third District Sub- 
 I'olici Station, and the I'hysicians" and Surgeons" ("ollege, already 
 established there. Shortly after this, however, the Municipal Assembly 
 authorized the purchase of the property lying between Magazine and 
 North ^larket Streets, (Ua.sgow and Leffingwell Avenues for a park, 
 and th( lot A\liich we had pro]K>sed to recommend for a park ^^•as sold 
 and a factory is to l»e erected thereon. We fo^el, however, that a ]>lay- 
 giound should be located midway lietween Carr Place and the new 
 park at (ilasgow Avenue and North ilarket Street to provide for this 
 district, which is rapidly increasing in popidation. A public bath 
 should also be located here. This district is rapidly building u]), and 
 with the westward trend of the ])oiiulation over-crowding is inevitable. 
 Advantage should be taken of the opportunity to purchase a park at 
 com]iaratively small expense, since the people in this district have no 
 park wiljiiii an easily accessible distance. 
 
 Another thickly ]ioimlate<l section of the city is in the neighborhood 
 of Soulard ^Market, \\est of the .Market to Fourteenth Street is a 
 
 very densely .settled region, while east of Broadway 
 Soulard Place a there are large numbers of tumbledown shacks\ 
 Civic Center. where in some cases as many as ten people live in 
 
 one room. A ])ark is urgently needed in this 
 district and if located as proposed wouhl be accessible to the people 
 liviiii' east of i'>i-oadwa\, as well as to the more tliicklv settled district
 
 48 
 
 A (ITV I'l.AX l"<»I! SAINT r,(»TIS. 
 
 to the west. Acfordiiijilv. ilic |i;nk liiis liccii clioscii as tlic (('liter of tlic 
 l)i(»li(isc(l civif (('liter and tlie Iniildiiijis have Iteeu jirouped altont it. 
 Tlie institutions already estabiisiied in tliis district may lie roiiiilily 
 divided into t\v(i sections: the Soulard .Market, the Third Histrict 
 I'dliic Stalioii ami tin- |)rip]iipscil riililic ilalli in the eastern section, 
 and the ("arioll Scinnd, the Sued St. i.ouis Turn Halle, tlie .Markliani 
 Meniorial .Mission, the Smith Side Day Xiirsery, the Chmch St. .lolin 
 of Nepoinuk. the Slcuhi Si. .iniia Xejioinuk, the Skola (>sadv St. Jdhn 
 (il Xe|ii)nmk, and ihe Skdla a-sin <)sady St. .laiia \i'|i(iiiiiik. in the 
 westein pdition. Takinii ad\anta,iic (if this i;r(in|iinii. we have divided 
 the district into twn civic centers: one for jmlilic and the other for 
 senii-|iiil>lic insiiiniions. with a s|ileiidid oiipoiiuiiily for unitinii ihe 
 two hy e.xteiidiiiii the proposed jmrk westward two hlocks. The jinlilic 
 district may he ronjihly divided into the district lietwcen Lafayette 
 .\ venue and Tenth Street. .Marion Street and llroadway. In order to 
 connect the (iilfeieiii ]inliiic institutions mentioned ahove and to in-o- 
 vidi a small park and iilayjironnd so nrjicntly needed in this district, 
 \\c icconimeiid that the two hlocks honiided liy Sonlard. Ninth, -Fiilia 
 and Sexi'iitli Streets lie pill-chased hy the lily foi- a park and pla\- 
 .Lli'oiind ; that Julia Slicet, lietwcen Se\i'iiili and Twelfth Streets, he 
 closed; thai .Iiilia Street from Ninth to Twelfth Streets lie laid out 
 as a liroad walk with a donlile row of I ice^. thus connectinii' the jiark 
 and the chiirch ; and that the I'aik Department he instructed to la\ nut 
 ("ity I'docks Nos. 87r> Noith and South, and :>S1 North and South in 
 such a wav as to carry out the park idea in the landscajie treatment 
 withoiii interferinii with the jnactical utility of the northern hlocks 
 as a imhlic markei place. 
 
 We fill t her recommend to the I'lihlic Lilirary Hoard the corner of 
 Eiiihth and Sonlard Streets as a desirahle location for one of the 
 hranch jnihlic lihraries. 
 
 \\'( also call ili( atteiil ion of the I'.oaid of l]d neat ion to the fact that 
 the Carroll School, with a .seatinji capacity of 1,():>.''). has a net iilay 
 area of lint 11,4(1(1 sipiare feet instead of the 81, (tod s(|nare feet which 
 it sliould have, accordiiiij lo the tiiiuics i:i\eii in the introduction. .\n 
 a(hlitioii to the s(di(i(il area. aliiiiliiiL; as it does on the jirojiosed walk, 
 \\dnld lie a distinct improvement lioth to the school and to the iieiuli- 
 liorhood. 
 
 The semi-imhlic district wenld extend ^\('stward aloiiu the same 
 line to Twelfth Str(M>t. This district is thickly ]jopulated, the averajie 
 density ]ier acre heini;- 21(t.4 and the ureatest density in one hlock hein<;
 
 M.AVGROUXDS SCENES IX SAINT LOUIS.
 
 CIVIC CENTERS FOU ST. LOUIS. 49 
 
 X\A ])(■!■ ;iciv. The lai'jici- innlioii of tlic population are Bohciiiiaiis, 
 witli ilic (icniiaiis next in iiuiiilicr anil a few Slavs and Hun2;aiMans. 
 The people of tiiis tlistrict arc, as a whole, poor, self -respect in-i, hnv- 
 al)i(lin£>:, ambitious for theii- cliihli-cn and thrifty. Tliis would seem 
 to he an ideal localion for suinc oruanization w liich winihl work nn 
 hi(iad, ncpii-scctariaii lines with h'clnrr courses and .niuncs dcvolcd lo 
 edncalional purposes, l-'rcc pulilic lectures sliouhi he given in the 
 schools and every effort sliould he nuuh- to hrini; tlie jiarents in contact 
 witii the same educational inlluences which are at work among tiieir 
 children. A recreation center in the school would assist in accomplisli- 
 ing this jmrpose. This would also he a good location for a model 
 tenement, which would serve as a model in cleanliness and sanitation 
 to the people in their homes. We can recommend this district especially 
 to institutions working for the hroad, constructive, educational up- 
 building of character among the poorer classes. The needs and desires 
 of these peojde would seem to furnish a .soil peculiarly adapted to 
 educational purjioses. and the seeds of t-ducation .sown here would reap 
 a ricji harvest in the development of right-minded, high-thinking 
 Ameri<-an citizens. 
 
 A playground is urgently needed in Lyon Park, as there are 
 thousands of children living near by who have no place for play. 
 
 The streets are rendered especially dangerous here by the 
 Lyon Park, traftic to and from the big breweries. A part of the park 
 
 is well adapted to i)laygroun(l jpurposes. We recommend, 
 theicfore. that a jilayground be esiablished in Lyon Park. 
 
 r.et^>ceu the proposed Soulaid .Market Park and Lyo7i Park there 
 is a thickly settled district, composed almost entirely of the families 
 of the workmen in the breweries and factories 
 Civic Center at near iiy. These people must be given an oppor- 
 
 Ninth and Ann Sts. tnnity for a lireath of fresh air in the evenings 
 after their confining day's work, and their chil- 
 dren must hav( a ])lace in which to I'hiy. Then' is an ojiportunity for 
 the establishment of a ci\ic center in tlii' neighliorliood of Ninth ami 
 Ann Streets at a comi)arativ(dy suuill co.st. A new and beautiful 
 school building is being erected on the noi-theast corner. On the south- 
 west corner there is a block of vacant ground, the only large piece 
 of property in the whole district which is not imilt upon. This block 
 should be ]inrchase(l imme(lialely for a i)ark and playground. A public
 
 50 A cnV I'l.AN I'ul! SAINT I.OllS. 
 
 Iiiilli slnmld tlicii lie liiiill fiomiiiu on the |i;nl< iiinl near lli<' new sclinnl 
 liiiildiiiu iin\\ uiiilcr coiisinicl inn. 
 
 I.iifiiyi'ttc I'arU. ('nnii an a'silirtic stan(l|rniiii. is a worlliv srttiiii: 
 for lii-antiriil liuildin.us, wlictlicr jMihlic m- |)i-i\aic. and simc the 
 
 niaj(irit\- of tiu' ikmijiIc li\iiiL; in lliis nciiildioi-liood 
 Lafayette Park. ;"'' \\<'ll-io-do. ii wmild seem a nion- aiiiii-opriatc 
 
 local ion for cliMnlics, clnlis, or social orjijiniziitioiis, 
 than Coi- imltjic liatjis oj- social scirlciiicnts. WC icconiniciid, ho\v('v«^r, 
 that a ]>layi;rouiul he cstahlishcd in or lu^ar the jiark, as the children 
 have little or no ojieii sjjace for )>lay in this neiiihliorhood. As for the 
 rest, ihe n]iliuildiiiL; of ihis dislrici should come from |n-i\ale initiative 
 and t>,\' |)ri\ale iiistiiniions. 
 
 A lari:e jtark is needed in llie ceiilial soulhern dislrici of ihe city 
 as a liall held and i:\ninasiiiin for the older hoys and yonnii mcii of the 
 Soulh Side. This Park should lie located near 
 Park Needed Near -lenerson A\ciiue and on an easi and west oar 
 South Jefferson. liui. The ]iaik should he laid out wilh liase-liall 
 and fool-hall fields, rminiini track and oiieii-air 
 UA inna-<inni. As this disti-ici hecomes more thickl.v settled, a jiortion 
 of ihe ]iarU should he laid out as a ]da>iiround I'or ihe Nonnincr children 
 lixiiii:' near hw A juihlic hath should also l;e iocale<l here. 
 
 t'ainenie Place is a sirikiuu example of the wastefulness of the 
 old |;aik methods. The yrass of itenlon Park near hy. which should 
 
 have been ]»reserved to comidete the harmonious 
 Carneg"ie Place, ireatment ol the rest of the jtark, has been killed hy 
 
 allow in^- lh( children lo jdax' on ii, while ("arneiiie 
 l'lac(\ splendidl.v adajited to playiiiouiid purposes, has Iteen. until the 
 lireseiit summer, carefully locked u]i and the children excluded. This 
 policy should he reversed and a permanent i)layi:round should he estah- 
 lished ill ('ailK'Liie Place, while IJenlou Park should he devilled to 
 purely ])ark )Mirp()ses. A puhlic haili should nliimalely he esiahlishcd 
 near by, and jjossihly a hraiich reading room of the ]uihlic lii)i-ar.\', to 
 he operated in connection with Ihe I'.arr hranch on .li-lferson and 
 Lafayette Avenues. The ])resent needs of this districl are iioi pressin.<r, 
 since there is no over-crowdini; here and the ]ieo](le are Well-to-do. As 
 ii provision for the future jirowth of this district, however, the above 
 recoinniendations should be cai-ried oui as soon as practicable.
 
 CIVIC CKNTEItS FOK ST. LOlIS. 51 
 
 We have no icconiiiiciKliitions to iiiakc as n-nanls tlic cxtivme 
 norlliiM'ii and cxti-cinc soiillicni jxn-tioiis of the city. W'c feel that 
 
 I he iriorc iit'cdcd iiiiia'ovciiicuts in the central 
 Northern and district shouhl and ninsi l)e attended to tirst. 
 
 Southern Districts. As regards parks, tiie district north of the sug- 
 gested BisselTs I'oint phiygronnd is w itiiin easy 
 distance of O'FaUon Park, while on the south side, l.ailede I'ark, 
 Dakota Park, t^outh Market Park, Carondelet I'ark and South St. 
 Louis Place are sutticieut for present needs. With the growth of the 
 city and the increasing density of population more parks will be 
 needed in these districts, l)ut the present needs are not pressing. The 
 same thing applies In puldic haths, tliongli there sjiouhl he at least one 
 imlilic hath in lioth tiie extreme northern and the extreme soutiiern 
 districts. There should he, and undouhtedly there will be. a ]>ul)lic 
 library branch in eacli of these districts to serve as a distributing jmint 
 for the district. We, however, prefer not to make .specific recommemla- 
 tions for these districts, since we feel that the attention of the municipal 
 authoi-ities should be gixcn to the iiiuiiediate demands of the central 
 down-town di.strict. 
 
 In conclusion, a brief exposition of the general x>i'inciples under- 
 lying the selection of location for the variou.'! institutions proposed, 
 and a brief outline of the completed plan of civic centers. 
 Conclusions. •'•'^ suggested above, might be appropriate. In the first 
 jdace, it was felt tlial the small ]>ark was the most 
 needed of the various institutions considered, in view of the local 
 conditions. A study (d' the statistics given in the first \k\H (d' this 
 report show that the greatest nee<l for small parks existed in the 
 district lying between (irand .V venue on the north and west, Osceola 
 Street on the .south ami the ^Ii.ssissi]»])i Uiver on the east. It was then 
 necessary to maji ont an ideal system of small ]>arks, and especially 
 of playgrounds. sin<-e it was felt that in a crowded residence district a 
 playground was moi-e valuable than a ])ark, on the theory that the 
 health and morals of the jx'ople are of more importance than the pre- 
 carious existence of a few blades of gra.ss. 
 
 An article by Mr. Jo.seph Lee, a recognized authority on playground 
 
 matters, gives the ett'e<tive radius of a playground as fcdlows: 1. l''or 
 
 childi-cn in arms, one-fourth mile. -. I'or children 
 
 Principle under six who can walk, one-foiutli mile, not crossing 
 
 of Selection. an electric car or railroad track, o. For children six 
 
 to twche. oue-bair mile. 4. I-'oi' children twelve to
 
 5ii A (ITV I'l.AX I'dl! SAINT I.Ol'lS. 
 
 scvciitccii \vli(» can not atTord cai- fares, iliici'-lnmtli miles. .">. l!all 
 fields for tile lii<j:iLi'er hoys and men, a mile of w alUini; ami a ti\'e-cenl fare. 
 
 .Vdaptinii the aliove licneial priMciples lo e.xisiini; conditions in 
 St. I.onis, we su.;:i;est that the park at I.ettin.uwell. (iairison, I'.enton 
 and .Madison Streets, on the noiili, and ihe |(ro|)ciscd park in Ilie 
 
 nei^ihhuili 1 (d' .I(d'feison AveniU' and Slienandoali Aven\n' on Ihe 
 
 sonlh, he laid ont in iiasehall and foot-hall tields, e(|nipi(ed with uvm- 
 iiasfic a|i|iaratns and he de\'ole(l piimarily to Ihe nse i)\' the vonnn men 
 and older hnys in the norlhern and soulliern disli-icts respecl ixclw 
 One comer i>( each i)ai-k shonld he laid out as a plaxuronnd for Ihe 
 yonniicr children and the jiarenls liviiii; in the iinme(liate neiiihhoi-hood. 
 This would proxide for all the land mentioned hy .Mr. Lee, and would 
 he the only lariic park^ needed in ihe entire district under considei-a- 
 tion. I'^or the fonrth (dass, the ( hildreii hetween Iwclxc and seventeen, 
 provision shonld he made in addition at Tenth and Carr Streets, the 
 .Mullan]ihy jilayiiround and Hyde I'ark on the noith side, and at 
 Sonlaid I'ark, ("arnei^ie I'lace, l.ailede I'ark and I, yon I'ark on the 
 sonlh side, l-'or the first, second and third (dassc>, ihe mol her-;. I tallies 
 in aims, children under six, ami children fioiii six to iwcKc, proxisidii 
 should he made at all the jiarks meiitiiuie(l ahove and also al < 'arr I'ark, 
 .Marion I'lace, St. I.onis I'lace, Tweiity-tirst and l)i(d;soii Streets, 
 (ianihle I'lace on the iKU-th. and at Lafayette Park and Twelfth Sti-eet 
 and Shenandoah .\\enne on llie south side. Thi-< would provide a 
 playiironnd within a leasunahle dislam-e for eveiv man. woniaii and 
 child in the crowded K-sideiice districts (d' the city. The map at the 
 close (if the i-eport shows the complete system as outlined. 
 
 As rciiaids puhlic halhs. \\c have i ecnnimeiided six on ihe noi-ih side 
 and f(»nr on the south side. In addil ion i here should he lioat ini: hat lis on 
 
 the river. The I'lihlic Lihraiy hramhes as |)lanned 
 Libraries comprise t(Mir in the district under consideration, 
 
 and Public Baths, which, with the hranches in the extreme mu-lhern 
 
 and extreme southern distiicts. and the one in the 
 west end, make the liumher ]il()posed to he el<'cte(l. There should also 
 he reading rooms to snp]d<'nient the hram h hiiildinus and we have rec- 
 ommended einlit locations for this purpose. We have also recommended 
 locations for two model teiiemenls and three social selllemeiils. We 
 trust that these siiiijivstions will he taken in the sjiirit in which they 
 are otl'ered hy the various Itoards of directors in cliar^c of the institn- 
 tions named, since onr only pnrjiose has heeii to i)oint ont the ad-
 
 CIVIC CKXTIOUS FOI! ST. LOUIS. 53 
 
 vaiitaye.s of i)l;iiiiit; llicsc inst itiilioiis iicju- In^i-tlicv iuid sii^^^rsl int; a 
 jiractical way of ulitaiiiiiiii these aihaiitafies. 
 
 Tlie Coiniiiittec. wlieii it first iiiulcrtook the investijiatioiis eiiihodied 
 ill tliis rejKirt, was aiiiiiiated l»_v a tlieoretical helic^f in llie value of i-ivic 
 
 centers, an<l hv an iil-di'lined feeiin<;- tliat siicli institii- 
 After-Word. tioiis wouhl tend towards the de\clo])in<'nt of hetlei- 
 
 citizenship. A more careful study of existinji' conditions, 
 however, has c<>n\inced ns that these institutions ai-e ahsoliitely 
 ossential factors in the wholesome development of a lar<;e city of today. 
 The indiscriminate hei'(lin,u td.uetlier of large masses of human heinjis 
 ijiiiorant of the simplest laws of sanitation, the evils of child labor, the 
 corii]|)tion in ]iolitical life, iind, above all, the weakenini>- of the ties 
 \\hich bind together the home — these are dangers which strike at tiie 
 very roots of society. To cond)at them the government must em]>loy 
 every resource in its ])ow'er. Schools and libraries, ])laygrounds and 
 public baths, by de\('lo])ing their minds, training their bodies and uj)- 
 building the character of a ])eo])le, furnish the foundation upon 
 which a nation's welfare dejx'nds. Self-preservation is a law of nature 
 for nations as well as individuals, and u])on the chara<ter of its ])eople 
 de[)ends the preservati(ui of the State. 
 
 CIVIC CENTERS COMMITTEE. 
 
 Dw'KinT F. Davis. Chairman. 
 Miis. Philip N. Moore. 
 Frkdehick G. Zeibig. 
 Hexrv Wright.
 
 Inner and Outer Parks and B()ule\ ards 
 
 A COMPLETE SYSTEM CONNECTING EXISTING PARKS 
 AND FOREST RESERVATIONS IN THE COUNTY 
 
 N(>farlcii ill iiniiii(i](iil iiii|pi'(i\('iii('iits ]ilii\s a iiioi-r imjKn lain jiarl 
 ill llic ]iin])cr ]ili\si(al and innral (lc\cl(>])iiiciii of a citx's ]m()iii- 
 hiliiMi llian an a(l<'<nialr parlc area and a \\('ll-arraniicd and 
 \\cll-('(|uiii]i('d jiaik system. Tlic future cilizcnslii]) (if our ]M)]iiii(ms 
 cciilcis (li']icnds ill a lii-car iiicasiii-c n|)ciii liic licalllifiil. rcfi-csliiiiii- 
 and nplifdni; iiiHucnccs wiiicli we throw aliont lliciii in iIk- form of 
 recreation facilities and tlie iieauties of natiual sreiierv. While paries 
 are of inestimalih' value in makin;Li a city invitinii to desirahle residents 
 and \isiiors. furiiishini; pleasant di-ives to ilio~;e who can afford these 
 luxuries, addinj; to the value of real estate, and jiromotinji the general 
 prosperit\', these are matters of small consideration when comjiared to 
 the imperative necessity of su])]dyinii the ,ii;r<'at mass of the ])eople with 
 some means of recrealion lo rejievi- the iiniiatural sinroiiiidiiii:s in 
 crowded cities. 
 
 .\n extensive park and ]iaik\\a.\ system is all the more important 
 in an inland city like St. Louis, which is situated far from the iii\ii:- 
 oratiUii effects of the lake or ocean breezes and the 
 Parks in natural attractiveness of a hroad water-front. What 
 
 Inland Cities, f'l'" iulaud city lacks in these natural features it must 
 make up in iieautiful jiarks and dii\es. The desire foi- 
 out-door life is rapidlx' increasing anionii our jieojile. In this (diniate 
 for six months of the year it is possihle to live mtu-li out of doors. This 
 out-door life must he made more and more attiactive as our |)o]»ulation 
 increases, which means that paiks, playui-oiiiids and ]iarkways must 
 he jjenerously provided hy the municipality. 
 
 St. Louis today has a total ])ark area of 2,:iS(; acres, including in 
 all twenty-four diHeicnt jiarks or si|uares. Of this area '[,7lS acres 
 aic i-onipiclieiided ill the three laiu<'r parks, CaKuide- 
 St. Louis Park J<'L Forest and <>"FalI<m I'ark.s. So far as actual ]»ark 
 Area. area is concerned St. Louis today holds its rank 
 
 anionji the first cities of the country, hut it is seriously 
 lacking in a \\cll-detiiie(l and well-connected system. The \arious 
 parks are iscdated and unconnected. They are known and used only
 
 Y. -r 
 
 — X
 
 INNKIt AND (IITKI! PAUKS AMI ItOtLEVAUDS. 55 
 
 liy tlic people ill ilieii- ]);ii-l ituliir scotiiiii (if tlic city. Vcw <>( <iiir 
 citizens ever visit ( 'aroudelet I'iiriv, althouiih it is a place of rare Iteautv 
 and attractiveness, because for veliicles tliere is no adequate approach 
 and tlie street car line is tlii-ei' hjncks from the entrance. r>ent<in Park, 
 a lireatliiiiii sjint (if striUinuIy iiaiural lieanty is iiracticall v inikudwn 
 Id tile citizens (if the West end and niirlh St. Ldiiis. 
 
 Vi.sltors fiet only a discdnnected impression (if tlie attractive 
 featni-es (if this city, in ilie cdurse of a half-day's drive tliey see tlie 
 
 natural beauty of Forest I'ark, the stateline.ss of 
 Parks private residences in the \v(^st end, and the diiiiiity 
 
 Not Connected. "f sdine of liie lar^c business blinks, but iliese iiiiajies 
 
 are greatly marred liy tlie unattractive streets over 
 which they are cdiiipelled to drive in order to see these unrelated points 
 of beauty. St. Loui.s, located as it is in the bend of the river and 
 spreading fan-shaped td tlie west, lends itself admirably to the a(biptidii 
 of a well-defined park and bdiilevard ]ilan. 
 
 ^Vith these })oints in view we have outlined two parallel and c<m- 
 necting boulevards and parkways encircling the city and uniting all 
 of the existing parks within the city limits, a 
 A Complete tlidKinghfai-e in the county, and also a chain of 
 
 System Outlined. (inter )iarks ((innecred by improved highways. The 
 tirst is Kingshighway, for Avhich provision is 
 already made; the second, a boulevard along the DesPeres River and 
 encircling tiie city to the udith iiaiallel to King.shiglnvay and the city 
 limits; the third, a broad iidrlli and sdiith thdi'dughfare in the county 
 parallel w itli city limits and cdiineciing the suluirban towns; the fourth, 
 an diiier belt park system in St. Louis County similar to the Metro- 
 politan I'ark System (if Ibisldii and the recently addpted ("hicago outer 
 belt ]iark jilan. 
 
 THE KINGSHIGHWAY 
 
 The Kingshighway was out lined some fdiir years ago. the muney 
 has been a])])ropriate(l and the plans for its cdiistructidii, which have 
 t'dlldwed cldsely the original re]idrt (if the Kingshighway rommi.ssion, 
 are jiractically completed. In this report only a summary of that able 
 and e.\haustlve plan need be given. This will be in the form of an 
 outline (if tlie bdiile\ard as it is actually jilanned liy the Street Depart- 
 ment.
 
 56 A CITY ri.AN lOli SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 Kin<islii}:;lnviiy will iiciiiii ;ii itic foot of ("iildwcll Sli-ccI, just south 
 of tlic foi iiici- icsidcucc of the late Cliiiilcs T. ("iioutcau. uow kuown 
 
 as the Altcnhciiu. aud cnciiclf the citv hy wav of the 
 Kingshighway three lariic ])ai'ks to the Chain of Hocks on the north. 
 Southeast. At thefuul uC < 'ahiwrll Street six aires, or three Mocks 
 
 of ground having a frontaiic of al)ouI l.dOO fei-l on 
 lli( ii\-ei lilulT, will he ]tnrchase(l. This will fmiiisli a ])leasaiit recrea- 
 tion aica o\'ei lookiii:.; the lnoa<l .Mississi]»])i, and will conniiaml a 
 iiiauiiihcent \iew up ami down the ri\er. I'mm ilii< hhilT ]iark the 
 course of the lioulevard will lead across i'.roadwax' on a \iaduct west- 
 waidly aloiiii Caldwell Street, widened to l:!(l feet, to (Jraiid Avenue; 
 thence south alonii Crand A\'enue to ('aroiidelet i'ark. (irand Avenue 
 is to he widened to 120 feet. Kansas Avenue, the nortiiern houndary 
 of Carondcdet Park and the route of the houlevard west, is to Ite 
 widened to 1(10 feet, and a huililiui; line of fifteen feet is estahlished. 
 At ilie noiihwcst coi'uer of Caroiidelel I'ai-k is a strip of ihirtv acres, 
 containinii a heautiful natural lake. This strip will he |)urchased and 
 nia(h' a ]>art of Carondelet I'ark. I'roiii Carondelet I'ark the houlevai-d 
 will f(diow Kansas Avenue aloni; the entire north line o( ilic park and 
 we-a to Carlsliad .\vciiiie: tioin iliis point it will extend nortliwest- 
 wardly across (Jravois JJoad at Sclioenlatrs (ii-ove to Kinnshiiihway 
 just south of Soutiianipton ; from Carlshad Aven\ie to Kin.iishii;hway 
 the houlevard will follow a deep-woo(h'd valley. Twelve acres of land 
 skirtinn the stream will he purchased and iicaieil as a continuous ]»ark 
 ahout a iinle in leiitith. So far as ]iossil>le the natural growth of trees 
 will he retained. 
 
 From Nottinjiham A\'enue north to I'on-st i'ark the jiarkway will 
 follow the Kiuiishijihway. whicli is, for the entire distance, 1(10 feet 
 
 in width. I'roiii DeAonshire Avenue to ()]d Man- 
 King'shig'hway cjiestei Koad Kinushif^liway is occupied li\ street 
 West. railway tracks. Since these tracks are permanent the 
 
 houh'vard w ill he widened sufliciently to have a road- 
 way forty feet on each side, thirt v-six feet space for the tracks, and room 
 for a row of trees on either side separating the track s])ace from the 
 roadway. 
 
 To hreak the mouotouy of a lonj; straiiiht flrive from Forest I'arl< 
 to Nottingham Avenue, it is hopeil that the forty-six acres of land 
 owned hy the Chri.sty Fire Clay Company, situated hetween Pernod 
 Road and Nottingham Avenue on the east side of Kin^Lrshiuhwav, will
 
 The Kingshighway
 
 c 
 
 r 
 
 ^ 
 
 THK KlNtiSHIGHWAY. NINETEEN MILES IN LENGTH. 
 Proviild For in ihc Rcccni Bond [siue. 
 
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 A- 
 
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 f.
 
 INNKl! AM) OITKU i'AUKS AMI r.dll.KVAKDS. 57 
 
 liH donated to tlic city. It is froTii one to twenty feet liciow the jii-adc 
 of King'sliijiliway and is rnjijicd and Iirolccn. If properly treated it 
 would add greatly to tlie heanly of tlic drive, and scrsc as a local park 
 in a section not now |M-o\idc'(| for. 
 
 Along tills section of the lioulevard is Tower Grove Park. At its 
 western end tlie park is reached from Kiiiiisliiinlnvay by au insiffnificant 
 
 entraiH-e entirely out of liarnionv with its future inipor- 
 Entrance to tance. A stri]i of land iM'id feet in widfli now jyini: 
 Tower Grove. Iietwccn tlie pai'k and the ])ro|)ose(l lioulevanl will he 
 
 a((|uired and made a part of the jtark from Arsenal 
 to Old Manchester IJoad. This will permit extensive park treatment 
 and liive a di.nnitied entrance to Tower drove Park from either direc- 
 tion. In oi-der to coini)lete this entrance to the park the narrow stri]i 
 iuterveuinii lu'tween the ]»ark and .Maiinolia should he ])ur(hased hy 
 the city. 
 
 The land on lioili sides of the .Missouri I'acitic and the I'risco Uail- 
 ways is now and will hereafter he e.xtensively u.sed for manufacturing 
 purposes, and it will therefore he necessary to constnict in time a 
 viaduct to cross the railways and streets that will he recjuired for 
 
 f>;eneral trattic. This sti-in-turc will 1 f stone or conncic. and will 
 
 reach from .MdJee .Vxcniie on the south to Swan .V\cniie on the north. 
 
 Alon.n the eastern line of l'(U-est Park the arrangement of jiark 
 drive, plantiuii sjiace and service street is excellent and will reipiire 
 no chauiie. The present improvement has produced a 
 Forest Park stately avenue enhanced in interest hy leaving the jiark 
 Front. jilantinii sutlrtciently oi)en to permit of distant views 
 
 into the park. The two turns in the park drive will in 
 time he im]u-oved liy some monumental structni-es. titiini; statues or 
 fountains centeriuj;' on the driveway in each direction. 
 
 From the northeast corner of Forest Park to Easion Avenue, Kiniis- 
 hisiiiway is fully im]>roved with an as|)hall roadway sixty feet wide, 
 sidewalks eight feet wide, and grass plots twe]\e feet wide. As 
 valuable huildings ai'e already erected on lioth sides no change is c(ui- 
 temjilated in this di.strict, except the removal of telephone poles, the 
 planting of trees and the rearrangement of sidewalks \\here irregulari- 
 ties exist. If the street car tracks (ui Kingshighway from ilcPherson 
 Avenue to P(u-tland Place can he moved to some other street — which 
 .seems entirely feasihle — a serious hiemish will tints he i-emoved frotii 
 this wide thorouiihfare.
 
 58 A cnV I'l.A.X I'dU .SAl.NT Loris. 
 
 From Easton Avenue iiorlliwardlv to Natural Iiridtic Koad I lie land 
 on eilliei' side of Kinjislii>;Ii\\a.\' is nearly all vacant, and I lie land 
 i-e(inireil for wideinuji Kiuiisliinliway at this plaee 
 North From ^^ '" '"' l'd<en t'nim liotli sides. This seciinn ol' Kin^s- 
 
 Easton Avenue. Iiii;li\vay will lie iiii|iro\-ed liy liuildini; I wo dii\cways 
 separaled liy a park stri]i ahoul fnrly feel in width 
 and li,\ lesiriciiuii liuildiniis and trntlic. The ado] it ion ol' ihis i real inenl 
 will Hiak( it jios^ihle (o loeale a handsome slalne oi- a I'oiinlain on llie 
 jiaik sliip noi 111 ot Easlon .Vvenne in a slraiiiht line with the conliiiu- 
 ation ol the center line of Kinii'shiiihway south of I'^aston Avenue. As 
 Kin!nshi;Lj;liway nuikes a sliar]) aniih' at I'^aston .Vacuuc the chaniic in 
 w idtli w ill he (d'fective and the foiii- lines of trees w ill i;i\c an excellent 
 backiiround of foliaiic for a monumental structure. 
 
 Fiom Natural I'.ridue iJoad to j'enro.se Street the boulevard will 
 be widened from Idd feet to l(;4 feel. In this section tliei-e will be a 
 pleasuic driveway down the middle of the boule\'ard, with service drive- 
 ways on either si(h' and sepaialed liom the ]ileasure t horouiilifarcs by 
 park strijis. 
 
 iJeycuid I'eniose Street the boulevard will o|ien into a pai'kway. 
 Theic is a i>ictures(iue tract of laud at Ihis ])oint, and i( is planned 
 to take tifty acres for park jmrposes. There will he a lake in its 
 nudst, and around this the hoidevard will be disided, one part ruuuiuii 
 toward (>'I''allon Park and the other coin inuiu^Li toward the couut\ line 
 and Chain of Uocks. 
 
 The section thai swiuus dow ii toward •>"l''allou I'ark will be treated 
 variously. A |»ai-k streldi will be laid out belween the entrance to 
 this small park and I'^nclid and .Marcus A\'enues. I'rom 
 O'Fallon Park .Maicus ut Newsiead Avenue, aloui^ I'inlier Sti-eet. 
 Section. there w ill be a triple system of drive\\ays, one (d' tlieni 
 
 beiui; for jileasure and the others foi- ser\ice. From 
 Ihis jioint lo the entrance of (t'Falloii I'ark the trealment will be 
 uniform, with the exception of tree-plantiui: between ihe sidewalks 
 and the curb lines. 
 
 The other branch <d the boiile\ard, from the small ]iark to be located 
 heyond I'eiirosi' Street, will extend to ('alvary .V\'enue and then cross 
 (Teraldin( Avenue to I'.ei-navs AAcnue. From l>eriia\s to Thrush 
 Avenu( ihi' system will jiass tliroui;li un])latted ]Uo]peit\- and will be 
 100 feet wide, the roadwa\' beiuj: fifty feet wide and the sidewalks 
 twenty-fivi'. This is a rouiih siretidi of oround and elaboj-ale park work 
 is jdanned.
 
 :iit^r^^ 
 
 f't.WIXF. IX OFAl.I.ON" PARK.
 
 IN.NKI! AM) (H Ti:i! I'AKKS AM) IlOILKVAItDS. 59 
 
 Eutcriii<r Tlit'kla Avenue at Tlinish ami coutiuuin}; throujili to 
 I'arti'idiic Avenue, tlie l)()ulevar(l will Im-cuiiic one of tlie most Iieantfinl 
 of its kind in tlie country, .^lonu this tlioron^lifare it will l)e ItiO feet 
 wiil( ami have two service driveways, with a pleastire drive in the 
 c«'uter. At the intersection of Thekla and Partridjje Avenues the 
 boulevard will turn towards the city limits, follow the hijwhlands skirt- 
 iuj>- Calvary Cemetery to the Tracy Koad, thence continuing in a 
 northerly direction on curved lines to the hluffs on the Mississippi 
 Kiver, and following the crest of the hlntfs for four and oni'-half miles 
 to the ( "liain of Kocks. 
 
 .V portion of the route will l)e outside of the city limits, where the 
 powers i>( the city to condcniii a right-of-way are restricted, hut, 
 fortunately, the property owners along the route have indicate<l a 
 willingness to donate the greater jtortion of land for this purpose. 
 
 If in time the city desires to acquire the eastern or wcjoded portion 
 of the Fair Grounds, a connecting drive can be established between 
 the Fair Grounds and the Bircher Koad drive. 
 The Fair Grounds. This portion of the Fair Grounds wouM he a valu- 
 able addition to the park area and the boulevard 
 extension would fiirni.sh a connection between the park system and 
 Grand Avenue. 
 
 The completion of this magnificent parkway from river to river, a 
 distance of nineteen miles, tying together its great parks and the 
 residential section, will return to the city and the abutting land owners 
 many times its cost in the increase of property values, as well as in the 
 ])leasure of the citizens in its use, and will become an enduring monu- 
 ment to the energy and civic pride of 8t. Louis. 
 
 RIVER SIDE DRIVE 
 
 In the i)lans thus far presented only three small areas of the mag- 
 niticeiit liver-front have l)een included: the bluffs at Caldwell Street, 
 
 the ("bain of Kocks on tlie north, and Hissell's I'oint 
 A Beautiful Bluff ■" ''"' '""' "^ Grand Avenue. We believe that no 
 Drive. comprehensive plan for park <levelopment should 
 
 fail to include some ])ortion of the ten miles of 
 tvater-front, particularly in the .southern portion of the city. From 
 President Street, just north of the Marine Hospital for a distance of 
 a mile or more smith to Caldwell Street, is a range of bluffs whi<h 
 are susceptible of almost unlimited improvement as a beautiftd drive
 
 60 A (ITV ri.AX FOU SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 and pill kwav. Tlicv arc coniiioscd of snlid wall-* nf liincstoiic from 
 twcnt.v lo Inriv feet aliovc ilic Hacks of ihc Iron .Moniilain liailmail 
 w'liicli skills ilic river to lli<' soiilli. 'I'lic lops of llicsc hliill's alTord a 
 sujtcrl) \i('W ol' ihc Cahokia Uolloms. the dislaiil liills on Ilic Illinois 
 side, and a swceji of tlic river hoili norlii and soiiili. Al llic jiresciil 
 time lliese hluirs are cillier heinii' scon])ed oil' for brick, (iiiarried for 
 sfoiK . or are practical]\ iinoccnpied. I'-roin President Streel soiitii to 
 ("aldwcll Street the oiiiv ltnildinj;s of any )ierniaiiencv wliicli would 
 interfeie willi llie di'\'eiopiiien! of a rixcrside ilri\(' are the residences 
 just norlli of ( 'aldwell Street, llie Altenlieini and llie City Work House. 
 In order to avoid tlie residences and llie Alleiilieiiii, a sliiihl de\iation 
 conld III made to tlie west of South Itroadway. In the case of the 
 "Work House, this pro|ieitv alreadv lieloin;inii' to the cit\. should, in 
 time, hecome a small jiark and the Work House should he removed to 
 some other locality. 
 
 In order to coniieci ilie north and south driveway recommended 
 hy the Street <'ommittec wilh the Kiiii;slii^li\\a\' terminns at < 'aldwell 
 Street, and iii\( to tlu' cit\ what it lon,i>- ai^o should lia\e secured — a 
 heaiitifnl riverside drive — we recommend that the city condemn and 
 purchase a striji of land aloni;- the river hliiH's '2(H) to :*)l)t> feel wide. 
 extendinu from tlu' foot of President Street to the terminus of the 
 Kiniishiyhwa.N' at Caldwell Street, and in lime de\elop alonii' this route 
 a wide thoroniihfare lined wilh trees oii the west and o]ien on the east 
 to an nnohstrncted \ iew of i he ri\er. ( »n the east side of this dri\eway 
 should lie cousii iicied a cement or i;ravel sidewalk t wehe to tifteeii feet 
 in width. This jiai kway would serve for all time as a broad jiromeiiade 
 for pedestiians and an ojien jdaza for the residents of that jiortion of 
 the city. 
 
 Itelweeii President aiul ^\'illneba.^^> streets and e.xtendiiii;' almost 
 to the ii\er-fioiit is the I'liited States ^lariue Hospital site, occuiiyiiii;' 
 
 some tifteen acres of i;ronnd. well adapted and 
 A Park at Marine hicaled foi- ]iark imrposes. In time the <iovei-nment 
 Hospital Site. mii;ht lie induced to transfer the Hospital site to 
 
 the city. To tills should be added the strij) of laud 
 ou tin north hetween the lios]>ital ijTouuds and President Street, and 
 the strip to the east between tlie (Jovernmeiit jirojierty and the ed;;e 
 of the hlnffs. This area of about f<trty acres would not oul\ supply 
 au admirable river-front park to a section of the city where it is much 
 needed, but also furnish a tittinji' junction between the rixerside drive
 
 ^^m 
 
 
 --,j^\ 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 RorxK oi-" ri\1':rsidi-: druI'.. 
 
 Oil Bluffs Xear Cald\vi-ll Slri'i't OvorlookiiiK tlio Mississippi.
 
 IX.VKIt AM) OlTKi: I'AKKS AND IIOILKX' AKDS. 
 
 61 
 
 ;Miil llir iiiii-ili and siiiilli liDiilcNanl. The Work Ilniisc site, willi an 
 aiva of alxiiil five acres, should also Ik; made a small i-ivi-r-froiit park, 
 wliicli would furnish an interesting break in the parkway from I'rcsi- 
 dcni Street to ('aldwell Street. 
 
 'I'his coHuectinii rivci-sidc dri\c. fui-nisliini; a more picturescpie view 
 than any ('([ual area in the entire city, can he seeured at the present 
 lime lor a comparatively reasonable sum. If its ]iurcha.se i.s postponed 
 many years permanent residences will either lie built along the l)lurts 
 or they will be ruined by brick-makers or stone (luarries. St. Louis 
 has an oppoi-tunity in this instance similar to that of New York, some 
 years ago, when the route of the Kiverside Drive was occupied l)y 
 sliani ies and ilila]iidated residences. New York was far-sighted enough 
 to secure at a nominal cost these sloping bluffs as a park and jiarkway 
 for the i^eople. Today one of the important sights in the great 
 metrojiolis is the famous Kiverside Drive along the bluffs overlooking 
 the Hudson and com n landing a splendid \ie\\- of the beanl iful jialisades 
 on the Jersey shore. 
 
 Riverside Drive, New York. 
 Saint Louis Still has the Opportunity for a Similar Drive.
 
 62 A CITY IT.AN I'OI! SAINT l.OIIS. 
 
 Wlicii we iccmII I'iiris, witli iis (|ii;iys, (i-cclincd :iii(l cxtciHliiii: llic 
 full Ii'Iil;||i lit Ilic city aloiin ciu-li liiiiik of llic l!i\cr Si-iiic; Lnmloii, 
 witli its \'icl(iri;i ICinliiiiikiiiciil ; Itinliiprsi wiili its 
 River Front Itrnad |)i-(iiiiciiii(lrs, |ialalial jMililic Iniildinus ami IVc- 
 
 Treatment (pn'iil jiaik spaces facinii and IViiijiiiii;' the l>amilic; 
 
 in Other Cities. (iiicaiin widi its laiiums Slicridaii i)ri\('; Diiliilh 
 with its splendid IJonlcvai'd I)ri\c skii-lin;: Lalvc 
 Sn|)('ii<)i, and liic c(<ntcni|ilatcd a\ alcr-l'innl inipinxniicnls in < 'lc\c- 
 lami. Dcti-oit, Kansas ("ity, ^Icnipliis and a seme of smaller cities, we 
 are inclined to urge especially t lie earl \ aciiniicnieni hy llie cil xof this 
 l>orti(>n of our long ueglected Imt iieaiilifnl and s])lendid ri\cr front. 
 
 THE DES PERES BOULEVARD 
 
 Tli(- second encircling boulevard jirojected hv tlie <'ommiltee has 
 lioih an a"-;tlietic and utilitarian inotiNc. 
 
 I'oi many xcai-s the meandering Kixcr Desrere^ has heeii a vexing 
 engineeiiiig pii)ldeni to the i'ark. Street and Sewer Depart nn-nts, and 
 a menace to the health of people living ahuig its hanks. During lieavx' 
 storms it rises from twehc to lifleen feel and floods a considerahle 
 area mi either hank, causing damage to |)aik land, liejds and faclorie-i. 
 Tin high waters in the Kiver Desl'eics are in jiarl due to the extreme 
 ciookediiess cd' the stream's course, it measures ahout sixteen and 
 oiie-liaJI miles along the ]>resent course from the north side of I'orest 
 Park to its mouth at the Missi.ssipju lliver, Imi it can easily he straight- 
 eiw'd ami reduced to nine ami one-half miles in length. The sti-aight- 
 ening of the stream would increase the velocity of the water, lower the 
 lieigiit ot the flood line and greativ reiluce the damages caused hy 
 overflows. So long as the stream is allowcil to |iursne its present 
 meandering course it is useless to sjiend inone\ loi- ornamentation 
 along tin river in Forest Park, hecause these consiiinth' rectirring 
 Hoods will desiio\- all etTotIs to make the hanks id' the stieam ailisiic. 
 
 Furtheiniore, the rapidlv' increasing urhan population immediatelv 
 Iteyoud the city limits and the surface drainage fi om these sulnirhan 
 villages have made the liiv<'r Desl'eres nothing less 
 Better Drainage than a foidsmelling open sewer. .Vs the snlnirlian 
 Alongf Des Peres. area increases and the southwestern distiict along 
 tin east side (d the I)esi'eres is sulMli\id<'d and 
 liei-omes t he home (d t lionsauds of snial 1 pi opei i v ow nei--<, it will hecome 
 ahsolutely ini])erative tliat the cit \ take some siejis to care for the large 
 ainoiint of sewage (-(uninu from the count \.
 
 The Skixe, Paris. 
 
 I-'UA.NKI llKT, CiKKMANN . 
 
 RIN'ER FRONT TREATMENT IN EUROPEAN CITIES.
 
 IXXEU AND orTKi; I'AKKS AND IIOIT^KVAKUS. 
 
 63 
 
 Accnrdim;' to tlic plaiis now liciii^ (Ic\cIo|iim1 liy tlic Scwci- DcpiU'l- 
 iiii'iil. llic lloiU'd of I'liblic Iiii]ii-ovtMii('iits will lie requested t(t authorize 
 
 ii partial straijilitening of the stream, aud tlie constnic- 
 Des Peres ^^^^ ^^ ^ sewer from Forest l*ark along and to one side 
 Boulevard. <>f the new river hed to the Mississippi Ri\cr. a distance 
 
 of about eiglil miles. The Desl'eres River would then 
 he used onI\ as a tlood liasiu. In eonnection with this extensive sewer 
 foiisli ucl ion the cit.N' siiould condenin a strip of land 300 to 500 feet 
 w id( I Ik full length of the river aud establish a park\\a\ along each 
 side of the projected channel extending froin McC'ausiand .\ venue 
 southwest to (Irand Avenue iji Carondelet. Provision should be made 
 also for single street car trac ks well protected by shruhbery on either 
 side of till' stream. The sloping itanks of the ri\'er sliould be sodded and 
 
 Broad Drivk.s. With Street-C.\r Line.s on Either Side. 
 
 oinamented with trees and shrulis. At fre(|uent intervals a foot bi-idge, 
 and now and llicn a slone bridge foi- N'eliicies, sliould span the open 
 basin. At three or four points along the boulevard tracts of land lifty 
 to one hundred acres in area should be secured by private donation 
 or li_\ condenination ])i-ocee(lings and develojx'd into park land. These 
 small jiarks along the course of the stream would furnish a diversity 
 from the otherwise long straight dri\-eway. 
 
 I'rom a point in the vicinity of Grand Avenue in ("arondelet the 
 direction of the boulevard could be changed to the southeast and ex- 
 tended along Telegrajili Koad to .Tefferson Harracks, thus comi»leting 
 a s|)leiHlid driveway ten miles in length and through a section of the 
 city which is destined in time to be a residential district. 
 
 If the plans for this imi)rov('nient are completed at an early date 
 m\icli of the land necessar\ for liie boulevard and drainage system can
 
 64 A CITY ri.AN FOK SAINT I.Of'IS. 
 
 Iicsccuicd l)\ |n-i\ ale fidiiilt inn, since inusl of it isnwncd in l;iri;c Inicts. 
 Tliat which is not (hmatcil can lie condemned, and in the assi'ssmeiil 
 ol' daniaiies and hcin'fils, the itenelils wonhl, in all |irol)aliilit \', exceed 
 the (hnna.iics sutticiently to jiay lor the hind taken. The estahlishnn-nt 
 of tho Desl'eres ItoulcNard wonhl enhance ti\c(old the \alne of the 
 real estate in tin vicinity of the drixcway, and in a few yeai-s the 
 iiH-rease in taxes received from that jiortion of the city will haxc ]>ai(l 
 for the entire iinprovenient. 
 
 In oi-der to coni]dete tile jtark and parkway svsleni within Ihe city 
 limits, and fnMHsh an eas\ ;i]ipi-oach to \\'ashini;lon I'niNcrsity. which 
 is to he the center (d cnltni-e for the city, and to 
 Boulevard Along' snpjily the rai)idl\ ^rowin^ sections in lli<' \icinity 
 Goodfellow Ave. "d Dellodianiont and \\'ellstoii with a connedinn' 
 pai'kway, we wmihl rec(Hiimend the extension i<\' the 
 Desl'eres Honlevard from its junction with .McCausland Avenue noi-th 
 aloiiii' that avenue to the southwest coi ner id' {•"orest Park, thence aloufj," 
 Skiidcer Road and the west houiidar\' ()l I'orest Park to Walernniu 
 Axcnne, east alonii Waterman A\-enne to (ioodfeilow Avenue, thence 
 in)rth alon^ (Ioodfeilow A\'enue to the Natural Urid^c Koad. i-'i-nni 
 this jpoiid it should he projected in a noi theasterly dii-ectiou acioss the 
 district yet undeveloped until it strikes the western hranch of the 
 KiniishiuhwMV in the \icinity of Tracy Koad. < ioodfeilow A\enue is 
 selected as the co\irse for the houle\ard liecause it is alread\' platted 
 and jierinaneiit hridiics Inue heen constructed. It is als(» free from 
 street car tracks, and, since it is uiMm](ro\cd o\-ei- a ui-eatei' ]ioi-tion 
 of the loute, it can easily Ite w idened to one hundre(] feet or more and 
 luojierly ornamented with trees and shrnhiieiy. 
 
 These two connect iui; houlevaid systems within the city — the Kinjis- 
 hi^hwax exlendiui; from the <'hain of Kocks to ('arond(det Park and 
 the i-iver, and the DesPeres l!onle\ai(i reachin.ii from t'ahary ('emetei-y 
 and tin Tracy Koad to J(dferson IJarracks — will i;ive to this citj' u 
 jiarkwav system unsurpassed in variety and heauty of scenery 1i\' any 
 city in the rnion, with the possible exce])tion of Boston. The total 
 leujith of the drives and jiaikwaxs would he ahout thirty-ti\'e miles. 
 When we stop t(t con.sider that Itoslon luis twenty-three miles of 
 ]iarkway already completed, t'hicaiio twenty-nine miles, Kansas ("ity 
 twenty-five miles, and sonu' twenty other American cities are projectinj;- 
 extensive systems, this c(unprehensi\e jdan for St. Louis does not. 
 appear too amhitious.
 
 RIVER DES PERES I\ Ft)REST PARK. 
 Should be Improved and Adapted to Rowing.
 
 INXKIi AMt (HTi:i( I'AItKS AMI IIOILKVAKD.S. 65 
 
 OUTER PARKS AND THOROUGHFARES 
 
 Tliirt y Years ajio tlic citv limits were (JOO tVct west of (xiaiid AvciiiK', 
 and then- were only scattered yroiijis of i-esideiices west of tliat a\iMmc. 
 
 Tlie jtopulatioii llii'ii was less (haii .".(lO.OOO. In Ilic 
 Rapid Growth of llirec di'iadcs since ihat lime tlie city limits liaxc 
 St. Louis. been ]mslie(l four miles fnrtliei- west and the pojin- 
 
 lation has increased 40(».(I(I0. or ]:« per ceut. If 
 the same rate of increase in ](o]Milati()n continues for thirty years to 
 come, this city will then contain a poi»ulation of a million and three- 
 quarter inhahitants and the limits of the city will no doubt include 
 A\'el)ster, Kii-kwood, Clayton, Tniversity City and a munher of other 
 suhurlian towns. 
 
 Obviously, some provision should be made for connectinjj- the rapidly 
 growing suburbs with a broad, attractive and wcll-jiavcMl thorouiihfare, 
 
 before the territory is. so built up as to make the co.st 
 A Suburban "^ the improvement prohibitive. At present there is 
 
 Thopoug'hfape. no hiohway connecting- these towns. With this need 
 
 in mind we have selected a route, following as far as 
 ]»ossible already established roads, tlirougli the county aliout thi'ee 
 miles west of the city limits and connecting Kirkwood, AVelister Gi'oves, 
 Clayton, Ferguson and other suburbs with an improved thoroughfare 
 of not less than 100 feet in width. The th(U-oughfai-e should begin at 
 the Chain of Rocks on the nortli, follow the (iibson. Walker and 
 ("hambers Roads due west to Fergu.son, through Ferguson, thence in 
 a southwestwardly direction along the highlands parallel with the St. 
 Louis Belt Line Railroad io the Woodson Road; thence south along 
 the Wood.son, McKnight and Lay Roads to the Rockhill Road; thence 
 south along the Rockhill Road betwei'U Wi-lister and Kirkwood; thence 
 in a soul lieastw ardiy direction along Rockhill, (iiand and l'ar<lee 
 Roads, across (iravois Roa<l at the Rusch Farm; thence due south 
 along Raptist Cliurch Road to f>ap])ington Road, whei-(> the tiiorongh- 
 fare would join the improved highways connecting the outer park 
 reservations. 
 
 Kecogni/.ing the present need lor larger reci-ealion areas for the 
 mass of oui peo]de away IVom the noise and dirl of tiie city, we have 
 projected an outei- belt park system in St. Louis County, similar to tlu' 
 Metropolitan I'ark System abouf I'.oston, the I'>sse.\ County System in
 
 66 A tITY ri.AX KOU SAINT I.OflS. 
 
 New .Icrsc.N'. (he ( llic;li;(i l^n-csl KcsclAMt iuli iilid I he scliciiics in-ojuiscd 
 for I'.jiltiiiiiin', I'l-Kvidciicc, \\';isliiTii;tc)ii, Siiii I'l-niicisrip, I'ni-d.ind and 
 u iiuinlicr of otlici' .Vnicriraii ritics. 
 
 SI. Kdiiis ("ountv, willi its luidiiliitiiiii' siirfiicc, funiislics ;is nmcli 
 ln'iiutil'iil scciicvy as can lie loniid in any ('(|nal ai-ca alHinl any cily in 
 
 (lie lan<l. Here and IIiitc arc scdions wiiicli arc 
 Beautiful cs](C(ial]\ allrarliNc hccausc nf ihc unnsnal char- 
 
 Scenery in actcr of tlic sccnci-y. I'ovtions of tlicsc, wlici-c tlic 
 
 St. Louis County. tindicr is slill ]ir<'scv\-cd ami wlicrc tlic trans|)orta- 
 
 tion system is alrcad\ pro\idc(], slionld lie reserved 
 for tli( lulurc ])o])u]ation of St. I.onis and its environs. The outer 
 |iarl< areas should lie conncctcil li\- well-]ia\'ed roadways, not only with 
 each other, hut also directly with tlie jiark iiud jiarUway system within 
 the city. 
 
 l"or the onfer jiark system we would make the folhiw in.^ rcconi- 
 mendat ions : 
 
 I'ii-st, the purchase li\' liic cily of additional jiaik area alouii Ihi' 
 liluri's o\-ei lookinii' the ("haiu of Kocks. Tliis licauliful park site of 
 
 forty acres should he increased to 500 acres or more, 
 Chain of Rocks •""' iuclud( Ihe wcioded lilulfs hoth to the north and 
 Reservation. smilh of the present park, esjieciall.N' tliose lo the 
 
 north, which command a tine sweep of the ri\'er. 
 This ])iirk A\ould furnish a httinj; terminus lo a lonn drive emirclini;- 
 the city throuiih St. Louis County. 
 
 To lh( north of the city, on the .Missouri Iii\'er ahout seven miles 
 distant ami just I'ast of Charlioniei- Road, lii' the St. Ferdinand ( "om- 
 nu)u Fields, a pai-t of which are very hij;h hlutfs 
 Charbonier oxcrlookiui; the .Missouri liixcr. I'^rom the top of the 
 
 Reservation. headlaiujs can he seen tiie twn liroad i-ivers and the 
 valley lietween, stretchinii many miles in either direc- 
 tion, nirectly to the north, aci-oss hoth rivers and on the east hank 
 of the .Missi.ssi]tpi, can be seen the IMasa liliilTs. The view from (he 
 highest point of the Common Fields is one of rare heauty. These hlutfs, 
 alonii the south hank of the Missouri Ki\er, some ."lOO aci-es in area, 
 extendinji from Charhonier Koad northeast, should he jiurchased and 
 connected with tlie remainder of the system as the second outer park 
 reservation.
 
 Route of Des Peres Boulevard
 
 *\ 
 
 TVr'ICAl- SI'CTIDNS, ItlVEK DIIS PKUES VAl.l.r^ 
 Rniiii- nl tlic Pr.iposctl Dm Pcrvs Boiiltvaril. 
 
 O
 
 INNKU .\\r> OITEU PAUKI^ AND r.OTf.EVAUDS. 67 
 
 Td ilic ii(ii-ili\\csi (if the cilx mill surriniiHiini: ( 'rcvc ("ipur I^nkc on 
 tlic ciist is ;i siii]) (iT ]irc(i])itoiis hlntTs licavily wooded and lirokcn. 
 The licantiful Idnffs, witli the lake at tlicii- liasc, form a 
 Creve Coeur naiui-al ]:aik. wliicli arlificial ti'catnicnl could scarcely 
 Reservation. iiii|iin\c. Ii is alicady coiiiiecred witii tlie ciiv liv 
 railioads. strei-t cars and roadways. ( »ne tiionsand or 
 liltceii liiindii'd acres, inclndinii the lieadlands and tlie \n\n\ shonhl be 
 secured 1)\ tli< city and county as tin IJiii-d outer jtark area to be 
 reseix'ed for rli( pcojde of ihc cilv and its suluirlis. 
 
 To the soutiiwcst of the city, overiookinii the wiiKiini: .Meraniec 
 River, is anollier liKiup of wooded and ]ireci|)itous liluffs known as 
 .Meiaiuec Highlands, wliich furnish a luajrnificent view 
 Meramec "' 'I"' ^It'i'aniec A'aliey and the surroiiudiiii; country. 
 Hig'hlands. 'I'liis district is also connected w itli the ciiv liy railroads. 
 street cars ami roadwa\s. Five hundred or one tiionsaml 
 acres, skirting tiie river to the soulii and east niid iucludini; tlie jiresent 
 Ili.ulilamls, should lie secured as the fourth jtark r("<ei\ation. 
 
 Kirectly to the south of the cit\-, on the hanks of the ilississii»i)i, 
 the National (Jovernment has l,:.'.")!) acres of W(dl\voo«le(I land, already 
 
 a well-(l('\clo]ied |(ark area. <)nly a small por- 
 Jefferson Barracks. ''"" "t 'I'i"^ trad is at the present time in actual 
 
 use. ami the ])rohahiIity is tliat the (Joveru- 
 meiit w ill use luih a very limited jtortioii i>\' it Un- the next half century. 
 If the ( 'lovei Iimelit can lie induced to follow precedents, which il has 
 already estaldished in other sections of the country, this reservation 
 can !)(' made a natioiml park, frei' and open at all times to the jiulilio. 
 
 In order to link to^icther these (ixc outer ]iark reservations aud 
 make them most accessilile to all the jH-ople, we would su^^iiicst either 
 that a broad boulevard, 1011 to -MM feet wide, conneciiiiii these reserva- 
 tions be piojected in the couiitx', ov that the followiuii county roads be 
 well ]ia\'ed with sioiie or ^i-a\cl and lined with shade trees. If the 
 latter seems more feasiiile we would sim;Li('st the fidlowinji' roads: 
 
 lleuinninii at the (liain *<( Kocks and following; Walker and ( "liam- 
 l)er Koads west to Hall's b'erry IJoad, thence northwest alonu Hall's 
 I''erry IJoad to Parker Koad. wcsi on Parker Koad 
 A Connecting" throimh Florissant, thence northeast on Charbonier 
 Hig-hway. Koad to tin- I'ark Ueservation ovei lookiiiii the .Missouri 
 
 ITncr; thence aloiiii the .Missouri Kiver blulTs to ("reve 
 ('uMir Lake or from I'bu'issanl aloULi the I'.ridiieton Iload southwest to 
 rattonville. fium Paitoiiville norihwcsi alon^ St. Cjiarles I{nck Koad
 
 68 A CITV 1>[,AN I'OK SAINT I.OflS. 
 
 to Fefee llicnl, tliciicc to tlic soiiiliwcst jiluiii: I'cfcc HniKl l<> tlic ( 'i-cvc 
 rvpiir Rcscrvjilioii ; frfiin ("rcve < "(i-ur soiitli aloiiji W'odiT.s .Mill Koad 
 to ("omvay Koail, tlicinc cast to New Alsace, tliciicc south aloiijj; 
 Mason's Road, across new .Mancbcstpr Road to .Mciaiiicc Hifjlilands 
 Reservation; from .Mcraincr Hii;lilands cast on Uiji Rend Road to 
 Sprinji: Park and Denny Road, thence southeast alouii the Denny Koad 
 to (Iravois Road just south of Sa]»i>ini;ron, tlic-ncc cast alonji' Tiic Saj)- 
 pington Road to Jefferson I'.arracks. 
 
 If the agitation for tlic ini]»rovcnient of i-oads in the county thron.<ih 
 district or tow nsliijt systems, hy w liich it is possildc to raise more than 
 Sf!2.<)00.0n0 for road imi»rovements. takes definite form, no lietter selec- 
 tion for i-oad iMiildinti' could lie made than these hiiiii\\a\s encircliniL;' 
 the citA' and connect inn' the Hve ]iro]ioscd reservations. The roads 
 leading directly from the city to these suggested outer ])arks are already 
 paved; Hall's Ferry Road to the north, Natural Ilridge Road to Creve 
 Tanir, I'.ig Bend Road to .Meramec Highlands and Telegraph Road to 
 Jefferson P.arracks. These, of courses need to he iiiiprovcd, Iml the 
 encii-cling liigliways need lirst attention. 
 
 Ii slKuild be noted that each of these proposed icscrvations. with 
 one exception, the Charhonier Reservation, is connected directly witii 
 the city by railroads, suburban street car lines and i-ock roads. 
 
 A comprelu-nsive inner and outer park system of this extent, imliid- 
 ing some three tiiousand acres of wnodcd land and more tlinn sixty miles 
 of boulevards and improved roadways, will require 
 Parks and considerable legislation and the expenditure of 
 
 Boulevards Pay. several millions of ]>ul)lic revenues, but the legisla- 
 tion can be secured and the cnhaiiceil value id' real 
 estate both in the county and city, resulting from these imjirovements, 
 will soon return to the respective treasuries many times what the 
 improvements cost. The ex]»erience in every city where an extensive 
 park and boulevard system has been coiisiructcd is that the immediate 
 effect is to double or (piadrujile the valuation of property. Parks ami 
 parkways should be chissed as an investment to a city. They increase 
 taxable valuations both in the city and the suburbs; they attract a 
 desirable class of citizens ; they encourage the building of fine residences 
 along the driveways; they bring tourists, merchants and excursions; 
 but more than all else they furnish an antidote to the unnatural con- 
 ditions which must accom])any tlie segregation of large populations 
 in crowded cities. A future test of civic s])irit in American cities will 
 be the care which they show for the ]diysical and moral development of
 
 I.XNKK AM> OlTKI! I'AUKS AM) l;(irLK\Al{US. 69 
 
 their ii('(>])lc liy snjyplying them with those elements of nature which 
 city life tends to destroy. 
 
 The Committee has not drafted this plan for an inner and outer 
 park system \\ itli the hope and expectation of seeinj^ it all carried into 
 effect Avithin the next five or ten years, but it is offered as a compre- 
 hensive scheme toward which the city can strive for the next (|uarter 
 of a century, addinji' section after section as the circumstances demand 
 mill I In- tinances of tlie city and county will permit. Such a .sy.stem of 
 houlevards is not the unattainahle. It is an improviMiient which must 
 come if St. Louis is to keep her i)lace among the progressive cities of 
 America and hold her position as the logical gateway to the great 
 Southwest. 
 
 INNER AND OUTER PARK COMMITTEE. 
 John D. Davis. Chairman. 
 Robert S. Brook ixgs. George E. Kessler. 
 
 Exes Cl.^rke. Albert B. L.\mbert. 
 
 L. D. DoziER. Robert McCulloch. 
 
 D.wiD R. Fr.\xcis, S.\i:nder.s Norvell, 
 
 George C. Hitcikock, Jui-it's Pitzm.xx, 
 J. A. HOOKE. \Vm. Trele.\se. 
 
 Charles H. Huttig. Calvin M. Woodward.
 
 70 
 
 A CITY I'LAN FOK SAINT I,()(IS. 
 
 For the BknilFIT and E.njov.ment oi' the Peupee, 
 Entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
 
 MAP OF 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 SHOWING 
 
 PROPOSED \EX1STINC PARKLANDS 
 
 SCALE 
 
 This plan contemplates the purchase of 30,000 additional acres of parkland and 
 more than fifty miles of parkways. The 3,000 acres of existing parks and tliirty miles 
 of boulevards shown in Kreen.
 
 MAP OP THE 
 
 METROPOLITAN DISTRIC 
 OF PROX'IDENCE 
 
 SHOWISC PROPOSED SYSTEMS OF 
 
 Map sliowiiig the L-xiciisivc plans in rr<>M<lcMce lor Parks and Public Reservations 
 A State Commission has been created to develop this plan.
 
 Street Improxements 
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER 
 
 FRONT, RAILWAY ENTRANCE, TRIANGLES, 
 
 AND STREET RAILWAY LINES 
 
 Tin; sUiM'i |il;iii is tlic clciiic'iit of liisi and ;:i-catcsi iinpDrfaiicc in 
 t he nialdnu m- icinalciii;; of a cil \ . Tlic streets are I lie arteries of 
 coiniiuinication and lie at the foundation of a city's transporta- 
 tion system. It is lieie that a laruc pet cent of the niniiici]ial activities 
 aie carried on. Hence, any consideration t>( the proldenis connected 
 witli street ini]iro\(Miienfs niusi presiip]»osp the fnndaniental demands 
 of traffic and communication. This means that tlie character of the 
 traffic, the densit,\' of jiojmlation, tlie ucneral ns(^s to which a street is 
 to he put, will all assist in determining the nature of the improvement 
 to he siignesteil. Hut all snggcstious must he considered in the light 
 of the princiitle that streets must have the minimum amount of ohstrnc- 
 lion to free and nntrammeled communication. 
 
 (Ml the other hand city streets are nioi-e than merely dean-d spaces 
 for travel. They are the homes of most of our iidiahilanls for twelve 
 
 to sixteen hours each da\. Tliev are the features 
 Streets Determine '*f ^'"' *''^^ which are liesi known to visitors and 
 Attractiveness travelers, and njion which are hased their ini- 
 
 of City. ])ression of the desirahility of the city for a place 
 
 of residence. The\ can ser\c the pnipose of travel 
 and remain ugly and nnadorne<l. or thev can he made to promote thi> 
 heallli and comfort of the ]!eo]iie and add to llie dignitv and s]ilentlor 
 of the entire city. 
 
 In llie study of liiose fealUles of our slr<'els W'ilich are suscejililde 
 
 of im])rovemeuis we have considered them from the two ]ioinls of 
 view — utility and ;iltracti\cness — and have stiggcsted only those 
 i-hauges whiih seem jiossihle of accomplishment within the ne.xt decaile. 
 We have included snggcstituis relating to the liver-front. the ojiening 
 of main thoi ouglifaics, the removal of ohstructions. the proieciicui of 
 pa\cmenls. and the general improvement in the aippearance of \\h' 
 streets hoth in residential portions ami the luisiness districts.
 
 12 A crrv im.a.v roi; saixt r.ons. 
 
 RIVER FRONT IMPROVEMENT 
 
 I-?o<;iiiMiiii; ;il llic i-ivci-, llic ii;iluial linlcwiiy nf llic cily, llic lirsi 
 iimcli-iK'cilcil ini|ii ii\riii('iil which strikes tlic avcraLic \isitnr in Si. 
 ]A)uis is some ti-catnicnt of rivcr-fi-diit. wliicii will in sonic \\a\ relieve 
 it of its ])vesent nnsij^litl.v apjiearance. A\'lH'n river Ira tlic decreased, 
 on aceonnl of rai)idl\" lirowins;- i-aili-oad facilili<'s, Imsiness iiio\cd n]) 
 llie iiijl III ilie wcsi and aliandoned ihe ri\'er rroiil In siialiliy and 
 dilapidateil hnildiniis, which lia\'e lieconie unfit foi- (hvcllinn or business 
 (|narlers. The city tnnn/d its hack ni"Hi Ihe river slojie, and this district 
 from I'^ads I'ridjio to Po])lar Street has l(ec(nne pi lul icallx eliniiuated 
 from the liusiness portion of the city. In fact, )iarts of ii have liecome 
 to such an extent the rendezvons of the vicious ami depi-a\'ed that 
 resjiectalde citizens hesitate to [lass thronj;h these (jmirters on their 
 way to the hoats on the I'ixcr. 
 
 The proper treatment (d' this portion of the city would not 
 only make it once more of im]nirtance in the Imsiness life of tiie 
 
 city. Imt would liive St. I.onis a natural entrance- 
 Importance "■'> uni(|ne amoiii; American municipalities. The 
 of River Front, m'w moNcnH'Ut for a dee]i waterway to the (inlf and 
 
 the eiiornions im-rease in river traffic which that will 
 in\(d\(', the recent decision of the xoters of St. Louis in lavor of a free 
 mnnicipal hridiic ami the present dilaiiidal<'d cimdition (d' the district, 
 make the jiresent an o])portniie moment to consider an imi)i-o\-enient 
 of this portion id' the cit\"s topoi;raphy, whicdi will not only liixc it a 
 splendid and diunitied liateway, iiut will, at the same time, increase its 
 commercial usefulness. 
 
 A nnmlier of factoi-s must he ke])t in \iew in sniijicslinij, an\ plan 
 for so extensive an im])rovenH'nt. l'''irst, the riverfront must he 
 primarily adajyted to the needs of commerce, holh hy rixcr and rail, 
 for hoth the sections north of Eads Uridiie and south of I'oi)lar Street, 
 e.xtendinii- as far back as Third Street, are destined to he the freiiiiit 
 yards and warehouse district of the city for all time to come. Already 
 the railroads have extensive terminal facilities in these disti-icts and 
 other comin-ehensive ])laus for freiiiht houses and termiimls are under 
 consideration. The only avenue of communication lietween these two 
 districts lies along the river-front hetween the wharf and Second Street. 
 Therefore, whatever suiifiestions are made for the im]irovement of the 
 Avater-front they must provide for railroad tracks and free communica- 
 tion alonii the river nniryin.
 
 «F 
 
 The River Front as It Is 
 
 m
 
 The River Front as it Should Be
 
 I»C!.JHneJ In \Villi..r T, Triicbtno.l 
 
 Showing a Broad. Open Pla^^a from Eails HTi'\t: 
 
 THE RI\'ER FRONT AS IT SHOULD BK. 
 
 r.^iostd Bridge at Poplar Street on a Level with Third Street. Railway Tracks and Passenger Stain 
 
 Warehouses Fronting along Second Street. Merchants' Exchange Court in the Center. 
 
 I umler Ilic Pla/a. Easy Apiinacli Ir.im tlu- Li-v< 
 
 r-)
 
 Cross Section ami Street Plan of Proposed River Front Improvement
 
 r ? y 
 
 r'r'' 
 
 FREIGHT YAffOS 
 
 f»t3CnT SRitOi 
 
 i\Af£ nouses 
 
 EL EVATION 
 
 TYPICAL SECTION 
 
 LOOHiNG SOurn 
 
 1 
 
 Ml s s I s Si nni 
 
 li I \ i: It 
 
 Slu.wini: il"- < • 
 
 ( KOSS SF.CTION AND STREET PLAN OF THF. RIVF.R FRONT. 
 
 . ,„ukt ilu- Proposed lisplaiia.lc. lii-lwfcn Second Slron and i1h- I •>.■. .h.rr .s R...n. io, T«.n(y Radn^.! Tr...-t>. 
 
 r^
 
 STREKT IMrUOVE.MENTS. 73 
 
 Second, tin- stccji liradcs now cxistinji' alonj; tlic levee to Tliird 
 Street iMiilo' a diunitied treatment of tlie i-iver-frout easy aud at tlie 
 same time advantajieons to loeal tratfie across the river. One of the 
 reasons foi- tlic al)andniiiiicnt of tlie i-i\'ev-front was the serious obstacle 
 wliicli tlicsc sicc]i iirad<'s jilaccd in llie way of team traffic to and from 
 tile wliaif. iieuinninj; at tlic ICads IJridfic and extcndinj;- to \\'alruit 
 Street. Second Street is on ilic average 29.4 feet and Third Street an 
 averafie of 4."{ feel aliove the level of the levee, with a grade of more 
 than !( ])ci- cent. Tlic distance between the levee and Second Street, 
 while \ai\ini; sli^hily, averages about (i(M> feet, '{'lie width of tiie 
 wharf, if exiciidcd to the liniifs hxcd i)y the rniied States Government 
 Surveys, will a\'eiage approximately 250 feet, wliicli means ample room 
 for landings and ilockage. Although the height of Second and Third 
 Streets above the levee vary somewhat from the Eads Bridge to Wal- 
 nut Siicct. the xariation is regular and wmild not interfere seriously 
 with a jiroper treat nu-nt of the water-front. .Moreover, the geological 
 formation of the bliitf from the levee back to Second Street is soft 
 clay, which can be easily excavated. ISack of this aic solid bluffs of 
 limestone. 
 
 Tliiid, llic .Muiiicijial Teiiiiiiial < 'omiiiission has recommended the 
 erecti(Hi of a four-track i-ailroad bridge aci-oss the ri\'er at the foi>t of 
 I'oplar Sfi-eet, which seems to be by all odds the most feasible location 
 for a bridge designed to serve the railroads entering Mill Creek ^■alley. 
 The water-fi-ont from this point to the Eads Bridge, a distance of 1,500 
 feet, is and w ill continue to be the natural harbor for most of the i-i\'er 
 crafts. 
 
 Having in mind these various factors, we niYvv tin- following sug- 
 gestions as a possible treatment of the water-front, which will add 
 
 greatly to its attractiveness and dignify, and at 
 Esplanade Between 'he same time preserve its usefulness to traftic 
 Two Bridges. and commerce. We would suggest that the 
 
 |iioi)ciiy lying between the ICads ISridge and tiie 
 pro])o.sed bridge site at Poplar Street, extending from the levee back 
 to Second Street, could be condemned and ])urchased by the city: the 
 bluffs could be exca\ate(l back to Second Street to a le\'el with the le\ec. 
 and a broad esplanade, similar to that shown in the aicompanying 
 illustration, could lie construcied of stone and cement on a h'vel with 
 Third Siicci and terminating witii the Kads liridge on the north and 
 (he proposed iiiidge on the south. I'mleineatli this es|danade railroad 
 s
 
 74 A CITY I'l.AN FOR SAINT LOUIS. 
 
 tijicks could lie laid and a sulmrban i-ailwav station for trains from tlic 
 nortlii'rn. western and sontlicrn sniini-lis. and also smaller freiiiiit 
 lionses fur ]Mirely local fi-ei<ilit, could he coii-^I rncle(|, as lias been done 
 in riiilaiiel]>liia under llie arches of the ele\ale(l railroad ti-acks. The 
 area helwcen Second and Third Streets, helow the le\'el of the es|danade 
 and helow the level of the connecting' streets, conld he made the hase- 
 niont of tlic present huildinjis or those to he erected. The approach to 
 the esplanade from the river for hoth jiedestrians and vehicles eonld be 
 by elevators and inclined roadways, as are indicated in the acconipan\- 
 inji' draw ini^s, or as have actually been constructed in Alij,iei-s. iOlec- 
 tric power for railroad service w ithin the cil\- limits will at no distant 
 day be reipiired. This would eliminate one obstacle to the use (»f the 
 iirea under the ])ro])osed esjdanade foi* tracks, ])assen<i('r stations and a 
 local freiiilit depot. Above the stone structure could be arraniicd a 
 wide, continuous, 0])en jiromenade adoi-ned wiili trees, fountains and 
 statues and surrounded in time iiy stately otiice buildiuiis or ware- 
 houses. An arrauiiement on the river-front as above indicated, whereby 
 those livinji' in the suburbs could l)e daily lan<led in the heart of the 
 city, would s(dve for all time the problem of sulniriian tiallic. 
 
 To show that some such treatment ol' the i-ivcr-fi-oiit. as has lieen 
 indicated, is not onl_\ desirable i)ut feasible, we need to cite only a few 
 
 i>\' the nundier of cities which have successfully 
 River Fronts in liamiled this problem to the ixn^at benefit of the city. 
 European Cities. Aliiiers, a cut of which accompanies this report, has 
 
 not only ])i-o\ided in the best possiI)le manm>r for 
 lier commercial interests, but by tiiis Hue of masonry has ijiveu the city 
 a majestic and imposing gateway. Budapest on the Danube ha.s pre- 
 served much of its river-front for palatial public buildings, frequent 
 park sjiaces and tree-lined promenades, and at the same time utilized 
 the space beneath tlie streets and iiack of the (juay for storage purposes. 
 The water-fronts of Hamburg, Antwerp, Stockholm, Rouen and IJerlin 
 have been treated in a somewhat similar manner. In fact, the tendency 
 in all European cities is to take advantage of the river-front ojijtor- 
 tunities for beautifying purposes. 
 
 Kiver-front improvements are not antagonistic to the comniei-cial 
 development of a metrojiolis. hi the case of this city it would lie an 
 actual material benetit to commerce. St. Louis has now an opportunity 
 of improving a naturally lieautiful water-front without interfering in 
 the least with her rapid commercial and industrial development, and
 
 WATER FRONT AT ALGIERS. 
 SliiiwniK a Trcatmciii which is Atlractive as well as ComniiTcially Praclicabli- 
 
 o
 
 Water Front at Algiers
 
 X 
 
 ■I. - 
 
 r~ S.
 
 STKKMT i.Mi'i;o\i;.Mi:.\TS. /;> 
 
 of iuldiiii::' tu licr at Irnclivciicss a feat iiic iiiii(|uc and rare aiiinnii Aiiicr- 
 icaii citic-i. 
 
 STREETS IN DOWNTOWN SECTION 
 
 -Alaii.v sniiiicstioiis liavc Ix'cii made luDkin^ii to tlic widi-iiiiii; and n^- 
 <lii('(tinii (»t' (low ii-lowii streets ill ni-der to make tliciii more conifnrtahh' 
 and couvcineiit. We cniild wi-ili that the earlv settlers liad taken nioro 
 tlioiinlit ol' tlie liitnre L;reatness (if tliis citx and jiHixided f(ir wide main 
 tlioroiiuli fares cxi end iiiii in all directions from a common center in the 
 heart of tlie city. ]'>nt they did not. We niijilit jilan the })rojection 
 of snch thoroniiiifares tliroiiiiii s(didly hnilt |iortions of the citv as has 
 been done ill I'aiis. Liindon, Kio .laneiro and New Vurk, Imt the 
 incon\-eiiiences of travel are not yet snch as to demand these radical 
 chaniics. After a careful consideration of all the sn'iiicstions. we have 
 (h'eiiied it inadvisable to recommend anv chaniics in the \\idtli m- direc- 
 tion of alreadx estahlished str<'ets in the section east of Twelfth Street 
 Itecanse (d' tlie almost ])) (iliiliit i\ c cost acc(nii](an\iiiL; snch alterations. 
 
 .\t present, however, there is oiilv one east and west street (Ches- 
 nut Street ) in the business section exteudiug as far as P.roadway wliich 
 
 is free from stivet car tracks and whicli affords a 
 Locust Street •'^•'''' ■""' comfoi-talde a])]iroach for ])leasnre and ligiit 
 Improved. velii(les. In order to have another main artery of 
 
 ti-avel for M'hicles to the west we recommend that 
 some arrangement, if jiossihle, he made with tlie street railvvav com- 
 ]>any to va<-ate l.ocnst Street from P.roadway west to Thirleeiiih in 
 <'xcliani>(' for some other street or ]irivileiL;e and that Eocust Street he 
 o]iened as a lioulevar<l exteiidiiiii' west tlirouinh the proposed Lihrary 
 Park at Thii-teenth Street to Theresa Avenue, where, with a slijiht 
 deviation, it will join Lindell iioiilevard. The recent accjuirement hv 
 the I'lnted Kailways ('onipany of the sio(k of the Snlnirhan Railway 
 ("ompany should make this imiirovemeiit wholly jiracticahle. ^^'e 
 would further sujiiicst that the trian,i;ular hlock of i;round at the inter- 
 section of Theresa, Eindell and Olive Street, l»e ]mrchased and con- 
 A'erted into a trian;:ular park similai- to Kendrick (lardeii. This would 
 furnish a pleasinu apinoach to Eindell i'.onlevard for both vehic les and 
 street cars. 
 
 l^octist Street, thus freed from obstructions and well paved, slioidd 
 he limited to pleasure and li>iht vehiiles. All heavy driving, except
 
 76 A CITY PLAN Kcilt SAINT I,(tl"IS. 
 
 W ll('l-(' ll('C('SS;n-y to rcilcll ;l |il;uc (pf ilcli\<'l-\ willlin ;l Mock, sliipiiiil li.' 
 l)r()liil)itc(l. W'itli tlii'sc I'csiiict ions I.(>ciisi SIrcct iiii^lil sunn licconii' 
 tlic I-'iftti Avcnnu of St. Louis. Tlic favoralilc (•.\])('ri('ncc of New ^'ol■k 
 lUid Cliicajio in rcstiiitiii^ n few (iown-towii streets in this ni;i::v- 
 wonld Jnstify a similar ex]>eiinicnl here. ('hiea!>o, for exanipit , eslah- 
 iisiieil .Tackson Street as a l;onle\ar(l. paved it witli as])hall and 
 restrieied it exclusively to li.mlil (lri\in.;;. These restrictions lia\e 
 worked no hardships to any one. ha\c ininienseh' increased properl v 
 \'alues alonii' that houlevard, and ha\c i;i\cn the hicyi jes, imuuies, 
 carriaiics and auloniohiles an entrance into the heart of the cit\ which 
 other\\ise couhl not have lieen secured. 
 
 The only hroad, expansive street in the hnsiness ])ortioii of the city 
 is Twelfth Stieet extendiiifi' from \\'asliini;ion Avenue on the norih to 
 .Afarket Street on the south. Tliis wide thoroui;hfare 
 Twelfth Street furnishes a striking contrast to the other narrow- 
 Widened, .streets niuiiiiiii' in liolli directions tlironiih this section. 
 Alonii' it are lpein;Li erected liandsome huildiuiis, wiiich 
 ii'ive Twelfth Street Plaza a diiiiiity of its own. In time it will he in 
 the heart of the retail district and lined on hotli sides with imposinji 
 structures, which w ill make it, hy far, the most attractive street in the 
 heart of the city. Itefoi-e these imiirovements are made and while the 
 cost will not he ]>roliiliilive. Twelfth Street from .Market to Mill Creek 
 \'alle_\ should he widened to cori-es](oml with that jxirtion between 
 -Maiket and \Vashiimtou Avenue. A wide \ iadiict across Mill ("reek 
 Valley shoidd displai-e the pre.seiil liridiic This would not oidy jiive 
 a wide ihoi-oujihfare throni;h the heart of the hnsiness district, hut it 
 would furnish excellent tire protection to the hankiuii :ind hnsiness 
 center of the city. The ex]ierieiice of San Francisco and the in- 
 pstinnihle service which a wide thoroujihfare ( VanXe.ss Avenue) 
 rendered in checking the contla^ration tlieie, and the ahsence of any 
 such thoionjihfare in Baltimore, which jiroved so disastrous in the 
 tire of a few years aiiO, shouhl teach this citv the necessity of insni-inn 
 l»roper protection to tlie vast business interests which will always 
 jii-avitate to this district. Twelfth Street, widened as recommendeil, 
 should be freed from street car tracks and ornamented with trees, 
 fountains and statuary. If projierly jilanned, it will in time be lined 
 with monuments and will become the artistic center of St. Louis.
 
 "-" 't 
 
 — -7. 
 '■''■ V.
 
 stki:i:t i.mi'Uovk.mk.nts. 11 
 
 We liavc s[i()kcii (it till' iiuproVL-meut of tlic uatiiral j^atcway of tlie 
 <ity. tlic rivci-trout. Tlic city iias also a land apin-oacli. oi- i-aihvay 
 ciitraiH-c, wliiili slioiild lie iiicliidcd in aii.v loiiiju-c- 
 Union Station lifiisivc sciiciiic. \n roim of inipiovciiicm counis moi-c 
 Entrance. ihaii a pleasing a|)[»i()atli ioiIiccIin. 'riic iiiipoilaiu-c 
 
 nl I he land i-utrauec to a city lan searcc'ly lj(_' t/xaj^- 
 ,nciati'd. II ii is ailiaillvc, visitors iiavc a i)leasiug iuipi-cssiou of tin; 
 city's lite; it ii is nnaiiiactivc, tiavdcis aic iimsi hkcly to liuiry 
 tliKHiiili without any dcsii-c to stop oil'. We lunc in llic L'nion Station 
 a inassi\(' and imposing sti-tictni-c of w liicii the city can justly he proud, 
 hut liic ajipioacli to the station is a constant ichnkc to the a^stlletic 
 ideals ol this city. Wliatcvci- favoiahh- iniitrcssious of the Tniou 
 Station the liaveler nniy have, they are soon (lisjielled when he views 
 the architectural imliness all ahont it. Furthermore, if he takes a 
 .Maikel Street car oi- an aulonioliile down ("liestnut Street the same 
 <lilai>idatiMl conditions gi-eet him on every side. From the T'liion 
 Station lo Twelfth Street, hetweeii .Market and Cjieslnul. liii-re is 
 scarcely a res]»ectal)le hnilding lo he found. 
 
 in oiil<'r to relie\e this uiisigjii liiiess and leave u|)on the mind 
 <)f the visitor — he he mefcliant. manufacturer, liome-seeker. or trans- 
 continental traveler — the most favorahle first 
 Boulevard impressions, which are irsualiv lasting, ami to 
 
 to Union Station. guarantee to tlie cit\ for all lime a sjiacious and 
 splendid galewa.N', we rec(uniuend the puridiase of 
 I he half I dock <d' ground along the south side of ( "li<>si ntil Street extend- 
 ing from llie .Municipal Uuildings (iroit]i to ICighleenih Street, liie 
 widening of Chestnut Street to !.">() feet foi- ihis distance, and the 
 impio\ement of this wide thoroughfare \t\ a treatment similar to the 
 famous (hamps Flysees of Paris — a houh'varil through the center for 
 light \ehi(des ami a roadwav on either sid<' for service traftic. with two 
 rows of tre(ss sei)aratiug the roadwavs fi-oni the Ijonlevard. 
 
 For the im]irovement of the immediate surroundings of the Inion 
 Station, we recommend the jinrchase by the city (d' tlw two blocks lying 
 between lOighteeuth and 'rwentieili Streets. .Market and <'h<'sinui 
 Streets, and the transfoi-niation of this are;i into a ]>ark. 
 
 These improvemeids would cost a considerable sum (d' monev, but 
 they wiiuld be of inestimable commercial value to the business interests 
 (d' the city and would em|iliasiy,e in the most etTective manner the true 
 im])ortance of St. I.ouis as the commercial gateway to the great South- 
 Avest.
 
 78 A <'ITY I'l.AX roil SAINT I.Ol IS. 
 
 It would he (l('siral)lo if in time llic proposed broad llinidiii^linire 
 extriidiiiL; from Twelftli Street to tlic I'liioii Sfalioii mi^^lit lie couiimicd 
 west to (iraiid .Vveutie. hut wi- would recoanueml only tliat <"licslinit 
 Street to Beaumont Avenue and Pine Street from IJeaumont Avenue he 
 established as a boiilexard connectinii the rnion Staliiui I'aik and 
 the broad hiiihway from the niunicii)al i^roup of huildini:s w itli j.iudell. 
 IMue and Forest I'ark I!o\ile\ards. 
 
 NORTH AND SOUTH BOULEVARD 
 
 In addition to the two main lliorouiihfares. Locust Street and ("iiest- 
 nuf Street, with the houle\ai'd ti-eatnieul lietween Twelfth and 
 I'Miihteenth Streets, which will furnish aniple driveways 
 A Restricted '""' li.-'d Ncllicles hetwcen lile husinev;-; portions (d' the 
 Hlg'hway. 'i'.v and the west end. there should he a hiiihwav with 
 
 the same restrictions rnnniiiii noi-th and south connect- 
 ini;' these t wo widely separated ]>orrions of the cit \ and at the same t ime 
 jiivini;' Itoth sections an easy a])](roach to tin- I'niou Station. A wide 
 tliorouiihfare thronuh the heart of the jircsent retail disti-ict is out of 
 the Cjuestion. but a driveway o\'er existing streets, i*estricted to pleasure 
 and liiilit veiiicles, i.s feasible and desiialde. A i;lance at the city map 
 east (d' .lell'ei-son .\\'euue will show a iiuiiilier of small ]iar]vs. iucludin<i' 
 the ])ro|iosed Union Station Tark. arrani;i'd in a semi-circle about the 
 center of the citw On the noi-th is IJissell's i'oint Reservoir, which has 
 been i ecomuiende(i for a ri\"er-front jiark and piayji'ronnd liy the ('ivic 
 Centers CommiTtee. From this ])oint follow inii around the semi-circle 
 and terminating with the river-front drive at .Miami Street and the 
 ilarine Hospital I'aik, proposed liy the Park Committee, are Ilyde 
 Park, St. Louis IMace, T'nion Station Park (projtosed), Lafayette Park 
 and I'.eiiion Pai]<. A resti-icted dri\('wa.\' connectiuii these attractive 
 leci'cation areas and at the same time furnishin!;i to the north and south 
 si(h'S the much-needed a])]>roach to the Union Station and indirectly 
 to the heart (d' the retail distriit, should not he 7ie,ulected. 
 
 We recommend, therefore, iJiat the followinii' streets he madi- boule- 
 vards, that they lie restricted, where ](ossihle. ex( Insivelx to jdeasnrc 
 and lijiht vehicdes, paved with suitable material and adiu-ned with tri'es 
 and shrubbery. IJejiinninfi- at the north side of ItisselTs point and the 
 river, following west alonjj;- <irand Avenue to I'dair .\ venue, thence 
 south alonji' Plair Avenue to Hyde Park, west around H.\de Park and 
 aloni; Farrar Street, south on I'lorissant Avenue to St. Louis Place,
 
 STItEKT IMI'ItnvKMKXTS. 79 
 
 tlii-ougli or along- dtlici- side of St. Louis I'l;icc to Bcntoii Sti"eot, east 
 on Ilcnton Street to Twcntictli Strc<'t. soiirli alony- Twciitictli Street 
 to tile I'uion Station to a junction with tlie ])roi)ose(i wide tliorou.giifare 
 leadinji; east directly to tlie public liuildin<is <>roup at Twelfth Street; 
 across 31111 Creek Valley over the Twenty-first Street bridge to 
 riiouteau Avenue, east on riioutcau Avenue to Mississii)]ii Avenue, 
 south on ^lississipjii Avenue to Park Avenue, i)ast Itenton Park to 
 Miami Street, east on .Miami Street to the projiosed Jlarine Park and 
 Kiver Side Dvivc at .Marine Avenue. 
 
 •Telferson Avenue ami certain other jiortions of this propo.sed drive- 
 way, especially the Twenty-tirst Street crossing of ;Mill Creek Valley. 
 
 <"houteau Avenue, ^li.ssis.sippi Avenue, .-uid a few 
 Value of Improved sections near some of the parks, can imr be re- 
 Highway, stricted to light tratltic, Vint .Tetfersnn .\venue, 
 
 already a broad and attractive thoroughfare, can 
 be greatly improved, together with the remainder of the proposed north 
 and south drive. This can be accomplished by the ]ilantiiig of trees 
 and shrubbery and by parking as far as jmssible the street car tracks. 
 The streets included in this boulevard need not be widened except at 
 a few intei-seclions with other streets where there is a jog in the high- 
 \\ay. They can be declared boulevards viuder the provisions of the 
 present charter, but more easily under the lioiilevard legislative act as 
 suggested by the Legislative Committee in its report. These streets 
 should be well paved at the expense of the ])roperty owners as other 
 streets are paved and adorned with trees by the cit_\' forestcn- at the 
 
 e\]ieuse of the city. 
 
 An im])rovement of this kind furnishing an easy and nl tractive 
 ajiiu-oach to the T'nion Station from the north and south sides and 
 uniting the.se two .sections of the city, would not interfere with heavy 
 traffic, f(u- Thirteenth Street is alreadv the main .service .street running 
 parallel wiili the river. Furthermore, the ri'strictions would greatly 
 enhance the value of contiguous jirojierty. This has uniforudy been 
 the experience of cities which have o]iened ihes{> ri'siricted highways. 
 
 IMPROVEMENT OF TRIANGLES 
 
 Scattered over llie city ai-e a large ninnber (d' triangular plots of 
 ground at street inter.sections which have been jiermitted to grow uj) 
 in weeds or to be u.sed for huge and unsightly iiillbojirds. These snmll
 
 80 A (ITV I'l.AN I'OI! SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 Jjrass jiluts cjui (';isil\- Itc (IcM^ldpcd inln lic;iiil\- spcits liy flic u^c of 
 flowers, sliruhhci y and frees. A line exiuniile nf (lie ]i()ssil(llities con- 
 (ained in tliese fi-ijuiiiles is shown in Kenritk (lardeii S(|nare af 
 (lie inlcr-icclion of Lindell I?onlevard. .Mcriiei-snii and N'andcvenleT- 
 Avennes. The Sfreef 1 )e](arlinenl has al the present lime cimdenina- 
 fioii ]ii'afei'(lin<is nnd<'r ua\' for ihe piinhase hy ilie citv of liiree addi- 
 tional frianiiles. 
 
 NN'ashiniifon < "ifv has taken advantaiic of more llian two hnndred of 
 lliese small trianiinlar spaces, and lhi'\ add mmli lo Ihe iicneral 
 atlracfiveness of llie Xal ional ('apitai. St. I.onis has 
 Triangles Made tiiirl\ similar sjioiv. mid we recomnieiid thaf as man\' 
 Artistic. "f Iheni as can l)e secured by private donatiim or at a 
 
 reasonalile cost to the citv ht* trealetl in a nnmner 
 "iimijar to ihe Kenrick (iardeii. In iiiaiiN' cases Ihev will furnish 
 fitiini:' sites for staiiies and ailisiic fountains. 
 
 OTHER STREET IMPROVEMENTS 
 
 .Manx other radical sireet im]irovenients mi;i;lil lie siiiii;c-ited \\lii( h 
 would not onl\ add to the general attractiveness of all jiarts of die 
 city, hut would jureatly facilitate travel hetweell the dilferelll sections, 
 now more or less isolated. The ditticnlty of coniniunication between 
 these sections, due to the rectanjiiilar jilan of streets, could have been 
 obxiated if \\i<le diajional streets had been jirovided for in tiie early 
 plats of the cit\'. Three wide thoroiiiihfares — one to the northwest, 
 one to the west, ami one to the southwest — radiatini; fan-shaped fi-om a 
 <-onimon center in the heart of the city, would not only have solved 
 uiany dittiiailt transportation jiroblems lint would liaxc united sociall.v 
 the different portions of the city and fostered a uniform d<'velo])inent 
 which is ini]iossib|e with oiii- |iresent street arraniicment. N'uuH'rous 
 sniijicstions have been made for the improvement of (he diagonal hisih- 
 Avays — Gravois Koad, Old ilanchester Koad and Natural l!rid<;c Koad. 
 These streets must always remain o]ieii to heavy trattic and rapid 
 transit, and any effort to im])ro\e and adorn them is wladly imprac- 
 ticable. In fact, any attem]>t to alter the i;cneral street jilan as it 
 exists today is out of the (juestion, and imr further recommendations 
 will be contiuod to street embellishmeut.s ami furuLshiuji' for the resi- 
 lient ial districts.
 
 z 
 
 •7. 
 
 — ji 
 
 — io 
 X - 
 
 — a 
 
 z 
 
 z
 
 STHKKT IMl'ltUVKMKNTS. 81 
 
 In tlic conticstcd Imsincss disti-ict of a oitv wide roadways are iieees- 
 sary for heavy trattic, l»ut in re.sidcntial districts tliis is not at all 
 
 necessary. In this city a larue amount of money 
 Width of Streets. 1'='^ '""''" wasted in paving broad streets their fall 
 
 widtli where iijiht trattic prevails. Not only lias 
 the first cost Iteen unnecessarily hi,i;h, hut the annual cost of deaninfi, 
 sprinkling and repairs has been proportionately higii. It has been 
 estimated that in the city of St. Louis at least ?2,()00.000 have been 
 u.selessly expended in paving i-esich-nce streets witii an extra breadth of 
 hard, glaring pavement, which is not only useless but ugly. For 
 exanii)le, Mcl'herson Avenue is paved fifty feet wide its full length 
 frniii Nandeventer to Kingshiglnvay, while a roadway of little more 
 than lialf tliat width would be ani])le f<u- all tlie traffic that ])asses over 
 it. AYheu this street is compared to A\'estmiuster Tlace adjoining it 
 on the north, a street of the same width, but with a thirty-foot roadway, 
 the good taste in street effects is readily seen. Broad streets are always 
 desirable, but broad jiavements are by no means necessary or desirable 
 in residential districts. A width of twenty-four to twenty-six feet 
 furni.shes ample room for vehicles to jjass or turn. The remainder of 
 the street should be given over to grass plots, shrubbery and tree.s. 
 
 \\'q would recommend, tiierefore, for the residence portions of the 
 city a pavement not to exceed twenty-six feet in width, which will then 
 leave ampb' room for parking space on either side, as shown in the 
 accompanying illustrations. 
 
 In this connection we desire to emphasize the vital relations of proper 
 tree planting to any system of street im])rovements. No city stri'et is 
 complete without a row of well -developed aud prop- 
 Tree Plantinff on ''I'^y cared-for trees on both sides of the roadway. 
 Streets. Tiiis city has recently established the office of City 
 
 Forester. ''whose duties it will be to suiierintend.reg- 
 
 rtiBi?PfBj,pwnrTn i ii 
 
 TVPICAL STREET CROSS-SECTiON 
 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 
 
 N'arrow Roadway and Wide Parkino for Residential Streets.
 
 82 A riTY l'I,A.\ FOK SAINT 1.(H1S. 
 
 iiliilc :in(l ('iHomanc the i»lantiuji', cult uii- and prcscrvalimi nf sliadc and 
 (ti iianicntal rices and slirnhlicry in tlic si n-cls and liii;li\vays of tlic city." 
 Tlic (irdinancc jn-Dvidcs tlial tlic ])rn|)('rty owners on any three or more 
 conti^noiis hlocks l)\' a majority vote shall deieiinine the \ariety of 
 I rees to he planted on that slr<'el. The Ilea lit \ of a tree a\<Mllle de| lends 
 much ni;oii tin jilantin^Li of a uniform species the full lenjilh, or a( least 
 for several hlocks of the a\('nne. Trees of diffei-ent sha])es and sizes 
 iii\( to a street a raiiii'cd, irrei;iilar and unsi^liil\- appearance. < hie 
 kind of tree should he adopted for the full leiiiit li of a street. This liives 
 nniformity without riiiidity and adds much to the heaiity and comfort 
 ol the streets and liomes, and iireatly enhances the \aliie of ahuttiiiii 
 piopeity. 
 
 ( )lle of t he \\ (irst elielllies to I he st reet tree and also (o any concerted 
 effort to ini]irove the a]i]»earance of the streets is the o\crliead wires 
 witli tile acconi]iaiiyin,i; forest of unsiiihtly poles and 
 Unsig'htly Wires cross-jirnis. A casual lilaiice at many of our street 
 and Poles. corners where a network of wires intersect each 
 
 other will show how destrucli\(' lliey are to a wcll- 
 delined plan of street adornment. .\t the present t inie the underiiround 
 district of St. I.oiiis extends from the ri\-er to Tweii1y-s<'coiid Street, 
 and from I'oidar to < "arr Streets. In this area all wires except trolley 
 wires are required hy ordinance to he placed in undi'i-jironnd ducts. 
 I'.y .lanuary 1, IIXIT, this area will supposedly he free from these nnnec- 
 essaiy ohstructions. The time has come for the extension of the uiider- 
 .lii-ouiid district. The ductin.y of wires in crowded portions of our 
 cities, or where there are at least one hundred wires in a cahle, has 
 ]U'()ven to he actually cliea])er than the o\-erliead p(de system. The 
 initial cost is <;reater, hut the cost of inainteiiance is much less. It 
 would seem, therefore, that no undue hurdeiis wouhl he ]daced upon the 
 piihlic ser\ice corporations if the underiiround district were extended 
 to the pi-eseiit fire limits, which is hounded ai)]>roxiiiiately hy Xaliiral 
 Uridine Itoad and lOaston A\('iiiie on the north, the city limits on the 
 west, and l>ou.nlihoroui;li A\'enii<' on the south. I'^ir this district we 
 recoinineiid that the city, hy ordinance, comiiel all wires, except trolley 
 wires, to he jilaced either in conduits or to he striinii on ]K)les in the 
 alleys, and thus relieve the streets of their iinsiiihtly appearance and 
 jirotect the trees from injury. 
 
 At the present time in tliis city there are ten separate and distinct 
 companies using underground conduits eitlier for wires or ])ipes. This
 
 
 ■r. -- 
 
 z 
 
 ^ 

 
 STitKKT i.\u-itu\i:.MK.\'rs. 
 
 83 
 
 riiiscs the question whctlicr cacli of these coiiiiianies slioiihl be pennitted 
 to establish its own oonduit system and tear up tiic streets at will, or 
 whether tliere slioubl be construeted niic larjic ((induit sA-steui of 
 sufficient capaeit.v to niccl Ihc demands of tlic tily for years to (oine. 
 fdivionsly the latter would assist in i)reserviuji tiie sti-eets fi-oiii beiuji' 
 constantly torn u]) for additions and re]iairs. 
 
 TYPICAL CROSS - 5ECTI ON 
 
 f business^dTstrict 
 
 I 
 
 I'liR Xarrcjw Strekts. Likfc Olivf. and Locust. 
 
 Tlie Committee, therefore, recommends that either the city construct 
 a conduit system as rapidly as funds and conditions will permit, or that 
 
 a francliise for such a luirjiose be ;iiranted to a jjrivate coiii- 
 A Conduit pany under projier and riyid reiiulations by tiie city both 
 System. as to construction and chargers. In a few American cities, 
 
 notably P.altimore and Rochester, the municipality has 
 constructed (lie conduit system. In a number of olhei-s commissions 
 have been appointed to invest iiiate the ]u-oblem of i»ro])erly disposinji' 
 of wires and pipes in order to jtreserve the street pavinji' and avoid the 
 constant disturbance to traflSc. These re])orts have uniforndy contained 
 recommendations (or a complete conduit system for all ser\ice mains. 
 It will, of course, be impossible to remove all jioies from the streets. 
 The underground trolley, jud;L;ini; from the recommendations of numer- 
 ous eufiineers and tlie lJo_\al ('ommission of Great Itritain, has not 
 proven sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its m-neral adoi)tion. Ileuce, 
 trolley poles will continue to be used — but there is no reason why these 
 poles should not serve for trolley wires, street signs, street light iuji.
 
 84 
 
 A <TrV I'l.A.N Kdi; SAINT I.OllS. 
 
 fii'c aliii'iH and mail iMtxcs. I-'or years iliis lias hccii llic custiMii in 
 Kunpjican cities. ]'.nt feed wires in all cases slioiild lie placed in dncts 
 lieneatli the surface as rapidly as railway lines arc reconstructed. 
 
 <"are should he taken that the necessary overhead construction he 
 made as attractive as possihie. (Mnameiital iron poles of artistic 
 
 desinns and surmniinled hy elect i-ic liLihls siionld 
 Necessary Overhead tal<e tjie ]>lace (d' the present uuiiaiidy sti"ii.!iht 
 Construction iion shafts in the hnsiness streets. The jiriii- 
 
 Made Attractive. ci])le which should coidrol in re,uar<l to these 
 
 necessary ohstructions aloni; the streets is as 
 few ]ioles. wires and hoxes as jtossihle, and these made as altractixc as 
 is consistent with utilitw 
 
 ir 
 
 ■•^•^iiji^ 
 
 
 !A?Tj , - .^-^/a. 
 
 V-K' ^ *0' -.- —■■* /g' * 
 
 A Si rj.i.M i:ii Tre.\tme.\t iou the Sci!1'ui;an' Kh.iit-hf-W av. 
 
 .Much can he done without ^reat additional <'.\](ense li\ the slieet 
 railway conijianies to imi)i-o\(' the appi-arance of the streets, i'^or 
 
 e.xaniple, alonu I'nion .\\cnue and helmar Itoide- 
 Improvement of vanl, west of I'nion, the street car tracks are im- 
 Street Railway liedded in i>ravel. The ccuniiaines should he induced 
 
 Lines. to conceal the tracks with an attractive coverini; (d' 
 
 sod, as is liein;i done in i;(Kt(Ui, ("le\-eland and 
 \\';ishini;ton. The sod not onl\ takes away much (d' the unsiL^htliness 
 iiul it also deadens the noise. The Suhurhan riiiht-ofwav. which has 
 lon^Li heell an eyesiue to the people who ale com]:elled to tra\'el o\('l' it, 
 should hy all means he ini])roved. The slo])inji hanks and the width of 
 the riiiht-(d-way make it susceptihle of iireat improvenu'Ut. We would 
 recommend for its treatment that the terraces he sodded and jdanted 
 with shruhhery, and that two rows (d' ti-ees intersjiersed with shiuhhery 
 he jdanted on either side (d' the track in order to hide tin- unsiiihtly hac k 
 vards and fences which extend the full lenjith (d" the ri;nht-of-way. An
 
 STUEKT i.mim:()vi:.mi:nts. 85 
 
 improvement of this nature would greatly increase tiie attraitiveness 
 of tlie Suhurl)an Kail way as a means of transportation. 
 
 At numerous places in the cily lliei-e are street car lines exlcinlini!; 
 over streets for a short distance which cause jjreat incon\cnience to 
 general ti-attic and wliicli could he easily a\oidcd if 
 Re-Routing" of ""' street railwav coni])any could he indnce(l to con- 
 Car Lines. sidersli^iht chanucs and rerontin;L;. I'or example, the 
 
 .McPherson car on the Olive line lioini: west tui-ns on 
 \\'alton to .Mcl'herson. then aiiain on Kin,nshii;liway to .Mcl'iierson, 
 then on I'nion to 1 »e( iiverville Avenues. The cars on this line could 
 he routed either l)y Taylor or Euclid Avenue and the Delniar line to 
 Union Ax'enue, thence south to I)e( iixcrville .Vveiiue, nimli to the 
 comfort of residents in the vicinity (d' Kiuii.sliinhway and Forest Park 
 ami \\ithou( any serious iucimvenience to travel. If the .McIMmm-sou 
 line were aholished entii'ely the residents in the section honndeil hy 
 Euclid and liiion Avenues. I'orest I'ark and Helmar IJoulevards would 
 he only three hlocks from the car line in any direction. Tiu-re are 
 scores of areas in the city wlu-re thi' distance is at least four hhx l<s and 
 no inconvenience is felt. Furthermore, if ^IcPherson car line could 
 he renioN'ed fi-oiii Kiusishighwav a very serious hiemish could he rcnio\cd 
 from what is lo h(^ a iimii'niticent lpoule\ard. Another e.\am]de is St. 
 Louis Place, an attractive ])arkwav whose heauty is nnirred hy heinji 
 cut into three sections hy car lines, t wo of w hich could easil\- he avoided 
 it the cars wci-e i-e-routed. No additional trackage and no additiomil 
 expense would devolve upon the street railway comjiany. It is simjily 
 a question of the com])any's willingness to assist in makini: the city 
 most comfortahle and convenient to the peo])le whom it is supposed to 
 serve. 
 
 There are also certain streets over which the railway company should 
 he re(|uired to extend its lines for the convenience of the tfaveliniL; 
 ]inhlic. For exam])le, at the ])resent time it is imjiossihle to transfer 
 from a P>i-oad\\ay car ti> a west-hound car anywhere hetwcen the city 
 limits and O'l'^illon Street i>\\ the north, and oidy one ])oint on tlie 
 south, at .letfer.son Avenue. (Irand Avenue line at each end should he 
 extended to a junction with Ilroadway .so thai citizens in either jtortiou 
 of the city could transfci- directly to the west end and reach that poi-tion 
 of the city on one fare. 
 
 In order lo avoid the slee]> iirade on the North (Jraml Avenue exten- 
 sion, the tra( ks could he laid from the old water tower alonii Twcntietli
 
 86 A (ITV IT.AX FOIt SAINT LOIIS. 
 
 Street to I'lairie Avenue ;iiiil aloni;- I'raiiie Avenue 
 Street Railway ).. Xortli 1 '.road way. Tliis i-oute would juvseiit no 
 Commission ^i-ave eii.i;iiieei-iii<i- ditliculties. As a solution to ii host 
 
 auggestea. ^^^ niiuor street problems of this nature we would 
 
 reconinieud a careful investipition liy a competent 
 commission of tjie present routini; of car lines wiili a \ iew to elinii- 
 natinji unnecessary trackaiic and extendinj;' the lines wliere necessary 
 to conserve the comfort ami convenience of the people. 
 
 Under the present laws the city has practically no control over the 
 platting of new districts within the city, and absolutely none over Iari;c 
 
 suburban areas whieli will soon lie iiududed williiii 
 Platting' of New ^'"' '''-^ limits. There should be at an early date a 
 Streets. revisicm of the ordinances and statutes in order to 
 
 give the Street Department and the I>oard of Public 
 Improvements power to control the opening of all new additions and 
 compel conformity to the general plan of streets in their direction, 
 width and names. While it is neither necessary nor desirable that 
 streets and avenues be laid out in straight lines for long distances, yet 
 it is essential that they be so constructed as to be most convenient and 
 attractive. It is particularly desirable and necessary that steps be 
 taken to control the platting of suburban areas in order to prevent 
 the inliarmonious arrangement of streets, which will make travel so 
 difficult when the city has douliled its present population. 
 
 One of the most effective ways of improving the appearance of a 
 highway is in the regulation of the building line. In the business 
 portions of the city this problem takes care of itself. 
 Building l>"t all over the city on purely residential streets 
 
 Line Regulations, will be found numerous examples of single buildings 
 built to the street line, while the other twenty or 
 twenty-five residences have established a building line twenty to thirty 
 feet back from the line of tb(» street, in order to liave a greensward 
 covered with trees, flowers and shrubliery. Ilesideiitial streets slKuild 
 be protected against the encroachments of business estal)lishnients 
 beyond an established building line. It is recommended that building 
 line restrictions should be established on all lots in the residential 
 districts of the city. This may be accomplished in two ways: First, 
 the owners of lots, in platting their property, may indicate on the 
 subdivision plat a building line to whieh all buildings or other 
 structures thereon sliall conform, and iiiay iirobibit the erection or

 
 STUKKT I M l'i;( IVKM KNTS. 
 
 87 
 
 cslitlilislniicMl or iii;iint('ii;iii((' of ;iiiy Imsiiicss Ikimsc or (he carryiug 
 ou of any liusincss on snch streets. Secoml, tin* owners of ]iro])erty 
 may ])rescrilie liy deed for all snch restrictions. This is the cnsioniary 
 way. Vonr <'onnnittee, however, i-econiniends the first method as lieiuji 
 the more elTi'ct ive. In either ca.se the city can only .sujijicst such i-estric- 
 tions, nnless il enters into condemnation proceed iiiiis, which a I'e always 
 associated with lonj; delays in the courts. In providiniLi for tlie ahove 
 restrictions it will prevent one |(ropert,\ owner fr(nu seriously damajuing 
 not only his neighhor but all the residents in the hlocU. 
 
 A city can no longer he considered as a mere aggregation of separate 
 huildings erected solely for the coin'eiuence of the owner. The city 
 is a gi-eat organism with closely related ]iarts. ( 'oiise(|nently, its 
 growth must he directed and shai)e<l. Individual notions must he 
 subordinated in many cases to the i)reservatio]i of the architectural 
 beauty of the whole. This ])rinciple api)lies es])ecially to the erection 
 of liuildings and th<' establishment of building lines along i-esidential 
 streets. 
 
 Many other details i-elatiiig to street impi-o\cments have suggested 
 themselves to I he ('(uiimittee: b>uiilaius, ]Miblic convenience stations, 
 street naming and numbering, street cleaning, paving and lighting, 
 signs and billlioards. grade crossings, and a .score of other suggestions 
 which woitld tend to nuike our streets more comfortal)le, convenient 
 and attractive. They only go to ]irove the statement made in the first 
 paragrajih (d' this i-ejiort that the streets of the city lie at the bmudalion 
 of any comprehensive city plan. We have, however, touched upon those 
 which most directly affect the permaneid imi>rovement of our highways. 
 The streets ai-e the veins and arteries of the city's lib-. They atTect 
 dii-eclly its archilectni-al de\-elo|)meul, bir archile<i ui-al diginty and 
 s]den(lor tirst of all dejiends upon a good street plan. The\ alfect the 
 health of the entire po]i\ilation, b)r the streets make jiossiiile light and 
 air in the crowded district. They affect the haiiiiiness and welfare of 
 all the people, for these avenuos of commuiHcation .serve as the means 
 oi social as w(dl as commercial intercour.se between the people. 80 
 \\hate\('r inii)roves their con\('nience and enhances their attractixcness 
 will greatly aid in making St. Louis the city which ev<'ry cili/.eu wishes 
 
 '' '" "'■ STREET IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE. 
 
 J. Cii.Mii.Es.s C.vii.w.NE. Chairman. 
 Hkhma.n C. VoN ScitiiENK. J.\mks C. Tk.\vh.i..\. 
 TnKoi)oi!K C. Link Wii.iicu T. Thckhloou, 
 
 Einv.MU) Fr.Ai>. W. P. H. Tikxek.
 
 A Municipal Art Commission 
 
 SUPERVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS 
 
 Tlll'y time scciiis opportune for tlic consiilcration of the need for ;i 
 closi-r siipci\isioii of puhlic works in Tliis city with a view to 
 sccnrinii', wliore possible, tlie ]iro](cr artistic treatment and 
 architectural hannouy. 8t. Louis today is enterinu,' upon a ]»erio(l of 
 unusual urowth and expausiou. Her liuildinj;- record for the ]»ast two 
 years shows a per cent of increase equaled hy few other larjie American 
 cities. Tall office buildings and spacious business blocks are bein^ 
 erected in all ]iortions of the business district, a new million-dollar 
 I'ulilic T>ibraiy is in contemplation, and a bond issue of -SlLi'CMI.OOO has 
 been authorized by the people for tlw erection of puldic buildiiifis, the 
 construction of bridges and viaducls. the opening of Kingshighway as 
 a boulcvai-d and tlic jiurchase of addiiioiial ]>aik area. Moreover, 
 portions of the extensive im])i"ovements suggested in the various 
 chapters of this report are already being ]danned. 
 
 I'nder private initiative the business portion of the city has been 
 undergoing a complete transformation. Tall office buildings are every- 
 where displacing the low, uiisightly structures of 
 Architectural twenty years ago. As each new building is erected it 
 Development, sliows a handsomer and more decorative exterior treat- 
 ment than its predecessor. The same is true of the 
 homes in the residential districts, ^^'herever structures are erected 
 by private initiative great care is being taken to make them externally 
 attractive. This architectural progress is po.ssible because of tlic grow- 
 ing demand that utilities .shall be nmde artistic and the appreciation 
 of the fact that a proper attention to these artistic features by the 
 tiuilder is commercially profitable. They are secured, however, only 
 under the direction and supei'vision of .skilled architects and engineers. 
 J^o general has that supervision been in the erection of private struct- 
 ures that St. Louis can claim as large a number of beautiful homes and 
 comfcntable residence streets as anv citv in the countrv.
 
 A MfNirirAL ART TOMMIPSIOX. 89 
 
 Hut wlicu we turn to the common ami lai'st^r lionie — tlic city itself — - 
 and examine the public structures, huildiiifi's, hridnes and ji^^oneral street 
 adornments built at public expense and for public 
 Absence purposes, the same sl^illed supervision is found to 
 
 of the Artistic be seriously lacking. Little thought lias been given 
 
 in Public Works. to the idea of the proper grouping of ])ublic build- 
 ings, the adornment of bridges, viaducts and street 
 fixtures and the elimination of those elements wiiich detract from the 
 appearance of the highways and the buildings erected along them. In 
 short, municipal art has been given so little attention in the develop- 
 ment of t^t. [.ouis that public structures in this regard have clearly 
 lagged beliind those erected by private individuals or corporations. 
 
 While this condition may l)e attributed to several causes, such as 
 tlie meager api)ropriations frequently made for ]mblic buildings which 
 lead city ofticials half-heartedly to select whatever site is ottered, the 
 influence of ]iartisan politics in municipal affairs, and the too often 
 lack of vital civic interest on the i)art of the citizens, the chief cause is 
 tlie absence of a comprehensive i>lau and a broad outlook on the part of 
 those entrusted Avith the construction of municipal works. 
 
 The municipal portion of a city's growtli demands the same skilled 
 direction which is given to private construction and the same broad 
 and far-sighted planning which characterize the building of a modern 
 university or an international exposition, iloreover, this guidance is 
 all tlie more necessary because of the rajiidly increasing growth of 
 urban centers, tlie larger demand for jmblic structures in the form of 
 public baths and playgrounds, public libraries and schools, civic centers 
 and general juiblic utilities, and the wides])read interest manifested in 
 the movement for a more comfortable and attractive city. 
 
 Everywhere citie.s are seeking not only the useful but the linnnoiiious 
 and the ai'cbitecturally lieautiful in jmblic works of e\ci-\ kiml. This 
 new sjtirit is exiiressing itself in the increased (leinaiid 
 Demand for made ui)on the municipality for well-paved streets. 
 
 Municipal Art. massive buildings, public conveniences, ninnumeuts 
 and statuary. Public lilnaiies are being built not 
 only for books but also for art; modern scliool buildings are eri'cted not 
 only for housing education but as educative in themselves; halls of 
 legishilion are being decorated with iiniial ](ainriiigs ms be;iutifnl as 
 the frescoes of the modern theater or art gallery, and federal and 
 municii)al buildings are no longer complete without their groiijis of
 
 90 A ( TIY I'l.A.N I'dl! SAINT I.dllS. 
 
 stiituiir.v ;iii(l Dther exterior decorations. Ail tins is a result, to a 
 consideralilc extent, of tiie a])i)reciation of the fact tliat a city, if it 
 would lie fi-uly ureat, must not only l»e conunercially ])o\verfnl lint also 
 altraciivc \i> tiiose wlm reside wiihiu its limits and In iliosc wliu visit 
 it tor ]>leasnre or Imsiness. 
 
 St. Lnuis has felt the im|iulse of this ^row inu artistic sense lo w hich 
 a remai-kalile stimulus was ;niven liy the Louisiana rurcha.s<' Exjiosition. 
 There the ])eo])le of the cit\' had i>laced liefoi-e them the tinest and most 
 artisti<' of architectural desii;iis. They saw not only the nohlest forms of 
 art hut they saw the practical wa,\' in which streets. s(|uares and huild- 
 iiiiis can he inrouiK'd so as to jiroduce the most harmonious and diuintied 
 ettects. These intiuences and the intiuem-es of wider traxcl hav<' so 
 de\'elo]ied the aesthetic desires amonj); the i»eo])le (d' this city that ihey 
 will not in the future he satisfied w ilh hare walls, uiiadoi-ned exteriors, 
 and isolated and unrelated jinhlic Imildiuiis. Thev will demand those 
 factors in municipal culture atid art which i;ive tone atid spirit to a 
 city. ( )h\i(»usl\- if we would ha\e these element^ of art introduced into 
 puhlic im]>rovenieuts we must have the work supervised li\ men who 
 know \vliat constitutes the truly .-irtistic and how hest to ohtain it. 
 
 |]uro]iean cities have lonji since learned that the designs and local ion 
 for puhlic hnildiuiis and the erection of hriditcs, viaducts, fountains and 
 statuary can not he entrusted to the artistic sense 
 Municipal Art "' ''"' individual citizen. Tn most of the (lerman 
 
 in European Cities, cities there are dei>aitments of municiiial exten- 
 sion to which all contemplated im]>ro\-ements that 
 to any deui-ee affect the ]>uhlic at larsje must he suhmitted. This Hoard 
 considers the iiiiprovemeni not only for its intrinsic worth hut in its 
 K'lation to the ueneral street or huihlinu- ]dan it( the city. The ]dans 
 suhmitted may he artistic in themselves, hut if they are whollv out of 
 harmony with the general scheme of imiirovements they are likely to 
 he rejected. 
 
 Paris, althoiiiih it lias no olflcial art commission to jiass upon pulilie 
 works, calls in its leadiuii artists and exjierts to advise with the 
 city whenever extensive ]dans for im](roveim'nts are contem](lated. 
 Kifi'id re.uuhit ions control the erection of huildiuiis and the improvement 
 of streets. Street fixtures and fnrnishinjis are not oidy required to 
 he made of certain nuiterial and size, hut they must have "in elevation 
 a decorative appearance in luirmony with the situation."
 
 A MLNHITAI- AUT COMMISSION. 91 
 
 In tliis couutrv iiuini(i]jal art s(Hi('tics years ajjo hfiian the agitation 
 
 for ;i jirojicr ai-tistic siijH'vvisioii of ])ul)lic woi-ks, hut the nioveiiieiit 
 
 iiKik (Icriiiilc fni-ni in IS'.tS in New Vorii wiicii tlie 
 New York Municipal -^i' <"<>inniissiun cpf ilir (iiy nf New Ym-U was 
 Art Commission. estaitlishcd hy law. Tliis ( 'onniiissinn consists 
 
 (if tile .Mayor of I lie (iicater New ^'ork. tlie 
 President of ilic iiiooklyn Institnte of .Vrts and Sciences, tlie I'resident 
 of tlic i'ulilic i.iliiaiy and six oiIht iiiciiilicrs a|)]poinicd liy the .Mayor 
 and inclnding one i)ainter, one scul|)tor and one architect. Cnder the 
 charter of the (Jreater New Yoik the < 'oinniission has jnrisdiction over: 
 
 (11} All woiks of art lo he a<(|uired iiy the City of New York 
 hy jMirchase. uift or otherwise, including; jiaintings, 
 iiiural decorations. scul])ture. iiMinunii-nts. foiuiTains, 
 ar<-lies or other forms oi a permanent character intended 
 for ornament or commemoration. 
 
 [b \ The removal, relocation or aliei-atioiis in any way of all 
 works of art already posses.sed hy the city. 
 
 {(•) All designs of iiiiinici|ial Intildings, hridges. aii])roaches, 
 gates, fences, lamiis or other structure erecteil or to he 
 erected upon land lielonging to the city costing o\cr 
 $l,0(t(».nO(l. 
 
 ( '/ 1 Arches, hi-idges. structures and aiiinoaches. the iirojierty 
 of jirivate individuals or comifanies. \\hi<li shall e.\tetid 
 o\'er or ii])oii aii\' strei't. ]iark or jnililic place. 
 
 No works of art can heconie the jirojierty of ihe ('ity of New ^'or]< 
 unless a design oi- the work itself and its location is first jiassed U])on 
 and accepteil l>y tlie Coininission. Nor can aii.\ existing work of art 
 he removed, relocated or in any wa\ he altered unless tin- ])lans are 
 first siihmitted to and aii])ioved h\ rh<' ( 'omniission. 
 
 The e.Kteiit of the < 'ommission's work and its elfectiveness in secur- 
 ing a higher artistic standard in pidilic works is shown liy the nuniher of 
 suhniissions made to it in I'.Ht:? and 1005. In l!tO:{ <uii' hundred and 
 seventeen snhmissions were made iiivolv jn^^ a]i]pio\iniately >!;?:i,(!()(l,Oll(), 
 of which tifty-five were rejected. In I'.Miri one liiindred and live snh- 
 missions wei'c made involving approximately slS.tKMt, 0(1(1, of which 
 twenty-two were disa]iproved in w hoh- or in ]»art. These iiulinled 
 pulilic haths. tire engine houses, hos|)ital huildings, hoat houses and 
 ]iavilions. hridge terminals, fountains, nieiiioi-ial talilets, hroiiz<' husts, 
 mural decorations in school hnildings. scul|)tures. ornamental pillars
 
 92 A CITY ri.A.N lOK SAINT I.dllS. 
 
 ill |)iii-ks, nioiiniiicnts, ('(incstrian stjitucs. tlic rcloration of statues and 
 tlic ivstdi-atioii of ixtrtraits. The ('oiiiniission is tlius hi-(iiii;lit into 
 otticial relation with nearly every department of the city iLiDvcninient, 
 and wliilc it has only advisory ])o\vers its criticisnis furnish a stronjr 
 iiiduccMU'iit to the jirojici- artistic treatment of tlic \arious forms of 
 jiulilic works. 
 
 So satisfactory have hccn tiic rcsiilis ot llic cxitcriciicc in New York 
 that six other cities have by statute or ordinance eslaltlished Art 
 
 Commissions, followinjj' closely the New York pro- 
 Art Commissions visions; ISoston, (*hicaj;d, Detroit, Baltimore, 
 in Other Cities. Denver and Los Ansieles. In every case the work 
 
 of tlu'se commissions is to ]n-otect ratiier tlian to 
 initiate. T]ie_\- act as critics of ])roi)osed imjirovements or serxc in 
 an advisory capacity with other city ofticials in ])lanning puhlic works. 
 The membership of the Commissions include, as in New York, experts 
 in the different phases of municipal art. and their services are uratui- 
 tous. 
 
 An Art Commission with similar i)o\\crs and duties should he created 
 in St. Louis. Had one existed years asi'o a million-dollar ("ity Hall 
 would not have been isolated in the nudst of uusiiihtly and dila])idated 
 Itnildiii^Lis, the stately old Court House would not have been marred 
 liy a coat of ])aint, and the artistic fealures of ])ublic works would have 
 a <lecidedly hiiiher tone than at present. Tlie ])reseut charter confers 
 njion the IJoard of l*ublic Improvements complete authority over public 
 w<n-ks of all kinds, and a comnussion, if established under it, would 
 have advisory powers only, and could he called into consultation only 
 when re(|nested by the Hoard of Public Imi)rovements. It is the hope 
 of this ("ommittee that a body of thirteen freejiohlers will be chosen in 
 the near future and iliat a new charter ma.\' be adoiUeil which will 
 provide for the j)ro]ier supcr\ isioii and eiicouraiicmeut of uiunici](al art 
 in St. Louis. 
 
 What is to he accomplished in the estalilishmeut of a municii)al art 
 commission, and the develojimeiit i>i' the aitisiir in municipal judilic 
 
 works? It is not merely art for art's sake. As 
 Reasons i)oiuted out abo\-e. it adds to the attractive- 
 
 for a Municipal ness of a city as a ])lace <if residence and it 
 
 Art Commission. eidiam-es its commercial importance, but more 
 
 than all it arouses a civic spirit anions all the 
 peojile and creates a pride in the city. A citizen's love of the city is not 
 an abstract sentiment, it attaches itself to the beautiful in the city. If
 
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 A .Mr.Mdl'AL Altr COM MISSION. 93 
 
 \V(> would liavo oiii i)('()])l(' united for the iiplmildinji- of St. Louis we 
 sliould sui-i'ouud tlicui with illusti-iitious of tlic city's tii-catncss. The 
 artistic should charactcrizi' not only the yroup center ahout the City Hall 
 hilt il sliould he distrihuled llirouiihoiit llie lity w hcre\er (he ])oople 
 couiii-ciiate. i!ri<l.n('s sliould he made artistic as we]] as useful; hroad 
 tiioroui^hfares should he the sites for a firaceful fouutaiu or liistoric 
 statues; engine houses, ])olice stations and iiuhlic liatlis should lie 
 constructed with the art istic element in view. 
 
 This city's history is full of interestinii events wliicli should he 
 commemorated in hronze or stone: the landinii <tf Laclede, the transfer 
 of the territory from Sjiain to France and I'rance to the I'nited States, 
 the Lewis and ('lark Iv\])editioii, liie eslalijislimciil of niiiiiicipal ixov- 
 erumeut iu 1822, and a nuniher (d' historical sites whiidi have played 
 an important part in St. Louis history. We need monuments com- 
 memorative of the fireat mtni who lived their lives an<l did their effective 
 work in this city. Triangles at street intersections which are passed 
 daily hy thousands should he tlie centers of historic interests. I'y 
 means of these pieces of art and hy the artistic treatment of puhlic 
 improvements the city \\()uld cul1i\ate the nohlest aspirations of the 
 people, who would i;ro\v to consider tiie municipality not merely as a 
 teni])oi-ary dwelling jdace hut as a desirahle home and a city with 
 whose greatness they are proud to he identitied. 
 
 The city can not get away from the utilitarian. Its rea.son for heing 
 is its utility, hut there are many ways iu which utilities can he treated 
 artistically without injuring their utility. The 
 Utilities ar( hitectural heauty of our sjilendid new school 
 
 Made Artistic. liuildings do not mar their usefulness; the sculjiture 
 attached to the Customs House in New ^'ork does 
 not deti-act frcnn its service; the statuary which <-row lis the approaches 
 to Paris hridges do not injure them as thoroughfares; hut their 
 effect on the life and s]iirit of a city can not he nu'asui-ed. "A forced 
 familiarity with ugliness dulls a taste for heauty," hut the constant 
 jiresence of heauty in utility heightens the ci\ic, ;esi|irtic and moral 
 tone of the entire iiopnlalion. 
 
 Tlie Mississiit])i Kivei- is alioiil to he crossed liy another hridge, .Mill 
 Creek ^'alle.\■ is to have hridges and ini|iro\ciiieiils to the exteiii of a 
 million (hdlars, Kingshighway is to cross the valley over a sione 
 viaduct, and the tirsi elTort to secure a harmonious groui)ing of puhlic 
 huildings will soon he made. These improvements should he under 
 
 10
 
 94 A (ITV I'LA.N rilK SAl.N'l' l.dllS. 
 
 the careful and judicious supcrvisidu itf a coiiiniissiou, coniijoscd of 
 cxjuTtM, similar to those in other cities. It is only in this wa.v that 
 St. Louis can hope to foster and cultivate a true civic art. We would, 
 therefore, reconniiend that at the earliest ixissihlc date an aniendnient 
 to the charter of the city he secured so that a .Munici])al Art Coniniis- 
 sion can he created and fiivi'U i^cneral suitei-vision o\('r these necessary 
 artistic featui-es of a city's life and jiTowth. 
 
 MUNMCII'AL ART COMMITTEE. 
 
 J. Lawkknce M.\cr.\n. ClKtirman. 
 
 W . K. BlXliV, MCKRAV C.VRLKTON, 
 
 .]()UN Fowi.KK. Halskv C. Ivks.
 
 Legislation 
 
 NECESSARY TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE RECOMMENDATIONS 
 OF THE SEVERAL COMMITTEES 
 
 ACAKEFl'L analysis of tlic rcjxn-ts of the several coiiiiiiittees aii<l 
 the extensive ini]trovejnents which they recommend shows that 
 additional legislation will he necessary to make it possible within 
 the next twenty years to cai'ry ont the valuahle snitjicstions which tiiey 
 have outlined in this city plan. In order to make clear the nature 
 of the lejiislation needed the followinij' summary is <>iven of the more 
 comprehensive and ex]iensive imjn-ovements recommended hy the 
 \ai"ious committees. 
 
 1. The iirou])in<>- of i>ul)lic buildings either along a central mall 
 extending from the ])roi)osed ])ublic library at Thirteenth and Olive 
 Streets to the (Mty Hall at Thirteenth and Clark Avenue, or along 
 Twelfth Street between Eleventh and Thirteenth. In either case it 
 will re(|uii'e the condemnation oi- pui-chase of much projierty foi- this 
 improvenu'ut. 
 
 '2. The establishment (d' civic centers, especially in the crowded 
 portions of the city, by groui»ing minor public and (|uasi-])ublic institu- 
 ti(nis about a central ]iark, i)layground or o]>en s])ace; such institutions 
 as ])ul>lic baths, branch libraries, public and ])arochial schools, 
 cliurches, ])olice stations, tire engine houses, model tenements, social 
 settlenu'nts and the hea(l(|uarters for athletic, .social, charitable and 
 jMtlitical organizations. 
 
 B, The improvement of the street ]dau of the city by (he const ruc- 
 tion of an extensive es]tlanade along the river-front between the Kads 
 r>ridge and Poplar Street, the opening of a broad thoroughfare from 
 Twelfth Street to the rniou Station, the widening of Twelfth Street 
 from Market Sti-eet south to Mill Creek X'alley, and the estaidishment 
 of restricted driveways from the northern, western and soutliei-n 
 ])ortions of the city. 
 
 4. The construction of an inner an<l outer system of ]>arks and 
 boulevards containing some five thousand acres of park land and more
 
 96 A CITY I'l.AN FOIt SAINT LOVIS. 
 
 tliiiii foi-ty miles of ])iirk\\iivs, iiuludiii^ the Imildiiiii of a inv(»rsi(le 
 drive. 
 
 5. The creatiim of a Miiiiicijtal Ail ( "oiiiiiiissioii wliicli shall have 
 general siiiK'rvision o\-er the desit;iis of all jiuIpIIc Imihiiiiiis and over 
 all works of art to he erected in the cil.v. 
 
 PROBLEM OF COST 
 
 The first serious ]irolileiii in comiectioii with so ronipi-clieiisiNc and 
 far-reaehinii' a plan of iiuidic iniproxcnienl is the eost. AN'hile the 
 several eoniniittees have not attenii>led to estimate 
 Two Solutions, the amount of nnuiiciiial revenue neeessary to carry 
 into elfeet tlH'ir recommendation, it is safe to say 
 that the sum total, scattered ovei- the jieriod of ten to twenty years, 
 will exceed §;2r),000,0()0. There are two methods hv which this larmc 
 sum can be raised as the improvements projiiess. First, by an increase 
 in the amount of iicneral rev<'nues of the city from taxation, a portion 
 of which mi.nht annually he set a])art for these pei-manent improve- 
 ments; or, second, by an increase in the city's bonded indebtedness. 
 
 The jtreseut rate of taxation for city 2)ur])oses is .fl.8.") on the .'^^KIO 
 of assessed valuation. The assessed valuation is G6 2-3 per cent of the 
 I'eal value, but this two-thirds basis of assessment is 
 Unequal nuiinfained in only a few sections of the city. In 
 
 Assessment of the outlyinji or residential districts the assessment 
 Taxes. averajies ])robably (5.5 per cent, while in the down- 
 
 town business ])ortioii, according' to reliable authority, 
 it does not exceed in many instances 40 jx'r cent of the real value. If 
 all taxable property in the city of St. I>ouis were assessed for the full 
 66 2-3 ])er cent of its value, the mnnici]ial revenue, it has been estimated, 
 would be increased at least .f.5,006,(Mt(t. A jportion of this amount, if 
 collected, niiiiht be used to inauii'urate .some of these improvenieut.s 
 weic it not for the fact that the ra])idly increasing' cost of maintaining 
 the municipal machinery and the adtlitioual demands made upon the 
 city for the protection of the health and comfort of the people will 
 nmke it necessary in the near future to utilize all of the additional 
 revenue, resulting from a more einiitable assessment, to meet the 
 oi'dinary ex])ens(»s of the city government.
 
 LllCISI.ATKlN. 
 
 97 
 
 Till' .Municipal Assciiihlv can, under the charter anicmlnicnts 
 adoptcil in 1!i()l. increase the rate of taxation for certain purposes, 
 when tlie rate for such an increase and tlie jmritoscs 
 Bond f'^i' ^vliich it is intended shall have lieen snlmiiired 
 
 Issue Necessary, to and approved liv the peoj)le. Uut an increase 
 sufficient to carry out the plans couteniplated in 
 tliis rei)ort within the next ten or fifteen years would sultject the tax- 
 l)ayers to too great a burden and Avould Ite levying upon tiieni the wlnde 
 cost of improvements which should he shared by the next generation. 
 The greater pniiiun of the cost should, therefore, we helieve. ccmie from 
 the i.s.suance of nninicii)al bonds. The present total bonded debt tif the 
 city, including the recent |11,200,000 boud issue, is s8i',()l!»,L'78. Tiiis 
 is within .s4, 000, (100 of the five per cent limit, as fixed by the Constitu- 
 tion of the State, and any increase in the lionded debt of liie ciiy iieyond 
 that point would require a constitutional amendment. 
 
 A comparison of American cities in regard to the legal bori-owing 
 limit, total indebtedness, per capita indebtedness, basis of assessment 
 
 for taxing purposes and the general i)roperty tax 
 St. Louis '■'^^'' 1"''' ■'^^•"Otl of true value, as gathered from tin- 
 
 Indebtedness Low. T'nited States Census Reports, will .><bo\\ ibat not 
 
 only is the total and per capita deitt of St. Lcmis 
 less in projiortion to the population than any of the first ten cities, 
 but that the extent to which she can become indebted, the l)asis of 
 a.ssessment and the actual tax rate per $1,000 of tlie true value of real 
 and personal jiroperty is below the avei-age. 
 
 
 1" f 
 
 1 u 
 
 X 
 
 ^i 
 
 ^-lell 
 
 1 X £^ • 
 
 at.— a'^i 
 
 — C C 3S~ = 
 
 Cities. 
 
 -il 
 
 = bl 
 
 III 
 
 .^"' 
 
 ■7 ?- 2[^c 
 
 - r'"r - ^ R > 
 
 
 
 t* = 
 
 -^ 
 
 -" X 
 
 
 " - -^ — ■ I. 
 
 
 — — 
 
 — *~ 
 
 - 
 
 
 - 5 '• Z'~ 
 
 — — ~ 
 
 New York... 
 
 3,888,180 
 
 10% 
 
 $599,460,532 
 
 $154.18 
 
 100 
 
 $15.17 
 
 ("liicapo 
 
 l.i)32.315 
 
 5%* 
 
 64..593.547» 
 
 33.4.3* 
 
 15* 
 
 S.06* 
 
 Pliilad.lphia. 
 
 l,:i>)2.:iS9 
 
 7% 
 
 71.82(i.317 
 
 51.58 
 
 UK) 
 
 14. .50 
 
 St. Louis 
 
 024,626 
 
 5% 
 
 22.738.442 
 
 .■i(j.4ll 
 
 li'i-*3 
 
 14.14 
 
 Boston 
 
 588,482 
 
 2^% 
 
 94,121,(i(lti 
 
 l."i!l.94 
 
 1(H) 
 
 14.47 
 
 Baltimore . . . 
 
 .■)3S,765 
 
 no limit 
 
 39.9(;2.S.S:i 
 
 74 17 
 
 85 
 
 16 29 
 
 Cleveland.. .. 
 
 42.5.632 
 
 7'. 
 
 23.9!l.'i.4(l2 
 
 .')(i.38 
 
 60 
 
 15.11 
 
 ButTalo 
 
 372.035 
 
 Wi 
 
 19.770.105 
 
 .-.3.14 
 
 67 and 100 
 
 13.13 
 
 Pittsliurtr 
 
 3.52,852 
 
 7% 
 
 25,()77.2.")8 
 
 72.77 
 
 67 and 100 
 
 12.46 
 
 Citiciimati . . . 
 
 341.444 
 
 no limit 
 
 37.5.')9.140 
 
 110.00 
 
 60 
 
 9.64 
 
 * Note: This docs not include Chicatro's porti<»n nt the drainaffe canal lieht. nor ht-r park *>onds.
 
 98 
 
 A CITY I'LAX rol! SAINT I.onS. 
 
 Wliilc these eom])aris(ins indiciite tliiit Si. I.onis mi^lit safely IkukI 
 lleiscll' seven ])el' cent (»f her assessed value, which, it lias lieeil asserted 
 
 hy eoiiipetent authority, iiiijiht he done without in 
 Increase in ''"' Ipast endaniicrinj;- her eredit, it is not at all 
 
 Borrowing- Limit jn-ohahle that the \()ters of tlie city and State would 
 Unwise. at ])resent a]i|n-o\(' a constitntional amendinenl to 
 
 tliat effect, es])ecially as it has i n only a few years 
 
 sinci they a]i|>roved an aniendnieni anthorizini; the cily of St. Louis 
 to increase her honded deht. Moreo\-er. additional iionds under ihe 
 present live per cent horrowing limit will he jmssihle as pro]ierty values 
 increase and the existiui;' houded indehteduess is i-educed hy the sinkinji 
 fund. The followinu' tahle ]»rei)ared hy ('onii)troller Player will in- 
 dicate the i)rol)ahI(' revenues each year from these soui-ces, a portion 
 of which, at least, will he availahle for cai-ryinii out needed i)uldic 
 impro\'ement in the form of ])arks and ]dayi;i-ouiids. |nihlic haths, 
 houlevards, civic centers and puhlic huildin<is. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Limit of 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 Sinking Fund 
 
 Net Debt 
 
 Indebtedness. 
 
 Amount to 
 
 Year. 
 
 Assessed 
 
 OutstaniliiiK 
 
 Payments 
 
 Outstandine 
 
 Ineliiilim; Old 
 
 Wliicdi the 
 
 Valuations. 
 
 
 Diirinff the 
 
 at Close of 
 
 Comity Di-ht 
 
 Debt May be 
 
 
 
 Beffinniiit: of 
 
 Tear. 
 
 Year. 
 
 and 
 
 Increased. 
 
 
 
 \ear. 
 
 
 
 Water Bonds. 
 
 
 1900. 
 1901 . 
 1902. 
 1903. 
 
 1904. 
 l!)ll.'>. 
 1900. 
 
 1907. 
 1908. 
 1909. 
 1910. 
 1911. 
 1912. 
 1913. 
 1914. 
 1915. 
 1916. 
 1917. 
 1918. 
 1919. 
 1920. 
 
 $3S().7fM,L'4l.'.0n $19.:i!l2,'J78.00 $ 
 :i!l4,7l'L',7(IJ.OO IS,inti.l'7S.()U .. 
 
 4 1(i, 720,040.00 
 44U,!l.")S.17:i.()() 
 
 4.')S,yi:i. (1(17. 1)1) 
 
 4fi8.7S0.G:t0.U0 
 
 18,!)IU,27,S.00 
 23,910,278.00 
 23,730.278.00 
 23,53!).278.()0 
 
 470,000.00 $18,1)10, 278. (l()'$l!l.(i:!S, 202. 00 $ 
 
 " 00 
 00 
 00 
 
 180,000.00 
 
 197,000.00 
 
 1,100.01)0.00 
 
 18,1)10,278.00 
 18,910,278.001 
 23,730,278.00 
 23,.-)30,278.00 
 22,430.278. 00 
 
 !),730,l:i, 
 20,830,032 
 33,000. 908 
 34.804,(180 
 .34,458,031 
 3.'),880,408 
 
 121. 084.00 
 Sl!l,8.")7.00 
 ,i)l!),7ri4.l)0 
 23O.(i:{U.O0 
 325.402.00 
 018 7:)3.00 
 00 14,807,130.00 
 
 00 11, 
 00 I'J 
 
 497,348, 17:).00 22,4.3i),27S.OO, 1,420.000.00 21,019,278.00 
 Estimated ou the basi.s of an animal increase in asse.ssed values of $0,000,000 
 
 $503,348,175. 
 509,348,175 
 515.348,175. 
 521.348,175, 
 527,348,175 
 533,348,175 
 530.348,175 
 545,348.175 
 .'i51.348,175 
 557,348,175 
 563,348,175 
 509,348,175 
 575,348,175 
 581,348,175 
 
 00 $21 
 
 00 32 
 
 00 31 
 
 00 29 
 
 00 28 
 
 ,00 28 
 
 ,00 28 
 
 00 2 
 
 ,00, 25 
 
 ,00 25 
 
 00 22 
 
 ,00 22 
 
 ,00 20 
 
 ,00 19 
 
 019,278 
 ,010,278 
 ,010.278 
 ,519,278 
 844,278, 
 ,044.278, 
 ,01)0,000, 
 .000,000, 
 740.310 
 740.310 
 840.310 
 840,310 
 271,310 
 990,310 
 
 00$ 
 00 1, 
 
 .01 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 00 
 
 00 1 
 
 00 1 
 
 00 
 
 01) 
 
 00 . 
 00 : 
 
 DO 
 
 00 . 
 
 200,000. 
 000,000. 
 .500.0110. 
 075.000. 
 200,000. 
 044,278, 
 ,000,000, 
 2.50,000, 
 
 00 $32, 
 00 31, 
 00 20 
 00 28. 
 00 28. 
 00 
 00 
 00 
 
 iH 
 
 2,000,000.00 
 
 .578,000 (10 20 
 275,000.00 19,: 
 19 
 
 010,278.00 
 019.278.00 
 jl!l,278.00 
 844.278.00 
 (144,278.00 
 OOD.OOO.OO 
 000,000.00 
 740,310.00 
 749,310.00 
 840,310.00 
 840.310.00 
 271,310.00 
 996,310.00 
 990,310.00 
 
 $3(i, 
 30, 
 
 :i(i 
 
 37, 
 .37. 
 37, 
 37, 
 38, 
 38, 
 38, 
 30 
 30 
 39, 
 40 
 
 180,408 
 486.408 
 780,408 
 080,408 
 380,408 
 080,408 
 !)8(i,408 
 281;, 408 
 .58(i,408 
 880,408 
 180.408 
 48(1,408 
 780.408 
 080,408 
 
 00 $ 4 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 00 10 
 
 (JO 12 
 
 00 12 
 
 OO 10 
 
 00 10 
 
 00 10 
 
 00 1!) 
 
 00 20 
 
 ,107.130.00 
 4(J7, 130.00 
 207,130.00 
 242.130.00 
 742.130.00 
 (180.408.00 
 080.408.00 
 537,098.00 
 837.(J08.()0 
 037.008.00 
 337,0!)8.0() 
 215,008.00 
 790.098.00 
 090,098.00 
 
 The ahove tahle shows that in the years re.speetively hetween 
 1!H)T and l!»lH( the city, in all proiialiility, will he ahle to increase
 
 IJXilSI.ATION. 99 
 
 licr lioiKlcd (l('l)t hy tlic folldwiii^ sums: 1!t()7, 
 $19,590,098 in $4.]r.7.l:{0 ; litOS, f 1,(I()(»,(I0(I; ]<»()<». .Sfl.SOO.ddd; 1!»1(), 
 Bonds by 1920. .>if!(7r>,(lO((; 1911, .|5()(MMMI; I'.ili.'. .s'.i44.JTS; liU:?. 
 
 .fl.aOO.OdO; 1914, .fl,,5r)0,r)!»(»; I'.ll.",, .s;:',()(MIO(l; litlC), 
 !if3.2(IO.(l<l(l; 1917, .|:i(10,()(l(l ; lillS. .1fL»,S7S,000 ; 1919. |47.1,000; 1929, 
 .f^dO.OOO— ii total of .1i;19..");td.d9S in tliiitccii years. Tlic ('oin]>tn)llt*r's 
 tiiiiii'cs arc based ujioii a $(i,d(ld,dOO aiimial increase in tlic assesse<l 
 valiiation of property, wliicli lie considers an cxti-ciiicly consci-\ali\'c 
 cstiniale in \icw ot tlic fact tliat durinji tin' past ten xcai-s tlic annual 
 averaiic increase has licen approximately fin.ddd.ddlt. 
 
 TIk iiii|»ro\-ciiicnls conlem](lated in tlie rc]>orts of the various com- 
 iiiiliccs will necessarily extend ovci- a jicriod of severjil years, and the 
 issuani-c of bonds for such ])Ui'i)oses must, in e\ci-y case, be made with 
 the consent of the voters. W'r are, therefore, of the oi>iiiion that until 
 the ])cople become con\inced of I lie necessity for hasteninji' these ex- 
 tensive public works in oi-der to make St. Louis a moi-c attractive city 
 and jiermit her to kee]) pace with other American cities in this res])ect, 
 it would he better to plan the inqirovements in accordance with the 
 •iradual increase in the amount of bonds which the city can issue within 
 the next twehc or fifteen years, instead of atleiiii)tiini to seciii-e an 
 ini-rease in the borrowing limit by consiiiiitional amendment. 
 
 EUROPEAN MK'IHOI) OF P.VYINC; FOR IMPROVEMENTS 
 
 In this connection it is interesliuii to note the melhod adopteil ity 
 foreiiin cil ies lo meel lliccost of contemjilated municipal iiiiitroMMiienls, 
 
 )>articularly the widenini;- of streets or the o](eu- 
 Cities Reap Benefits i".- "'' '"■" tlnn-ou.uhfares. In a number of 
 of Enhanced Values. instances ihe cities not only condenine<l the land 
 
 actually needed for the imiiro\cments. but ap- 
 ])ro]iriated also the abiittinii pro])ei-ty, whi(di was aficiwards re-sold. In 
 the re-sale the cities reimbursed themselves, in iiart at least, foi- the 
 expenditure by rea]>in.ii' the benetits accruinii' from I lie enhanced values 
 due to the improNcineiits. I'aris, followinii Ibis ]iriiiciplc. biiill the 
 Avenue de L'( )])era at an act iial ])rolil to I he city. N'ieiina coni]dete(l her 
 famous Uinjistrasse in the same wa\'. In London, a thoroughfare one 
 hundred feet wide was driven throui;li a crow<led ilistrict from llolboi-n 
 (c Siraud. Not oiil,\- was ihc hundred feel rij;hl-of-w ay condemned 
 but Ihe conliiiuous blocks on either side of the new street wci-e ap- 
 pro[)riated. The eiilii-e imjirovi'inent tost the city £(),i2d,3Sd sterliui;',
 
 100 A riTY I'l.AN I'Ol! SAINT I.OT'IS. 
 
 i>v inui-c ilian po.dOO.OdO. Tlic cil.v llicii sold mnsi of ilic hiiHl wliicli 
 it liiul apin-opriiitcd for about |:iLMMM»,00(l, ami I lie iiromid rent wliicli 
 it will receive annually from the remaimlcr will more tlian pay tlie 
 interest on tlie oilier .fS,(MM),(IO(» investment. So tliaf London 1ms 
 practically (•oiiipicted a .f80,(K)(>,(»0(> improvement without an\ expense 
 to the tax ])ayers. 
 
 The London ("ountx' ("onmil. in its repoil iijion this im](i-o\cment, 
 says: "This result is most enconra.iiin;;', and shows that the policy of 
 allowing' the Council to ac(|uire snilieient propei-ly to enahle it to 
 henelit from the improved \alnes caused hy the iiuprovenu-nt, instead 
 of lea\ iui;' the impro\'ed \alues to ad joininii ow ners, is the hest jiract ical 
 means for cari-yiniLi out what is needed in London." 
 
 The adoption of this same ]M)li(y is Ix'inj; advocated in this country, 
 notably in >sew York and .Massachusetts. The legislature of Ohio, in 
 
 1904, at the solicitation of ("leveland. anu'uded its laws 
 Ohio Law. relati\c to the ajipropriatiou or condemnation n{' properly 
 
 liy ]>rovidin!i that all municiiial corporations sliall have 
 the jtowcr to ai)pro]iriate, enter ujion, and iiold i-i'al estate w ithin their 
 ct»r])orate limit, "for establishinii esplanades, boulevards, jiarkways, 
 ])ark lironnds and public reservations in, arcmnd and leadinj;- to public 
 buildiuiis and for the purjio-se of re-.selliuii such lands with reservations 
 in the deeds of such re-sale as to the futur<' u.se of such lands so as to 
 l)rotect ])ubiic buihliiiiis and their environs, and to jtreserve tiie view, 
 appearauce, li.nht. air and usefulness of ](ublic grounds occupied bv 
 jtublic buildinjis and esidanades and the parkways leadinji' thereto." 
 The validity (d' this law has not yet been tested in the courts. 
 
 A hnv of this natni-e in Missouri under I he decisions of the State and 
 federal courts wiudd, in our opiniou, lie held in\alid, for only property 
 
 needed foi- iiublic use can be taken by condemnation 
 City Should ]iroceediniis, an<l no property can lie taken by the city 
 
 Benefit from for the ]uir|>ose of re-sellinii it. The (piesliou of 
 
 Improvements. necessity for public use is a jiulicial one which the 
 
 facts in the case must determine. The principle, how- 
 over, followed in the wideninnof streets in Liindon, is a .sound one fr(un 
 the economic ])oint of view. If a nninici|iality e.\]pends millions of |)ublic 
 rcNcnne foi- an extensive ini]irovement which greatly enhan<-es the \alue 
 of oouti.nuous i>roperty, then the muuicipalily should rea]! at least a 
 portion of the benefits.
 
 Li:(;isi,ATi().\. 101 
 
 POWER OF CONDEMNATION SHOULD BE EXTENDED 
 
 I'lidcr the pru\ isioiis nl' llic cliarlci- and slaliilcs w lit-ii in'ivute 
 l(i-(>|ici-t_\' is s((iiglit to 1k' a]i|(i-(>|(i-iali'(l Ini- iiiuiii(i]ial jMirposes and a 
 just conipeusatioii (Ictciiniiicd upon liy a Itoard 
 City's Riffht '^^ <'*miiiiissi()iK'rs, liic cil v can not lake jiosscssioii 
 
 to Take Possession nnlil all (picslions of dainaiics ai-c sclllcd, a final 
 of Condemned judiiincnt icndfi-cd and llic inoiicv ]iaid to the 
 
 Property. owner. The i-csiill is I Mat in many eases impor- 
 
 tant pnlilic improx'ements are eitlier delayed for 
 yeai-s or the city is forced to ]iay an exorliitant ])riee for the jiroperty 
 in order to ])i-c\-enl the tilinjj,' of e.\ee])tions, ajipeals and <ilh('r tedious 
 et>nrt proeeedinjis. In the case, however, of private pi-operty heinji' 
 taken for tlie use of railroads, tlie riylit to take jiossession of the i)ro])- 
 erty is ae(piired immediately npon the ])ayinent of the dainaf>es assessed 
 by the ( 'ommissioners, notw ilhstandinn the fact that either party may 
 have exc<'pted to the value set hy the Commissioners and the (pu'stion 
 of value l)e referred to a jury for full determination, or an ap]»eal he 
 taken from the verdict Avhen rendered. This piovision makes it ]>ossihle 
 (o expedite the ]iuriH)se of condemnation proceedings in fa\or of a 
 railroad. .V municipality should certainly have the same riyht to take 
 possession immediately u])on ])ayment of the assessed (laniajics, leavinji 
 the mere question of their ade<piacy to he further litigated. This would 
 ]iei'mil necessary jmblic imjti-oxcments to he made with the same expedi- 
 tion which characterizes railroad hnildinii and would remove one of 
 the serious obstruct ions now in the way of the economical and ex- 
 peditious c(uisl riict ion of mnnicipal ])ublic works. A law to this efTeet 
 should be sec\ired, if possible, at the ]iresent sessiiui of the IcLjislat lire. 
 
 PUBLIC RE.SERVATION DISTRICT 
 
 The ]daiis of the Inner and ()uter Uark ('ommittee imlude the 
 purchase and inii>ro\-enient ol some .I, (1(10 acres of ]iark land and the 
 construction ol ukuc than forty miles (d' park\va\' 
 County and City '" >^'^- l-ouis County. Accordin;;; to the (hartei-, 
 to be Benefited. the cit\ can ac(|iiire laml beyond its limits for 
 
 public uses and the courts have held that the 
 a])proi)rialion of pri\a(e proi>erty for park ]iiiiposes is manifestly a 
 puldic use, as beiiu; essential lo the health, comfort and pros])erily of 
 the peo}de in densely pojuilated cities. A dillicull_\, however, arises
 
 102 A <ITV I'LAX KOK SAINT l.oriS. 
 
 ill tlic control of the jii-opcrty in tlic connty l>y the city. Tlic city 
 conld not inivc, cillicr hy i)ui-cliiis(' or liy Iciiislativc enactment, siov- 
 I'rnniental aiitliority ovei- lands in St. I>ouis ("onnty. This antliority 
 conld. liowever, he invested hy leyislation in a new oov]K)ration eoni- 
 ])osed of rejtresentatives of the city and county. Fnrthi'rniore, the 
 estahlishnient of so extensive an outer park system would he of 
 inestimahle value to the peojile in the county, hoth hy reason of the 
 enhanced value of real estate due to the imiiro\-emenls and of the 
 inci-eased facilities for jdeasure and recreation which these ])arks and 
 drives would furnish. For that reason the county should hear its due 
 prop(u-ti()n of the of)st of estahlishinj; and maintaining.; an outer park 
 system. 
 
 In order, therefore, to have Iciiislation which will jterniit the 
 creation of these larjie outlyinji parks and parkways, to provide au 
 eijuitahle as.se.ssment of the cost for estahlishinj'- and 
 Provisions of niaintaiuinn' them, and to insure the ])i'o]ier iioxcrn- 
 New Law. mental control over these recreation areas when estah- 
 
 lished, we would recommend the passaji'e of a law by 
 the legislature in this State similar to the ^letropolitan Park Act of 
 Massaclui.setts or the Forest Keserve Act of Illinois. 
 
 This law should contain the follow inii i;<'ueral jirovisions: 
 
 1. A clause enqiowerinii the lepii voters in any contiguous terri- 
 tory which contains within its houndaries one or more incori)orated 
 cities lyini;- wholly w ithin the same to incorporate .such territory as a 
 IMihlic lieservation District. 
 
 1*. A clause ])ermittiu.ij,' live jx-r cent of the leijal voters residinji 
 within the limits of such ])ro])ose(l districts to ])etition the judi-c or 
 judiics of the county or counties imduded in the proposed district, or 
 the municipal assemhly of any city not within a county to cause the 
 (|Uestion whether they desire to have the territory incorjKU-ated as a 
 I'ulilic lieservation District to lie suhmitted to the vote of the ]K'o]»le. 
 If a majority of the votes cast fa\dr the creation of such a district, it 
 shall thenceforth he deemed an oruanized jmldic reservaticm district. 
 
 8. A clause authorizinn the (iovernor to a])]»oiut a ISoard of ("oni- 
 inissioners consisting of a I'resident and four ( -1 1 Coniinissioners, of 
 whom not more than three .shall he nieinhers of the same political party, 
 to manage the atfairs of the estaldished district. They should he lei;al 
 N'oiers and reside within the district, should he appointed for a term 
 of four years, and should serve without compensation. The first ( "om-
 
 LEGISLATION. 103 
 
 inissioiiprs sliould be appointed, two for two years and two for four 
 yc-.ivs. 
 
 4. A clause yixinji to tlic < "oumiissioners power to iijiiHiini and tix 
 the salaries of a Secretary and a Treasurer and snrh otlier employes 
 and lahoi-ers as may be deemed necessary to protect and maintain the 
 reservation areas; and to i)ass all necessary rules and regulations f(»r 
 the j)ro]K'r nianai;emeut and conduct of the business of the l>()ard an<i 
 for carryiiii;- into effect tlie olijecr for which siicli pnlilir reser\atiou 
 (lisfricr is formed. 
 
 ."). A clause jtivinp; to the IJoard of ( 'ommissioners j)ower to acquire, 
 maintain and make availalile to the inhabitants of the disfri<-t open 
 spaces and woodhmd for exercise and i-ecreation; 
 Powers of Board. '^" '".^ **^^^' establish, open, widen, improve and 
 maintain liis;hways \\ithin the district as public 
 driveways and boidevards; to re.uuhtte, restrain and contnd the kind 
 and sjieed of tra\cl <>t\ smli driveways; to enijiloy a suitable pcdice 
 forc<' ; and, in iieneral, to do all acts needful for the jiroper exei-ution 
 of the powers and duties granted to the IJoard. 
 
 Ct. A clause s'ivins to the IJoard the jiower to accpiire by ^nift. irrant 
 or jiincliasc. or by c(uideinnatioii any land necessai-y for carryinii' out 
 the purposes for which the district was or-ianized ; tlie power to petition 
 the courts prayini; for the appointment of tiiree or five Cfunmissioners 
 to ascertain the actual \alue of the land to be taken, the damaiies to 
 the property caused ilieicby, and to dclerniine the amounts which 
 should be assessed ajiainst property or the municipalities as benefits 
 resultiuin' from the improvements; and the ri^ht to take possession of 
 till' pro])erty immediately upon payment of the ilamayes assessed by 
 till' < ■(immis'sioners. 
 
 7. To meet the exjjeuses incurred in acquirins; land, establishinii;. 
 protectinii and maintainini; such recreation areas the Hoard should 
 lie empowered to lioi-fow mone\' on the credit of the district and issue 
 bonds therefoi- to all amouni not to exce<'d onedialf ( ' i> I of one ill 
 per cent of the a,ii.iirei;ate assessed valuatiiui of the jtrojterty within 
 the district; and to le\\- a iieneral i)ro]>erty tax in the same manner as 
 taxes are now le\ led for cit\ purposes to an amount not to excee<l two 
 (2i mills on cacli dcdiarof the ajigrcfiate assessed valuation i>\' |ii-operty 
 within the district. 
 
 We iiave not attempted to jiresi'ut in this re]i(Ut the detailed torm 
 of such a law . This sliouhl be drafted with "Teat care in order to ntake
 
 104 A CITY I'l.A.N FOU SAl.NT KOt IS. 
 
 the work of the I'oard of < 'oiiiiiiissioncis most cftVctivc and al tlio 
 same time to protect fully llic i-iiilits of tlic ]ico]iIc in cyvry ](ortioii of 
 tlic IMiblio Kcscrvatiou District. 
 
 BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS FOR SAINT LOUIS 
 
 Tlic I'ark ( "oiniiiittcc also rccoiiinicMils cxiciisivc jtarkwavs wiihiii 
 (lie city for I lie ]iui-]iosc of tyiiiii' toiicliicr and niakinji acc('ssil)lc our 
 
 lircscnt larjic jtark areas. In \ icw of tlic fai-t that 
 Park Control Kininsliiiiliway is soon lo he cstaldisiicd as a lioiilc\ard 
 Unified. under llie su])er\ision (d' the Street De|iartineid, that 
 
 the Sewer Dcparlinent is workinii on tlie ])lans for tlie 
 ini])ro\enient (d' the Ifiver DesTeres N'aliey, and that a numher of small 
 parks are to he purchased and jiiit under the Joint su]ier\ision of the 
 Dark l)e])artmc'nt and the I'uhlic Daths ( "onimi.ssion, a charter amend- 
 ment should, if pdssihle, he se<-ured by which the control of all jiarks, 
 jiarkways, public squari's and i)lay.urouiuls shall be ])laced where it 
 loiiically beloni;s — under the Dark Department of the ('ity ( lovernment. 
 In order to have the departnieid ii'present the needs of every section 
 and all interests of the city we would suiiiicst a law similar to the one 
 sectiicd in Kansas City in IS!)."), and under which she has been enabled 
 to construct and maintain her admirable park system. 
 
 The general provisions of that law are: 1. The city is divided 
 into live park districts and a Hoard of Dark ( "(unmissiouers, consistiuii' 
 of five members, is a])]iointed by the .Mayor. 
 
 2. The ( 'omnnssiouers are ap]Miiiiled foi- four years, ser\e w itlnuit 
 compensation and no more than three can be mendiers (d' any one 
 p(ditical ]»arty. Any (Uie of them is held to ha\e xacated his oftice in 
 the e\ent of havinn acce]ded a noniinalion or an ajipoint iiieid to any 
 political ottice. 
 
 3. The j^eneral ](owers (d' the Hoard are: {m To appidnt a sal- 
 aried secretary and to employ the ser\ices (d' a sui>er\isin!n landscape 
 
 architect, and such enjiineers, sujierintendents, clerks 
 Powers of the 'ii'*! employes as is deemed necessar.v to construct and 
 Park Board. maintain the iiark system. {!>) To devise and adojd 
 
 a system id' ])ublic parks and ])arkways, to select and 
 desi<i;nate lands to be used and ajfju-opriated for such purposes, to 
 select routes and streets for boulevards and ])arkways and cause the 
 same to be widened and restricted. ( /• l To b^ase, purchase, coinlemn
 
 LEGISLATION. 105 
 
 or ()tlici-\\ isc ;i((|nir(' in tlip iianic of tlic citv, aiul with the ai)i)rovaI 
 of the .Miiiiiciiial Asscinliiy, land for parks, ])ark\vays, Itonlcvanls or 
 pnlilic s(|nar(*s, and to iini)rov(', maintain, snpcrinlcnd and contrcd llic 
 sanio. 
 
 4. Provision is made for flic assessment of Itenefits and daniajres 
 in file enlire ])ark district in which the jiark or ])ark\vay is estai)lished. 
 
 ."). Payments for the land selected or acfpiired and funds for the 
 im])ro\cment, maintenance and control of the |iark system are ])rovide(l 
 for ont of the general fnnds of the city or hy issne and sale of bonds 
 as dii-ected by the charter. 
 
 A iSoai'd of ( 'ommissionei's consisting of i-cprcsenlati\c citizens 
 sei'vini;' \\ithont compensation will insure an (Mpiitahle division of i)ark 
 area for the different sections of the city and a non-partisan ami 
 ajro-ressi \'e administration of the I'ark I )e]iartiiient of the city i^ov- 
 ernment. 
 
 The report of the .Mnnicipal Art <'ommittee has pointed ont the 
 need of an art commission to snpervise the ]danninii. location and 
 constrnction of public bnildin^s and other mu- 
 Municipal nicipal strnctnres. It has also stated The le^al 
 
 Art Commission, diflicnlties in the way of creatini;' an effect ixc art 
 commission. I'nder the charter of the city of !^t. 
 Louis the Board of Public Improvements is invested with full authority 
 in nmtters relatinsi to ]mblic works, and the only way in which a 
 nnuiici])al art commission can be i;i\-en anytbini.;' nioi-e tiian the mere 
 semblance of authority in the location, re-location, or alteration of 
 public structures and works of art is by charter amendment. 
 
 This, however, is only one of the numerous recommendations which 
 will re(iuire charter amendments in or<ler to make it feasible to carry 
 out the sugijestions with any degree of ex]iedition 
 Charter Revision, and at a reasonable cost to the city. I'or exani]ile, 
 the lionlevard Act, which is cundirous and slow, 
 needs entire revision. In the establishment and opening id' bonle\ar(ls 
 and jtarks, benefits should be assessed not onl_\- against the ])i-operty 
 abutting on the highway, but also against pi-ojterty in the lienelited 
 district. The city should have the ])ower to plant trees on the streets 
 and highways and assess the cost as a s](ecial tax against the abutting 
 projx'rty. The Street Department should haxc better control over the 
 opening and plotting t»f new streets. All of these illustrations point 
 to the need for a complete charier revision which woidd aid materially
 
 106 A CITY i'l-AN I'di: SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 in rcalizinji' iiiaiiv of tlic iiiipi'dvcniciits suftf;;(\st('(l in tlic CWy rian 
 R('])()rt. 
 
 Tile I'ccoiniiiciKlations of the Outer and Inner Park Couiniittec con- 
 lain tlie su};s'e«tions that tiie Marine Hosi>ital site be secured by the 
 cit.v for i)arlv i>nrposes and tliat JetVerson Uarracks Reservation be 
 oixMicd as a National Park. 
 
 The Marine Hospital site, containinj; some tifteen acres of land and 
 four oi- live buildings, is now being used as a hospital for the care of 
 river men and sailors. A year ago the Tn-a.sury 
 Marine Hospital De])artment .seriously considered the advi.sability 
 Site. of discontinuing the use of these buildings for lio.s- 
 
 pital purposes, and went so far as to solicit bids for 
 the care of the few patients who here avail themselves of the (Jovern- 
 nient's protection in time of sickness. We would r('connnen<l that an 
 ett'ort be made to .secure a .satisfactory arrangement between the Fed- 
 eral (iovernnu'Ut and the city, whereby the (lovernnient patients can 
 be cared for in the city hospitals in exchange for this area of s])lendid 
 park land overlooking the ^Ii.ssissi])])i River. 
 
 •Jetferson Harracks Reservation, containing l,l!0(l acres of river- 
 front land, is being utilized less and less as an army i)ost, the large 
 powder magazines have been removed from the 
 Jefferson Barracks xvooded area along the river-front, a considerable 
 As National Park. })ortion of the reservation is undeveloped, and the 
 indications are that the War DepartnuMit will in 
 the future nuike the barracks little more than a recruiting .station. 
 Wliile it is not at all jirobable that the (iovei-nmeiit \\'ould consider the 
 dis])osal of this splendid natural ]iark area. Congress might be induced 
 to f(dlow precedents and open and impi-ove it as a national ])ark. 
 We would therefore recommend that a committee be ai»pointed by 
 the League to investigate more fully this ((uestion and if possible 
 .secure co-o])eration of tlie members of Congress from Missoui'i in indm-- 
 ing the I'ederal (iovernment to make this resei-vation a recreation area 
 for the benetit and welfare of the ]ieo|)le of St. jjouis. 
 
 Your committee has not attempted in this rejiort to ]iresent the 
 drafts of the laws recommended, nor to suggest all of tlu' legislation 
 necessary to permit St. Louis to carry out with ex])edition and proper 
 precaution a comprehensive plan of public improvements. \\'e have 
 ontliiu'd only those more important laws which are at the basis of any 
 [)rogressive scheme for improving the appearance of this city, an<l we
 
 m:(;is[,ati().\. 107 
 
 recommend that steps be taken to have introduced and i)assed by the 
 present session of tlie LejiislatUT-e of tliis State such laws as tliis re])ort 
 suj^jj;ests should be ])assc(l i»_v that body to make i»ossii)k' the iiiii>i-ove- 
 ments recommended by the reports of your committees. 
 
 LEGISLATION COMMITTEE. 
 JoHX F. Lee. Chairman. 
 
 J. LlONBERGEK DaVIS. B. SCH.MKM ACHKR. 
 
 ClIAULEiS NacKI,. LCTHEIt El.Y S-MITII, 
 
 R. F. Walkek.
 
 The Civic League of St. Louis 
 
 OBJECTS 
 
 The Civic Leafrue of St. Louis is an independent, non-partisan association 
 designed to unite the efforts of all citizens who are seeking to improve nni- 
 nicii)al conditions in this city. Its general purposes are: To create public 
 sentiment in favor of a better administration nf public afTairs : to crystallize 
 enlightened jjuhlic sentiment into action : to labor for the enactment and strict 
 enforcement of laws wiiicii will make the city more healthful, comfortable and 
 attractive, and to serve as a P.ureau of Civic Information to the citizens of 
 St. Louis. 
 
 OFFICERS FOR 1906 
 
 President 
 
 Henrv T. Kknt 
 
 Vice-Presidents 
 
 F. X. JUDSO.N' 
 
 T. S. McPlIEETERS 
 
 Robert Moore 
 
 HcMiry T. Kent 
 Dwight F. Davis 
 J. I,. Hornsby 
 J. Lawrence ^Iaura 
 Charles A. Stix 
 
 Nagcl & Kirby 
 
 ClI.\KLES N.AGEL 
 
 Treasurer 
 N. A. Mc.MiLL,\N 
 Secretary 
 M.wo Fesler, Security Building 
 Executive Board 
 Gouverneur Callioun 
 Edward C. Eliot 
 T. S. McPhceters 
 Saunders Xorvell 
 B. J. Taussig 
 
 Counsel 
 Sclinurinachcr & Kassicur 
 
 Edw. .M.m.i.i.vckrodt 
 
 Ur. .M. B. Clopton 
 J. H. Gundlach 
 N. .Ji. .McMillan 
 Charles Rebstock 
 Fred G. Zcibis 
 
 Luther Ely Smith 
 
 E. L. Adreon 
 W. K. Bixby 
 .\dolphus Huscli 
 Pierre Chouteau 
 C. C. Crone 
 George F. Duraiit 
 Mrs. John Fowler 
 George C. Hitchcock 
 Chas. H. Huttig 
 Homer P. Knapp 
 )ohn E. McKinney 
 Elias Michael 
 Leo Rassienr 
 .M. Schoenljerg 
 .Mrs. Edward Taussig 
 Bishop Dan'l Tuttle 
 
 Honorary Auditors 
 
 Jones-Caesar. Dickinson, Wilmot & Co. 
 
 Advisory Counsel 
 
 Cliflford B. Allen 
 Robert S. Brookings 
 .Mrs. Geo. C). Carpenter 
 Hanford Crawford 
 Frank P. Crundcn 
 B. F. Edwards 
 .\rchbishop J. J. Gkiincin 
 Dr. George Homan 
 Wni. B. Ittner 
 Mrs. L. .M. McCall 
 .Mrs. T. H. McKittrick 
 Dan C. Xugent 
 John H. Roth 
 F. C. Sinunons 
 \V. P. H. Turner 
 Lambert E. U'altlier 
 
 Edmund H. Wuerpel 
 Thekla M. Bernays 
 .\. D. Brown 
 Daniel Catlin 
 Gustav Cramer 
 Rev John \V. Dav 
 .Mrs. \V. E. Fisch'cl 
 H. T. Hafner 
 Clarence H. Howard 
 Otto F. Karbe 
 Robert McCulloch 
 Mrs. Philip X. Moore 
 >frs. E. W. Pattison 
 Walter L. Sheldon 
 Will. Trelease 
 Henrv Wood
 
 110 
 
 A CITY I'l.AX |-(tl! SAIXI' I.OIIS. 
 
 COMMITTEES FOR 1906 
 
 J. II. GuNDLACii, Cliairniaii 
 Joseph D. Barroll 
 Thomas D. Canmm 
 C. C. Crone 
 
 CiiAS. A. Stix, Chairman 
 Hanlcircl Crawford 
 
 Membership 
 
 F.rnest Filsinger 
 
 A. H. Foote 
 Otto G. Koenig 
 Farle Layman 
 Louis La Bcaunie 
 
 Press and PubJications 
 
 B. F. Kil wards 
 J. K. Smith 
 
 JosKiMi L. HtJRNSHV, Chairman 
 Glcndy B. Arnold 
 \Y. Palmer Clarkson 
 J. H. Gnmllach 
 
 Legislation 
 
 (). F. Karbe 
 
 T. S. McPheeters. Jr. 
 
 L L O'Connor 
 
 J. !•. O. Reller 
 
 Smoke Abatement 
 
 Oscar L. Wuitklaw, Chairman Grant Beehe 
 
 Wm. H. Bryan 
 
 V. N. Juij.so.x, Chairman 
 Dr. George Homan 
 
 J. Hai. Lv.Ncii, Chairman 
 Dr. H. W. Bartscher 
 
 Wm. Chauvcnel 
 Charter Revision 
 
 Ldward C. 
 Charles W. 
 
 F:iiot 
 
 Knapp 
 
 Public Sanitation 
 
 I'liilip C. Scanlan 
 
 Dr. Joseph Spiegclhalter 
 
 Tree Planting 
 
 Dr. Seldk.n Si'icNtKK, Chairman (I. .M . lloKerty 
 
 Leo C. Dziatzko 
 Dr. H. A. Geitz 
 
 I'iKRRK CiioLTKAU, Chairman 
 Joseph Boyce 
 Mary Louise Dalton 
 
 Fra.N'CIS G. Eaton, Cliairman 
 Dr. Louis Behrens 
 C. R. Blickhahn 
 
 M. C. Irish 
 Charles RebstocU 
 
 Historic Spots 
 
 Dr. Edward Evers 
 V. .Mott Porter 
 !•:. J. Rns.sell 
 
 Tuberculosis Prevention 
 
 ■Ashlev Cabell 
 J. W. Lambert 
 Dr. .Albert Merrell 
 
 Ernest J. Russell, Chairman 
 
 R. N. Baldwin 
 
 Geo. Oliver Carpenter, Jr. 
 
 J. L.Van Grnl'.m, Chairman 
 Joseph D. Baseom 
 
 Eleemosynary Institutions 
 
 Dr. M. B. Clopton, Chairman E. M. Grossman 
 
 W. S. Eames Dr. RobertLuedeking 
 
 Dr. John Green, Jr. 
 
 Housing Committee 
 
 J. Lionberger Davis 
 .A. O. Lovejoy 
 
 Street Lighting 
 
 Treseott F". Chaplin 
 .A. S. Langsdorf 
 
 L. L. Liio.NARii. Chairman 
 Daniel N. Kirby 
 
 W. Banks Rogers 
 
 Signs and Billboards 
 
 John H. Kotli 
 Robert Rutledge 
 
 Geo. W. l.nbke 
 II. II. OI)ershelp 
 Charles P. Pettus 
 A. H. Riehardson 
 
 Cieo. .\1. Wright 
 M . Shoenberg 
 
 1^. J. .Speneer 
 L. E. Walther 
 V. C. Zeibig 
 
 J. B. Conroy 
 R. H. Female 
 
 Robert Moore 
 Geo. D. Markham 
 
 John 1 1 . Terry 
 
 W. J. Sle\ens 
 l'"rank .\. Weber 
 
 Walter R. Smith 
 Marshall S. Snow 
 
 Dr. H. G. Nicks 
 Dr. Wm. J. Porter 
 
 Charlotte .\1. Rmubold 
 .Albert T. Terrv 
 
 Arthur Thacher 
 E. L. .Adreon 
 
 O'Neill Ryan 
 
 Dr. Sidnev I. Schwab 
 
 Robert F.' Walker 
 
 Louis Spiering 
 Frederick H . .Mann
 
 INDEX 
 
 i'.\r,F. 
 
 Algiers, Wnter Front 74 
 
 Art, Municipal 88 
 
 Oeniaiul for 8!l 
 
 1 n European Cities S)() 
 
 In American Cities 
 
 Baths, Public 42, M 
 
 Berlin 3") 
 
 Bissell's Point 4") 
 
 Board — 
 
 of Park Commissioners 104 
 
 of Public Reservation Commissioners 102,103 
 
 Bond Issue S. !•" 
 
 Boston, Park System 13 
 
 Boulevards — 
 
 Kingshighway ol-(i2 
 
 Des Peres 62, 63 
 
 Goodfellow 04 
 
 To Union Station 77 
 
 Bridge, Eads 73 
 
 Proposed 73 
 
 Buildings, Public 30 
 
 Carr Park 44 
 
 Chain of Rocks l)(i 
 
 Charbonicr Bluflfs 60 
 
 Charter Revision 105 
 
 Chicago 12 
 
 City Hall 32, 33 
 
 City Plan- 
 Scope of 7 
 
 Objects of 8 
 
 Civic League, The — 
 
 Officers of 108 
 
 Objects of 108 
 
 Centers, Civic 37-53 
 
 Tenth and Carr 42 
 
 At Carr Park 45 
 
 Soulard 47 
 
 Ninth and Ann 49 
 
 Clayton 65 
 
 Cleveland 12 
 
 Commissions — 
 
 Public Buildings 31 
 
 Street Railway 86 
 
 Commission, Municipal Art 88-94. 105 
 
 Commons, St. l.ouis IS 
 
 Common Fields IS 
 
 Condemnation. Powers of 101 
 
 Con<luits SJ
 
 112 A (ITV I'l.AN Kill! SAINT I.OIIS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Creve Coeur (i? 
 
 Des Peres, River — 
 
 Drainage of 62 
 
 Boulevard 62, 63 
 
 Fair Grouiuls 5!) 
 
 Group, Public Buildings 30-36 
 
 Plan N'o. 1 31 
 
 Plan No. 2 32 
 
 In American Cities 35 
 
 In European Cities 35 
 
 Highways, in County C7. 68 
 
 Jefferson Barracks (i3, 67, 106 
 
 Kansas City 13 
 
 Kingshiglnvay 55-59 
 
 Kirkwood 65 
 
 Lectures, Public 43 
 
 Legislation 95-108 
 
 Libraries 48, 52 
 
 Locust Street 75 
 
 London <J9 
 
 Marine Hospital (iO. 106 
 
 Meramec Highlands 07 
 
 New York 12, 91 
 
 Moscow 35 
 
 Paris 35 
 
 Parks, St. Louis — 
 
 Distribution of 3il 
 
 History of 28 
 
 Board of Commissioners 104 
 
 Lafayette 50 
 
 Lyon 49 
 
 Laclede : 51 
 
 Carondelet 51 
 
 Hyde 78 
 
 O" Fallon 58 
 
 Forest 57 
 
 Tower Grove 57 
 
 Total .\rea 54 
 
 Parks, Outer 0."i. 66 
 
 Place, St. Louis 46 
 
 Carnegie 50 
 
 Playgrounds 41, 51 
 
 .\I ullanphy 45 
 
 Bissell's Point 46 
 
 Poles, Telegraph 82 
 
 Reservations, Public 06, 67 
 
 Legislation for 101 , 102 
 
 River Front — 
 
 Importance of 72 
 
 Improvement of 73 
 
 In European Cities 74 
 
 Riverside Drive 59
 
 INDEX. 113 
 
 St. Louis — I'AGE 
 
 History of 15-29 
 
 Limits of 25, 2C, 27 
 
 Founding of 16 
 
 Under Spanish Rule 19 
 
 Incorporated as a Town 20 
 
 I ncorporated as a City 22 
 
 Need of a City Plan ■ 13 
 
 San Francisco 12 
 
 Schools. Vacation 43 
 
 Schools, St. Louis 40 
 
 Soulard Market 47 
 
 Streets — 
 
 Naming of 24 
 
 Width of SI 
 
 Locust 75 
 
 Chestnut 76, 77 
 
 Twelfth 76 
 
 Railways 84. 85, 86 
 
 Suburban Railway 65 
 
 Thoroughfares 65 
 
 Taxation 96 
 
 Telegraph Road 63 
 
 Tree Planting 81 
 
 Triangles 79 
 
 Union Station 77 
 
 Vienna 35 
 
 Washington 13 
 
 Webster Groves 65 
 
 Wires, Telegraph 82
 
 press of 
 
 TII!loo^wal:^ 5. Pieman pcintin<] Co. 
 
 5t. louls