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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1909)
- - ' ' 1.1 TIIE MORm'G OREGOMAX, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1. 1909. PROPOSED PARK AND BOULEVARD SYSTEM Portland Has Voted First $1,000,000 to Purchase L. . . . . By K. t. Ml, fupertntradrnt of Pwta. PORTLAJvD h declared herself for parks. On a referendum vote th citizens have sanctioned the Issu ance of $1,000,000 worth of bonds to be used for tha acquisition and devel opment of parks and boulevards. By its parks Is a city known. They a-lve dlKnity and Indicate the advance ment of the populace. Cities noted for their learning; commercial prosperity and progress are also notable for thlr parks. Hand In hand the simile dis plays Itself, an unprogresslve poor city ! virtually parkless; a sleepy commu nity noted for Its lack of push, public spirit and g-eneral co-operation for the public weal Is usually backward. If Indeed Included, In tho list of enviable cities. Recount them any city of pro nounced merit In a material way Is likewise notable for its parks. Ad vancement comes by applying keen acumen to business and the mind to comprehend that is ready to force the Issue of parks. Did you ever hear of a successful business man opposing parks? No. rather are they the first champions and the- strongest supports of park projects. Portland's opportu nity, what Is she doing with It? The Initial million dollars will per mit the beginning of a system un usually superior in aesthetic qualities. Poetto sensibilities see a wide range of types from the sublime, pastoral, mountainous, riparian, panoramic to lovely woodland. A brief description of the system as' now projected starts with the broad avenue extending from the center of the city and one block In width, con tinues oninterruptedly to a point about a mile to the south a distance of 1, blocks. This sketch of greensward, bordered throughout on either side by a highway and these In turn flanked by private and semi-public residences and edifices. Is peculiarly well fitted as an Interior plalsance. Cleveland has ex pended a large sum to create just such an Interior open as a setting for Its civic center, and Portland should not delay In adopting a policy of locating Its public buildings so as to face this parkway.ereating as it were a municipal court. It Is eminently fitting that a general plan be prepared, for the treat ment of this entire property, dispos ing public buildings In such arrange ment, of such design and materials as will serve to emphasise each other and lend dignity to the symphony of the whole. The Federal Government has made arrangements to wipe out the Botanic Gardens, the entire Smithsonian Insti tute and the Pennsylvania Railroad sta tion to create a broad open and group various Government structures on either side. The new. beautiful and Im mense railroad station recently com pleted Is part of the general pro gramme of beau tlfirat Ion at Washing ton. The whole country demands of it that the Nation's capital shall be beautiful, and so It Is growing by careful design. It Is eminently fitting that. Portland should definitely and prominently Identify herself in the strife for beauty In her public con struction. The country over, every city ts giving concern that Its public works shall be not only serviceable but beau tiful as well; its public halls, school buildings, fire stations, police stations, even Its light standards and public comforts no less than Its fountalnsand statuary are rnired to be fit as to design, surroundings and the archi tectural canons that lend beauty. At its southern end the municipal plalsance will Intersect a hillside park way which on the south will ultimately bring up at the - river above South Portland. In a western direction It sidles up tne steep bluff, ascending ever higher and rapidly as an easy driv ing grade will permit, until It rises above all the houses. For grandeur of scenery, variety and poetic qualities the views to be had from this drive are by far the best of the whole sys tem. The matchless splendor of views to be commanded by this drive will give a uniqueness and distinction to the beauties of Portland it would be dif ficult to exaggerate. Huggiag the sides of deep, tree-clad gulches, emerging to round bold, high promontories, piercing a hill with a tunnel here and span ning the Canyon Gulch wt a bridge, coursing along the shade of fir and spruce to the accompaniment of the resounding echoes of Tanner Brook, here opening a view of miles of dwell ings and business section, seeing smok . ing factory chimneys In the distance, as ' also the glittering Willamette, with the i fleets of grain and lumber carriers 1 awaiting cargo to foreign ports, short Journeys through the tall forests, open stretches over hills of Oregon grape and aalal. again fern-bedecked forest floor or the hanging vine maple and mock orange. Once removed far back on a shelf, with park greensward In the fore ground and a glimpse of snow-clad Mount Hood CO miles away, a gentle weep and the depth and declivity of recent geological formed canyon Is pierced. Another turn and we ap proach Inspiration Point offering a view for miles up and down the Wil lamette Valley, bringing Into view the Three Plsters, Mount Jefferson, Mount CITY MAY Committee Will Soon Report By Rev. VT. C. Elk. Jr., Mnnber of Char ter CommtMtoa. PORTLAND will vote on the proposed new charter, possibly at a special election next April. A committee of 15 cltisens was appointed by the Mayor and Council last August to revise the present charter and this committee expects to report to the Council in Feb ruary In accordance with Ita instruc tions. The charter of 1909 will not be a new charter In the sense that the present charter adopted In 1903 was. Early in Its proceedings the committee resolved to use the present charter as a basis for amendment rather than to build up an entirely new frame Thus many of the best features In the old charter will be retained. Including the general order of Its articles and sections. The changes proposed, however, are very Important Involving the actual frame work of the administration. The work of the committee has now reached a point where It Is possible to describe the proposed new charter In its main features. Under the new charter the Council will be reduoed to six mtiusera, ail l I II 111"! Ml'JJ II III II, U "- I "T" 1 I I II UN."" I u i t i u w i . 3 i NX . M Rgi&syi 1111 'P 1 J ' . SrV A SljpgrSSS L,, -f- Wkv fc ioccipiaaMlLUuDDaLoaD0angoagOTDuDDa'ri nnrnr VS V ijOODriDnoaOOaDDaDDQiDDDrDnDaGOODODoiIlDi: r W wS'VV Agassi sgsoDoiMum county .dPJHii JuGcKRooR3acoDnco foacS!?Tt'jS!i-i L4iULJm5pggggi!Ma;;aDggDtU LLi -1 -1 Bir texts?. , . B8sp gDDIg1 n v ff3frarU'B . . p1, 1 '!, :,;,. i 1 j1 Hrn tSi ' 4W U v rS gAjj: gggkbbrfTDODDagDaQdDDiriiir' .'1 I f I - TJUkJIi 11 1 mil. iinjiii.iTi , ijiBiiwig-TgpooooocTapauJcjarir-ii n Hi i i irimi r4-H yJ UagCTrt U ' aHBHPSfflBBHH&B 1 1 T Pll rrfe7 KT -n I? tU iaJ3 inppringrtnnrr'EinDQ' '' ' 'LJL3 n il- til in-PRPHnntTiipJ PlgST 111 rb 3RRiiRg,aRgUJuQinnggpanfl I I! I I UWoL 1 'ffijqfifflw'Q I)'-" )H V Vd iq h1 i HAVE NEW CHARTER to Portland Voters in Favor of Commission Plan of Government. elected at large, and without party names either on the primary or election ballots. The Mayor will preside t the meeting of the Council and will have a vote lnthe Council but no veto. The Executive Board of the old charter will be abolished and Its. func tions given to the Mayor and Council, each Councilman being appointed by the Mayor to be the head of a depart ment. The entire business of the city, except as otherwise provided for In the charter, will be under these six de partments. While the committee recognises the peril Incident to auch concentration of power. It nevertheless recognises also the greater possibilities of efficient and responsible administration.' The term of office of Mayor and Council will be four yean, part of the Council being elected , at every elec tion. The salary of the Mayor will be $6000 and of each Councilman 15000. The elective officers of the city be sides the Mayor and Councllmen already named, will be Auditor. Treasurer. At torney and Police Judge. Any elective officer may be removed at any time by recall as .by recent constitutional amendment In the state at large, with certain additional regulations safeguard lnx It from bast and unreasonable use. The Civil Service Commission will be retained with one radical change designed to obviate some of the diffi culties Incident to the present regula tions. .Under the old charter when a city emploje was discharged he could appeal to the Civil Service Commission and demand proof of his incompetence. Under the new charter the burden will be upon the discharged employe. The head of a department may discharge for Incompetence at any time without any other reason and without being re quired to maintain or prove his case. If the discharged employe has been dis charged for political or religious .'rea sons, or for any other reason than for the manifest good of the city, he may request a hearing before the Commis sion and the . Commission may grant him such a hearing If It sees fit. Upon the hearing, however, he must actually prove that his removal was- not made In good faith and with the Intent on the part of the removing officer to benefit the service. The head of the department can fill appointments only from the eligible list provided by the Civil Service Com mission as at present. This arrange ment; It Is believed, will maintain a fence around the old spoils pit and yet make the way. clear jor more tlflclent and Lay Out Grounds of Unrivaled service. The civil service regulations will no longer hinder a good depart ment head as In the past and will con stitute some check upon weak or cor rupt administrative officers. With respect to public utilities, the most Important change Is that which makes the referendum mandatory after passage by the Council on all public utility franchises except mere terri torial extension of existing public utility franchises and excepting com mercial railroads. The new charter will provide for the automatic retirement of all- public utility bonds hereafter issued, with a clause compelling the city upon pay ment of 5 per cent premium to redeem not less than one-fortieth part of the whole amount of indebtedness repre sented by such' bond Issue every year after the first five years. - The reports of the committee on street Improvement and sewer construc tion, police. Fire Department, finance, revenue and taxation and public libra ries and health, have not yet arrived at final passage. None of these is liable to protracted discussion except possibly the report of the street committee. The committee on codification has al ready entered upon its labors. There ts every-reason to expect that the pro posed charter will be ready for submis sion to the Council at its first meeting in February. Thanks In large measure to the last charter commission, much of whose work remains unchanged, the present commission believes that it will be able to offer to the Council and thence to the electors one of the best municipal charters in Ui country. : SCENERY Oregon's Mountains, Rivers and ORBGONIANS who have grown up within sight of the splendid moun tains, lakes and rivers of this state are often Indifferent to their charms and do not count them as an asset of this section of the Pacific Northwest, long continued association with the best scenic attractions of the Coast has dulled their apreciatlon of the beautiful In na ture until they are apt to accept them as a matter of course and express no enthusiasm about them. But the Eastern traveler who visits this state never fails to return home with glowing accounts of Oregon's matchless scenery. Its forests, streams and peaks are becoming more widely known every year, thanks to the wide spread appreciation voiced by tourists, and each recurring tourist season sees a larger volume of this travel coming to Oregon. In fact now the East ern tourist who visits California thinks his trip Incomplete unless he returns through he Pacific Northwest. And well he may, for what other state can supply such a range fit varying scenery as Oregon? Snow-capped mountains, within easy reach of Portland, whose sides are lined with glaciers, are always an at Natural Beauty ALLURES TOURISTS Lakes Are Widely Known and Rank Among Grandest on Continent. tractive feature for travelers. rhelr tops are white with perpetual snow. But within a day's Journey from these majestic peaks the traveler finds him self In' the midst of the semi-tropical vegetation of the coast sections, where the warm Japanese current quickens every living plant into luxuriant growth. There are forests that are magnificent with their close-set col umns of fir. spruce and pine, and great er In extent than any other portion of the United States can boast. East of the Cascade Mountains the wide-spreading plains offer scenery and climate vastly different from that which obtains on the western side of the range. There the air is dry and there is as much sunshine as Colorado's fa mous climate can boast. Many people prefer the prairies, but to such as do not, there are mountains on every side to lend an infinite variety to Oregon's scenery. The rivers abound in pleas ant surprises, now flowing smoothly and again dashing themselves Into fly ing spray. Oregon's most famous scenery Is that along the Columbia River. The mag nificent gorges of the Cascade Range, through' which the mighty stream forces its way. are Inspiring in the ex treme. The sheer cliffs of basalt sur for Public Use Hood. Mount Adams, Mount St. Helena and Mount Rainier 140 miles aisimiv. An abrupt plunging view overlooking the whole city and St. John, the broad valley, with Mount Tabor, Rocky and Kelly Buttes and Mount Scott, about seven miles across the city, lending en chantment to the rolling mountainous views beyond that ridge to the south west is the Sierra Xevadas, due west Is where the Columbia cleaves . the mountain range on Its flow to the sea, to . the northeast the silvery waters are those of the noted Columbia and ebbing through the busy marts of trade from south to north Is our own Willamette. And so one proceeds along the sky line trail at an elevation of from 250 to 450 feet above the city, on the brow of a steep declivity all the way from within two miles of the heart of the city, following the western con centric border of the- city over the hills, through the vales and the first original City Park, on to Macleay Park and yet forward to the northwest on the skyline to the proposed forest res ervation. At intervals along the way convenient pleasure drives will connect the wealth of scenic glory with the city street system. At Its northerly position a connection will be made with the svstem eaBt of .the river, using as a route one of the , deep gulches formed by the waters from the Washington County tablelands finding their way to the Willamette. . A bridge will span . the , lower Wil lamette to -carry one over. to the Kast Side river bluffs and. pursuing one course thence we command a near view of the river, its harbor and ship ping, and the hanging western hills, with their picturesque ridges and vales sharply silhouetted against the west ern sky. Here and there we see an old tree, a remnant of primeval forest. On some of the high, steep slopes. groves and quarter sections of massive old firs, saved from the pioneer's ax, rise in all their sturdtness and somber coloring, and all along the successors to the original forest are seen be it Spring the lavish display of Western dogwood and light green tints of wil low, or toward Autumn it may be Just after mock orange season and the whole hillside is afire with vine maple splashed with the rich golden native maple, the dogwood brown accentuated by the sedate young seedlings of Mr and hemlock. Proceeding northeasterly, connection Is to be had by way of informal park ways generally not less than 200 feet wide, carrying the parklike effects from park to park In sharp contrast to the wearying sights and noises of city life. The northeastern terminus la to be an extensive meadow reservation to preserve one of the strong distinc tive types of local scenery. In extent, .features, design and usage its offices will be in marked contrast to every other park or body of the system's composition. Here beating on the la goons and the Islands and under the long, over-arching branches of the wil low, vast stretches of greensward will permit of large assemblages in plcnlo groups, tennis or ballplaylng engage ments. Following thence we traverse a long stretch of flat parkway, alignment, precision of demarcation, disposition of masses all arranged with architectural regularity, introducing a type of orna mentation distinctly man-created and completely and agreeable under his control. In the future this stretch is the proper site for architectural em bellishment of masonry, fountains, stat ues, seats, exedlas and the like, feat ures strikingly formal and desirably festive. Proceeding In a southerly direction, the route follows the strong landscapu features of the local typography by way of graceful curves devised to lend charm to the route by reason of well defined, artistic canons as to align ment and grade, or to take advantage of especially good scenery, or yet again influenced by the important financial considerations as to property values, cost of construction or main tenance. ' On the southward journey the dis tinctive landscape features of Mount Tabor itself are to be included, thence perhaps dividing Into two routes, one being a formal and the other informal parkway, and both leading through different territories in different direc tions, but ending by connecting with the upper bluffs on the shores of the Willamette. Proceeding thence over a route of great charm and decided individuality as to type and distinctiveness, it eventually brings up at Sellwood, op posite the Fulton shore, where ulti mately a bridge to supply a connection and lead through meadows, follow the bases of the hills and, by connection with the hillside parkway, complete the circuit. Portland will have parks in spite of any individual or set of thein who would dare attempt to halt her on ward march on whatever pretext. In all constructive work there Is always opportunity to detract or Impede. Port land has Rlways declared Itself for parks, its citizens appreciate that It has ordered a programme of construc tive municipal progress to proceed; it should now engage Itself with insist ing that the improvements continue to a finish. Her native resoun-es in park possibilities are nowhere excelled and rarely matched. Her determination to consummate a programme of preser vation should brook no Interference. Parks offer means for the indulgence of wholesome pleasures and positive benefits. They have a distinct use. Thty give dignity to a municipality and very truthfully indicate the Intel- , lectual material and moral, advance ment of Its populace. pass In grandeur the famous palisades of the Hudson, while between them rolls a majestic river, now broad and smooth and again dashing madly along In cascades of leaping water. Crater Lake, which Is becoming wide ly known as a famous resort, is one of the wonders of Oregon's matchless scenery. There Nature has been lavish in Its coloring of lake and mountain. . This charming body of water, huge in extent, fills the extinct crater of an old volcano. The lake Is remarkable for Its great depth and the sides of tho old crater rise abruptly from the water on all sides. The great elevation of this mountain sea makes it more remarkable. But striking as the scenic marvels of Oregon are, what more beautiful any where than the peaceful, restful scenes throughout the Western Oregon Val leys. The landscapes along the Wil lamette River on either side have been compared by travelers to the downs of Devonshire. Vivid green fields, roll ing back from the river to the moun tains on either side, with patches of woodland of varied foliage, make this section of the state a veritable para dfce. The Rogue. Umpqua, McKensie. Yaquina and other valleys reproduce the charming landscapes of New England.
