"God made the country, but man made the town," and in the making of the town, by the imperfect ways of man, there are some who must suffer, and always those who can least help themselves. In the making of cities by the usual methods, a proper share of God's heritage-the earth-is denied to some unfortunates, who must be contented if they will, and if not contented then chafed in body and soul by the meagre allowance of room and the sordid surroundings allowed them by those who order the things of this world for their own personal ends; and however unwise these ends may be, yet those whose lack of opportunity or foresight, or courage or spirit, compels them to abide in the narrow courts and alleys and hovels of a large city in the midst of the summer, have a greater yearning for the air and the blue sky, because of its necessity perhaps, than those more fortunate ones whose larger share of earthly things gives them the privilege of seeing God's green earth at its fairest, and enjoying the fruits thereof in due season without taking thought of them. In the development of the water-fronts of the cities of this country, little if any thought has been given to making these water-fronts beautiful or even in any way attractive or useful to "the people without special privileges," as a THE ARCHITECTURAL ANNUAL place to take the air or give their eyes a rest from dull brick walls at short range. In the widening of Delaware Avenue, made possible through a provision in the will of Stephen Girard, an attempt has been made toward giving breathing spaces, in the summer. for those unfortunates who are compelled to live in the courts and alleys throughout the year. The water-fronts of Chestnut and Race Streets on the Delaware River were chosen for this experiment, and the utilitarian piers were provided with an upper deck, part of which is under cover, for the use of the people. In the summer-time the decks of the piers are provided with benches, and on hot nights, nights when the air is dead, when the asphalt streets, granite blocks, and brick walls give back the heat which a merciless sun had forced them to absorb, these piers give mothers with restless babies stifling with the heat a chance to breathe and rest; and children, fretful with the crowded life of the streets, a chance to forget the conditions that surround them, in watching the excursion boats outlined with myriad lights rush by, and in trying to outline the shadowy forms of the boats at anchor near the opposite shore, with their red and green lights twinkling like stars from the motion of the water, and in listening on certain nights to the music of the band that inspires them momentarily or soothes their souls to forgetfulness; so that when sleep finally comes to tired eyes it is sweeter because the eyes have seen a larger world and the shackles of narrow limitation have been temporarily shaken off. In the design of these breathing places little attempt has been made for architectural effect, and the utilitarian motives have dominated the treatment. Possibly this was the wisest course to pursue. The upper part of the pier being the only non-commercial feature of the structure, the business end of it determined the matter. In the Race Street Pier it was necessary to provide for towers to dry the hose of the city fire-boats, and so even this feature of this pier is a purely utilitarian one. The "Recreation Piers," as they are called, have been a great success-and as a means of lightening the almost intolerable burdens of the poor in summer, due largely to the improper design of our cities, they are worthy of great praise. The success which has attended the experiment of providing these outing-piers for the people has been so complete that the sponsors of the suggestion should feel encouraged to extend the possibilities of the idea to still greater ends and provide still further opportunities for wholesome enjoyment and relaxation. The popularity of the 275 concerts on the ocean piers at Atlantic City, and the fondness of the masses of the people for good music, as is evidenced by the attendance at the open-air concerts in public and private parks, indicate the possibilities of the development of the outing-pier in ministering to some of the higher needs of the people, whose lives are sordid and whose opportunity for enjoyment small. If music of good quality was provided every evening during the summer nights, the people who cannot attend the public and private open-air concerts in the parks, on account of the burden of carfare for the family, would look forward to these evenings, not only with a thought of relief from physical discomfort, but with anticipation of intellectual enjoyment. The opponents of Socialism need have nothing to fear from the employment of such means to lighten the burdens of the less fortunate class of the community—figuratively, the "hewers of wood" and the "drawers of water," but rather something to be thankful for, that means can be found to divert their minds from the inequalities of life and the arrogance of the privileged corporations, who exact tribute from the rich and poor alike, but which tribute falls more heavily upon the poor, because, like the "widow's mite," it is all they have. Anything which tends to raise the standard of living tends toward better citizenship; therefore, no opportunity which can be legitimately employed to raise the standard of living of any part of the community should be neglected. Such experiments as this, therefore, are not to be regarded as favors thrown out to a certain class of people, but as a duty which the community owes itself, and which "enlightened selfishness," as the statesmen call it, demands be fulfiled. If the public school and education are proper functions of the community, which can be rightfully demanded, then facilities which increase the value of living can be required with even greater right. In time to come, the community will be found capable of doing many more things than have yet been attempted, and when this time finally does come, the folly of selfishness will be so apparent, that the wonder will be that any such condition could have endured so long. The practical altruism of Bellamy offers many suggestions for making the lives of the people happier and more valuable to their possessors, and enlarging the spirit of independence upon which the maintenance of this American Republic depends, which spirit is being rapidly crushed out by the encroachments of privileged corporations whose rights exceed those of the citizen. BRAVO! |