January 25, 1900
EL PASO RESIDENCES CROWDED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER
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Alderman Whitmore Having Trees and Shrubs Set Out in the Plaza – A Citizen Says There Is No Reason in Such Narrow Residence Lots
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Chairman Whitmore, of the city council’s committee on streets and park maintenance, had men and teams at work yesterday on the city’s plaza and parks within city limits.
“I am determined,” said Mr. Whitmore, “to beautify our public grounds if it can be done through constant attention and patience. I have bought a number of young shade trees, which Street Commissioner Wales is having set out in the two big Plazas; and I have teams grading the ground around the city hall. After being properly prepared the ground will be sodded, so that the coming summer it will be converted with a pretty carpet of green grass. I also have eighteen hardy young umbrella chinas to set out on these grounds. This being done I want the city to have nice cement sidewalks put down on both sides of the city hall lot.”
In the park opposite the customs house Commissioner Wales had men at work yesterday setting out sixty five young poplars and mulberry trees, while twenty three young trees are being set out in the new park on North Oregon street, donated the city by the government. Frames are being put around the young trees to protect them until they grow vigorous enough to withstand the assaults of the small boy.
The people of El Paso will heartily approve of this movement to beautify the parks and public grounds of the city for El Paso is so crowded together that there are few front yards in the city that a horse blanket would not cover. As a consequence the eyes of those who cannot go to the mountains or a seaside grow hungry every summer for a sight of green foliage and broad green lawns.
“Just why El Paso homes should be packed together like sardines in a box,” said a city official yesterday “is beyond the comprehension of a sensible man. Property owners, in order to squeeze every dime possible out of a foot of land, laid out the city with residence lots only 25 feet wide, when not more than four or five residences should have been permitted on any block. But instead of providing for yards the people have built, huddled together as if there were not miles and miles of land for El Paso to spread out on. The only approach to a private lawn in the city is that surrounding A. Krakauer’s handsome new residence.
“In other cities you will find homes setting back 25 and 50 yards from the street and surrounded by broad beautiful lawns I have seen them with only one house on a block. People who have large yards around their homes enjoy some privacy and such yards make a city beautiful. In a majority of instances an El Paso man can sit in his own home and hear the gossip going on in his neighbor’s house, and summer nights his snore murders the sleep of his neighbors. There can be no privacy where homes are so crowded together, nor can there be much beauty and beautiful cleanliness.
“There are numerous small yards in El Paso, and some of these that are cared for by the owners are things of beauty and a delight to the eye during the spring and summer. They are covered with beautiful green grass, brilliant hues and fragrant flowers and shaded by the foliage of trees that show tender care. If every home in El Paso was surrounded by a broad green lawn well shaded or well cared yards this would be the most beautiful city in the west. But if we can’t have the yards and lawns, I am glad to see something is being done to give us pretty parks.”
Alderman Whitmore is going to experiment this year to see just what can be done toward beautifying the city’s parks and plaza. He believes that with careful attention and plenty of water all of the shade trees in the plazas can be made to flourish.
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