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thorough drainage system connecting with the city drainage has been put in by the company. The houses are not rented, but sell for $6,500 to $25,000

At Overbrook the same company has developed 171 acres extending along both sides of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and provided water for household use entirely independent of the city supply. An electric-light and steam-heating plant (there is a similar one at Carpenter) offers housekeepers' conveniences that go far to amelio rate the servant problem. Thus, by the intelligent use of ample private capital, a whole section of the city has been brought strictly up to a high standard.

At Glenside, Llanerch, Cynwid and St. David's similar companies have assured the absence of all undesirable surroundings by comprehensively treating large tracts of land.

In all of these cases the company exercises a general control over the character of all buildings, and retains several competent architects to prepare plans. Though each property owner is privileged to employ whomever he choses, yet it is often found preferable to have designs prepared in the usual way.

At Baltimore a new quarter of a modest character has been placed in one architect's charge. He has laid out the thoroughfare system with much skill, introducing small parks, terraces and architectural accessories that are calculated to add finish and beauty to the neighborhood. All the buildings will conform to a given type, and yet, at the same time, be varied and interesting.

An original scheme that has stood the test of time is exemplified in Vandeventer and Portland Places at St. Louis. Here, long narrow strips of land have been traversed by two streets, with a central park, perhaps 50 feet wide, between them, and thus an exclusive residential quarter has been created. The deeds of each property extend to the middle of the park, which is maintained in common. At either end there is a formal entrance, and in this manner a sort of Parc Monceau effect might have been obtained had the improvements been made with more skill. As it is, it is an improvement on the "key-park" idea which key-park" idea which prevails in London, and of which there is a solitary example in the form of Gramercy Park, in New York City.

The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company is about to carry out some semi-public improvements in several towns with a view to influencing the social life of its employees. The domestic and communal well-being of each centre is to be watched over by the Company's Surgeon-General, who will be at the head of a regular medical corps scattered over a large area of the State.

Mention should be made of a California project, which, while neither a municipal nor a suburban problem, yet involves principles more or less common to both. For years past, little by little, much arid land has been brought under irrigation and rendered habitable. In his first message to Congress, President Roosevelt proposes that the government shall construct and maintain large reservoirs, which, once established, would bring many new and prosperous agricultural communities into being. Irrigation has already developed a new form of rural life less scattered, and offering more comforts and conveniences than are usually obtainable in the ordinary farming district. It is therefore safe to predict great results from a governmental enterprise which would not have to yield direct returns on the investment. In anticipation of the outcome of this project a plan is being prepared which proposes to establish a series of centres radiating from district school-houses. used for irrigation will also provide light and transportation, and a community of interests will be established to draw the population together into colony life. Thus it will be seen that even in agricultural districts collectiveism is the spirit of the age. In fact, the Salvation Army has successfully established colonies in Colorado and California, where the condition of the "submerged tenth" brought from city slums is improved by pure environment.

Midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, fronting on Lake Michigan, a tract of land ten miles square has been purchased for the site of Zion City. Here a city is being laid out from virgin soil, to which the Rev. John Alexander Dowie is to lead his disciples. Before deciding upon a plan Mr. Burton J. Ashley, a well known engineer, obtained answers to eighteen pertinent questions from the proper officials in forty-seven cities whose population exceeds twelve thousand inhabitants. These he averaged, obtaining an interesting concensus of opinion, though to our mind it is not convincing. mind it is not convincing. For we believe that the ordinary chairman of a board of public improvements, a city engineer, a mayor, or a commissioner of highways is not always a well trained man; yet, at the same time, we are glad to find that the majority answered the following question: "Where should sewers, water mains, etc., be placed-in alleys or in streets?" in favor of the alley, and, likewise, it is gratifying to note an overwhelming vote in favor of municipal control of all tree-planting. The plan adopted is not monumental, though it possesses monumental features; nor is it as free from monotony as it should be, considering the opportunity. But the fullest use of the city alley is to be reached; and,

in that every property may be approached from the rear by unsightly vehicles, and, moreover, in that all the underground services, including telephone and telegraph wires, will be in the rear and out of sight, the outrageous tearing up of streets and pavements, to which most communities are accustomed, will be largely eliminated.

"It has been noted that in the city of New York, in one year, for every mile of street pavement, there was dug one quarter mile of trench for one purpose or another, and that, in addition to this, there was an opening of some kind or another made in such pavement during that year, as frequently as every thirty-seven feet apart."

Such widespread examples as that determined the founders of Zion City to attempt a much needed reform.

The improved and broadened end of Euclid Avenue, known as East Cleveland, is a model residential suburb. It extends beyond too, and is terraced down to Lake Erie. The late Mayor C. E. Bolton, who was largely responsible for its advancement, in a paper read at the last Convention of the American League for Civic Improvement, made the following statements:

"All water, sewer and gas-pipes are placed in the road lawns." The garbage furnace is in operation." (East Cleveland adopted the Waring method of sewage purification). "By a scientific treatment of sewage and drainage, contagious diseases have been practically prohibited."

The scheme for planting trees in East Cleveland is this: "That one row of trees shall be planted midway between the sidewalk and the curb, and that a second row of trees shall be planted inside the inner sidewalk line."

"Every village should have a civic club house, centrally located, in which should be provided suitable halls for municipal meetings, lectures, concerts, a room for a library, and for various society and club meetings-in fact, proper accommodations for everybody and everything that will give an uplift to a community." He has thus recommended just what we have already called attention to in connection with the California projects.

The redeeming of unimproved spots, and the clearing of congested neighborhoods, either by park extension or by intelligently conducted improvement companies, is a great work, and one of the crying needs of all our cities.

Industrial and social betterment movements in manufacturing towns like Dayton, O., or, better yet, like the industrial commonwealth of Port Sunlight, England, where the Lever Brothers have provided homes, schools, churches, diningrooms, parks, open-air theatres and club houses. for their 3,000 employees, indicate the presence

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of a new and very desirable economic situation. Mr. Lever's community is the best advertisement he has for his wares; and in that he is known the world over as the leading exponent of what has been happily and aptly phrased, "prosperitysharing," he may be said to have made a valuable contribution to social science and the science of modern city-making.

The Parkview Land and Improvement Company, a Missouri corporation, with a full-paid capital stock of $5,000,000 common; $500,000 preferred stock; bonded debt $3,500,000 first mortgage bonds, and $1,000,000 second mortgage bonds, total securities, therefore, being $10,000,000, owns in fee simple in the best residential quarter of St. Louis 1,388 acres, which the company proposes to make the handsomest similar residential quarter in the United States. They have employed the best local and Eastern talent, and have the opportunity to develop the locality into a veritable American Park Monceau, less monumental, but more modern and scientific, and, withal, quite as beantiful. This may be easily accomplished, providing the right start is made. And in that they have already engaged an architect and an engineer who were authorized to select an expert to work with them, it is safe to predict that the joint work of the three will result in a unique production.

We have seen that, aside from the gradual development of suburbs under the direction of public-spirited borough officers, or even aside from the more or less gradual work of improvement companies, new communities spring up with startling rapidity. It requires but the moving of a factory, the construction of an irrigation dam, or a religious exodus to bring them into existence. Likewise, the sudden contraction of great distances, whereby hitherto remote points become easily accessible, renders it necessary for us to study these problems in the light of modern discovery. In doing so, unification becomes a bedrock principle. And the more perfect the organization the more perfect each individual homestead should be.

Considering the most exhaustive and effective utilization of small individual properties, it may be said that more can be gotten from a given site in a well-regulated suburban colony than from the same site where adjoining owners are under no restrictions other than those imposed by the ordinary civic authorities; and, further, the smaller the garden the more evident becomes the truth of the assertion.

The illustrations accompanying this article are not intended to prove the advantages just noted, as in each case a given site has been

planned independently and without consideration of its neighbors.

In No. 3 and No. 4, however, it is evident that the land is well utilized by placing the house to one side rather than in the middle of the lot, and in both it is likewise desirable that the right-hand neighbor should not build. equally close to the nearest party line. On the other hand, should they both, and every one else in the block, build at the right-hand end of their respective lots, as they might be compelled to do under the wise provisions of the deeds, each would enjoy for all time the greatest possible amount of isolation and each would have a larger and a more effective area to develop than if they built in the middle of their respective properties. True, the houses would be equidistant in either case, but in the latter the dividing fences and shrubs would greatly reduce the available surface, while to neither the right nor to the left of any house would there be room for a broad treatment of the grounds.

Briefly, it is usually poor policy to build a house in the centre of a small lot, since a compact, open area to one side is more desirable than a mere frame of moderate width. True as this rule is in general, the lay of the land, the view and the exposure may cause occasional exceptions.

Taking the plans up in order, in No. I we have a 35-foot corner lot, in which an attempt has been made to provide for a certain amount of out-ofdoor life and privacy. This has been accomplished by means of a side porch screened by shrubs planted on a low terrace. Both frontages are given up entirely to living quarters, while a service court, placed inconspicuously at the rear, avoids at every point any appearance of disorder or even the suggestion of an unsightly enclosure. Furthermore, many will agree that the internal arrangements are fully as spacious as those usually found in a house on a lot of these dimensions.

Moral: Do not be afraid to utilize
every inch of your property.

Privacy on a 75-foot lot between party walls, in No. 2, is obtained by building across the entire lot, and securing light from the front and back

No. 2-A SEVENTY-FIVE FOOT LOT BETWEEN PARTY WALLS

only. A raised loggia and court form an out-of-door apartment on the very street where one is safe from the gaze of the passer-by; and yet, where one may see without being seen. The service road at the rear gives access to tradesmen. A walled garden and greenhouse terminate the view from the dining-room and terrace, and utilizes over half of the backyard in formal and attractive manner.

Moral: Avoid dark, damp
side-yards and alleys.

A shallow lot need not be either devoid of privacy or pinched in appearance. In No. 3 and No. 4 two methods are shown of disguising the real depth of the property. In the first an architectural treatment has been adopted, while in the second the trick has been accomplished by means of planting. The result in both cases suggests extensive grounds well utilized. The former provides an arbor walk and flower garden as an integral part of the house, with a large sunny playground out of sight of the street; while the latter makes an ornamental feature of the garden and hot-beds. A grove in the background terminates the view. The grounds are designed to blend with the houses, while a drying enclosure and service courts do not in any way conflict with the beauty of the pictures. Vistas through each house are attractively terminated at the further party line, in order that coming down stairs in one case, or looking from the hall through the drawing-room in the other, an extensive view of the property may be had at a glance.

Moral: Design house and garden as a unit.

In No. 5 a costly home on an acre lot is laid out in a democratic fashion. It is assumed that there are no fences along the street on which the property faces, and for this reason the general appear