BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR BUILDING THE NEW ERA MODEL CITY.

Charles W. Caryl

New Era: Presenting the Plans for The New Era Union To Help Develop and Utilize the Best Resources of this Country. (Denver: Chas. W. Caryl, [1897]):103-118.

The author of this ambitious and goofy proposal came to Denver about 1893. A New York newspaper identified him as president of The Gold Extraction, Mining and Supply Company. In the year his book appeared, a Denver newspaper stated "He had been successful in a marked degree in starting a movement for the introduction of northern capital into the region of Chattanooga, but the Barings' failure and the financial depression following, convinced him that something was wrong in the financial and business conditions of the world. A subsequent experience as a student in the slums of one of the large eastern cities convinced Mr. Caryl that an alarming state of affairs was approaching." His solution was to create the New Era Union, a cooperative venture that would be owned by workers who would be assured of a good wage. One of its activities would be to construct the model city that Caryl described below. He refers to Generals, Majors, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Privates, and Recruits, titles not used in the military sense, but to designate members of the community ranked, as one newspaper observed, "according to their ability and usefulness."

As in so many other utopian works, superlatives abound. Caryl describes every feature of the city as the most beautiful or most convenient, or most delightful that could be imagined. The almost total lack of realism in his proposals is reflected in his precisely laid out and divided city plan. The precise and gigantic geometry of its spiderweb design required no fewer than 239 circular avenues, promenades, streets, or boulevards whose exact use and purpose Caryl almost endlessly specified. The perspective view of the central portion of the city shows the "Administration Capitol for the New Era Model City and the New Era Union" at the center surrounded by a circular park and ringed by the "Grand Exposition and Emporium Building." What at first glance appears to be a girdle of open land is identified as circles 8 to 24 intended for public buildings. One wonders if Caryl knew of James Silk Buckingham's proposal of 1854 for a city of concentric squares with the same kind of rigid division of uses and with residential quarters arranged according to a social and income hierarchy.

A level tract of land, ten miles square, will be selected, as favorably situated as possible. (See plan.) Commencing in the exact centre the land will be laid off in circles of different widths for different features and departments, one after the other, until the extreme limits of the city are reached. Each circle will, as soon as possible, be completed, for its entire circumference, with the same kind of buildings or improvements originally planned for it; but, to save time and expense, only one-half of the Model City will be built at first, no money or labor being expended on the other half, outside of the Exposition and other public buildings in the centre, until the first half is fully improved and occupied. Radiating from the centre, arcades one hundred feet wide will extend due north, south, east and west, to the limits of the city. Also, from the centre to the extreme corners of the city, boulevards one hundred and fifty feet wide, half way between the arcades, will extend northwest. southeast, northeast and southwest.

As the distance from the centre increases, additional avenues will be provided every five hundred feet apart, to cross the different boulevards, avenues and streets of the different circles. The arcades and boulevards radiating from the centre will be lined on both sides, beginning at the hotel and public office circle to the Apprentice boulevard circle, a distance of about four miles, on each of the eight arcades and boulevards, as fast as needed, with ten-story apartment buildings, connected continuously, and broken only on the ground floor or first story, with arcades over the different circle avenues and streets.

Underneath these apartment buildings their entire length, and connecting with the Grand Exposition and Emporium Buildings in the center of the city, and with the storage warehouses and factories on the outside of the city, will be subways to contain all pipes and wires for the buildings above; also an electric railway to convey all supplies, material, freight, refuse in sealed packages, baggage, etc. The roofs of the apartment buildings will be provided with a delightful promenade and bicycle boulevard their entire length, with a beautiful roof garden, seats for lounging, and music at desirable times. The apartment buildings themselves will be wonderfully complete and delightful, with all the finest modern improvements, with grand public parlors, libraries, lecture and class rooms, amusement halls, dining rooms, etc., at convenient distances apart.

The arcades will have a glass roof between the apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide, with shades to obscure the sun, when desired. Through the arcades and boulevards their entire length, in the centre, will be double-track electric railways, affording rapid transportation to all parts of the Model City. The arcades and boulevards will be supplied with beautiful fountains, statuary, shrubs and flowers, and separate spaces for promenade, bicycles and carriages.

Outside of the arcade and boulevard apartment buildings, their entire length, will be a beautiful park, with lawns, trees, fountains, flowers, etc., insuring a most delightful and inspiring environment for those living in these apartments. With all apartments on the outside of the buildings; that is, with outside rooms to the light and air, with delightful view. With the best elevators, telephone, electric lights and heat, and all other conveniences to relieve the occupants of the ordinary cares and troubles of living, as far as possible. These apartments will afford the most delightful homes of the kind that can be found in the world. On an average of one person to every two rooms in these apartments, the arcades and boulevards radiating from the centre of the city would accommodate over one million people, while the circle boulevards and avenues would accommodate another million people in the same kind of apartments, and still leave fifteen-sixteenths of the ten miles square of the New Era Model City for public buildings, parks, boulevards, avenues, streets, palaces, mansions, residences, cottages, factories, etc., so that a population of from three to five million people would readily be accommodated in this Grand Model City without any crowding whatever. By the system of transportation, delivery of supplies, etc., even with this number, there would be less confusion or crowding together than a city of one-tenth the size.

THE CIRCLES WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

In the exact centre of the city, from and through which radiate the four glass-covered arcades and four boulevards extending to the limits of the city, will be the grandest, highest and most beautiful building ever erected in the world. This building will be the Administration Capitol for the New Era Model City and the New Era Union, with delightful and complete offices for all the executive officers of all departments of the New Era Union. This building will be three hundred feet in diameter, three hundred or more feet high, and have the highest tower or dome of any building in the world. The ground floor will be a grand central exchange depot for all the electric railways radiating to all parts of the city. The second story will be a grand Auditorium, to hold twenty-five thousand people, for important public meetings, and for the use of the Captains' Council of the New Era Union. The next floor above will be a still more beautiful grand Auditorium, though smaller, for the use of the Majors' Council of the New Era Union, with rooms for its officers. Above this will be the grand and magnificent Generals' Council Hall, and apartments for its officers. The floor above for the Executive Officers of the Recruits' Division, and so on up, a floor for each division of the New Era Union, to the highest or Generals' Division. Then the highest floors for the General Executive Officers, and the top floor for the supreme Council and Supreme Trustee.

Circle No. 2. From the centre of the city will be a beautiful park with fountains, statuary, lawns and flowers, two hundred and fifty feet wide, entirely surrounding the Administration Capitol, which, with the next four circles, will afford a most delightful environment and open space for the magnificent Administration Capitol. All circles from here out to the limits of the city, of course, being complete circles around the centre, increasing in circumference as the distance increases from the centre.

Circle No, 3. Will be a basin of fresh water, two hundred feet wide, with marble margins, small wooded islands, electric fountains, boats, etc.

Circle No, 4. Another beautiful park. two hundred and fifty feet wide, same as No. 2.

Circle No. 5. Two hundred feet wide, the most beautiful and grand conservatories and hot-houses for the rarest and choicest flowers and fruits, plants, etc.

Circle No. 6. Another beautiful park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, with fountains, statuary, plants, and a glass roof over the entire park, connecting the Grand Exposition Building on the next circle with the conservatories on the last. In this delightful glass-covered park, large conventions, public meetings, concerts, etc., can be held, where fifty thousand or more people can meet in a body if they desire. In this delightful arcade park, band and orchestral music will be provided afternoons and evenings.

Circle No. 7. Grand Exposition and Emporium Building, one thousand feet wide, by far the largest and most wonderful building ever built in the world. The first or ground floor will be fifteen feet below and five feet above the surface, with open spaces in the floor above every fifty feet, affording light and ventilation from the glass roof over the main exposition floor, in sections. The ground floor will be for heavy machinery, including printing presses dynamos. etc., with the coarse exhibits and industries, with the electric supply cars passing around the entire circle of the building in different sections, and connecting with the subway cars under the arcade, boulevard and different circle department buildings throughout the city, and through them to the factories, store houses and freight depots on the outskirts of the city, so that very few horses and wagons will be necessary for the transportation of freight, material, supplies, refuse, etc.

The main or second floor, five feet above the surface of the land outside and twenty feet above the ground or first floor, will be for the most attractive and delightful Exposition and Emporium that can be conceived of. It will be divided into sections and departments, and with the floor below for the heavy and bulky goods, showing samples of every conceivable article produced by human beings that is useful or desirable. Elevated electric cars will pass in both directions through the different sections around the entire building or circle, a circumference of from ten to twelve thousand feet or an average of over two miles. They will connect with the cars on the radiating arcades that pass through this Grand Exposition and Emporium Building, thus enabling the people to stop at any department they desire, without any tiresome walk being necessary. The ceiling of the main floor will be thirty feet high, with a glass roof, in sections two hundred feet wide, between the five higher stories, fifty feet wide on the outside and inside circle of this great building, and each two hundred feet between.

These open spaces, two hundred feet wide, between the five upper stories will afford ample light and air to the main Exposition and Emporium floor and to all parts of this, the grandest and most stupendous building in the world, covering over ten million square feet of ground, and about thirty-five million feet of floor space, and seven stories high, or about one hundred and thirty feet high.

There will be a promenade and garden on the outside and inside circle of the roof of this grand building, affording a delightful view of the many grand features of the New Era Model City.

On the floors above the main Exposition and Emporium floor, light industries, representing as many departments of art, science and skilled labor as possible, will be carried on, where women and girls who are old enough will be mainly employed. The men and boys will be employed on the first or ground floor at various industries, and in the factories and work rooms outside of the residence circles of the city. All of the best inventions and improvements will be utilized in every possible way, making this Grand Exposition and Emporium the centre of attraction and wonder of the world for centuries to come.

The Emporium Department will include everything possible produced and desired by human beings, including food products and all kinds of staple supplies that will be represented by sample only, orders being taken by the clerks in charge and telephoned to the storehouses in the outskirts of the city, from which they will be rapidly delivered at regular times during the day, through the subway electric railways, to any place desired. Each division of the city, where needed, will also contain a small but complete emporium for staple articles needed frequently by the residents in the neighborhood, and connected by telephone with each house, thus doing away with all other stores, and saving the enormous waste of time and labor and capital under the present competitive, haphazard methods of selecting and distributing supplies.

Circle No. 8. Railroad boulevard, one hundred feet wide; traffic driveway, with surface steam railroad track connecting, through one of the boulevards, with the steam railroads outside of the city, to enable heavy articles for the Exposition and Emporium, building material, and private and excursion cars, to enter the city without transfer.

Circle No. 9. Amusement park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, in which will be erected and maintained the grandest and most beautiful opera houses, club houses, theatres, concert halls and other places of amusement in the world.

Circle No. 10. Amusement boulevard, with space for carriages, bicycles, and promenade, one hundred and fifty feet wide, with the elevated electric railroads and glass-covered arcades connected with these radiating from the centre, affording shelter from storm and heat in going to and from public buildings and homes.

Circle No. 11. Artists' park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, with the finest art galleries, museums, libraries, gymnasiums, bath palaces and select hotels in the world, connected with glass-covered arcades, as are all the other public buildings in the centre of the city.

Circle No. 12. Traffic driveway for supplies, between the public buildings in the two adjoining parks, twenty-five feet wide.

Circle No. 13. National park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, in which will be erected and maintained grand and beautiful buildings, representing every nation, the United States government, states and territories, that desire to be represented in the World's Model Exposition City.

Circle No. 14. National boulevard, one hundred and fifty feet wide. the same as No. 10, with electric railroad, etc.

Circle No. 15. Exposition park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, for representative buildings, the same as No. 13, with buildings for special purposes, and large manufacturing exhibits.

Circle No. 16. Traffic driveway, twenty-five feet wide.

Circle No. 17. University park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, for the most complete and modern universities, colleges and schools of the world, representing every department of art, science, music, mechanical training and all other branches of learning.

Circle No. 18. University boulevard, one hundred and fifty feet wide, with electric railroad, arcade, etc.

Circle No. 19. College park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, the same as No. 17, also with model apartment for students.

Circle No. 20. Traffic driveway, twenty-five feet wide.

Circle No. 21. Fraternal park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, for grand and beautiful temples and halls for every prominent lodge, society, order and union of the world that desires to be represented in the World's Exposition and Model City.

Circle No. 22. Temple boulevard, one hundred and fifty feet wide, with electric railway, arcade, etc.

Circle No. 23. Temple park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, for the finest and most beautiful churches, temples and halls for every religious and spiritual belief in the world that desires to be represented.

Circle No. 24. Promenade boulevard No. 1, fifty feet wide, next to the basin of fresh water on the next circle, with shade trees and seats along the margin of the water.

Circle No. 25. Basin of fresh water, three hundred feet wide, and the circumference is now over six miles, with islands covered with shade trees, shrubbery, ferns and flowers, and shaded arbors affording delightful and secluded nooks for students and others, who desire to be alone with the beauties of nature, even while in the midst of the World's Exposition and Model City. Here will be gondolas, sail, row and motor boats, and a large supply and variety of fresh water fish for those who desire to catch them. With brilliant electric lights and music in the evenings, marble margins and the delightful wooded islands and electric fountains and every other possible attraction, this beautiful basin of fresh water in the midst of such magnificent surroundings will be one of the chief delights of the New Era Model City.

Circle No. 26. Promenade boulevard No. 2, fifty feet wide, with trees, and seats along the water.

Circle No. 27. Carriage boulevard, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 28. Bicycle boulevard, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 29. The most beautiful arcade park that can be conceived of, one hundred feet wide, all under and enclosed with glass extending from the ten-story model hotels and office buildings on the next circles to the boulevards on the last, with fountains, statuary and flowers. With shades under the glass roofs and side to be unrolled when the sun is too warm in the day time and with brilliant electric lights in the evening. This delightful arcade park will be a desirable place to meet friends and enjoy social chats, or listen to the fine music that will be provided afternoons and evenings. Here also will be held large conventions and other meetings, and on special occasions, balls, banquets, dinners and suppers for large parties, the food being supplied from the adjoining hotels.

Circle No. 30. The finest and most complete hotels and office buildings in the world, ten stories high and two hundred feet wide, with all the best modern improvements. Under the buildings around the entire circle of about six and one-half miles will be the subway for all pipes, and an electric supply railway for transporting supplies, baggage, material, refuse in sealed packages, etc., connecting with the cross subways along the arcade boulevards and through them to the emporium in the centre of the city and warehouses, factories and depots, on the outskirts. In the office buildings in this circle, doctors, lawyers, dentists and other professional and commercial people will be provided for. Here also will be the general offices of every industry, enterprise and all other departments of the New Era Union, the executive offices being in the Administration capitol.

Circle No. 31. An avenue, one hundred feet wide, for traffic and carriages, and double-track electric railway connecting with all cross avenues and boulevards.

Circle No. 32. One hundred and fifty feet wide for more hotels and office buildings when needed. Other public buildings, places of amusement, lecture halls, fine bath houses, etc., will here be provided for:

Circle No. 33. Avenue fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 34. First Generals' circle, three hundred and fifty feet wide, divided into generals' estates four hundred feet front on the grand Generals' boulevard on the next circle. Here the members of the Generals' Degree of the New Era Union will have their palaces. Every general's estate will cost $250,000, and the purchaser to hold it must begin the erection within one year of a general's palace, to cost at least $500,000, and to be as beautiful and complete as possible. As the General's Degree members will have the highest authority and responsibility, requiring them to know and understand the representative people from the different departments of the New Era Union, they will be expected to give grand reception entertainments, balls and banquets for that purpose from time to time, so that it will become the chief delight and ambition of the members of the New Era Union to be invited to the palaces of the General's Degree members. One of the sections of the first Generals' circle, between an arcade and boulevard which will be about two thousand feet front on the Generals' boulevard, will be reserved for a grand Administration castle, to cost $5,000,000 or more, and to be the most delightful, wonderful, beautiful and complete building of the kind in the world when the New Era Union can afford to build it. Here the supreme trustee and supreme council will live and entertain the executive officers of the New Era Union, and the General's, Major's and Captain's Degree members in good standing, on properly appointed occasions.

Circle No. 35. Generals' boulevard, two hundred feet wide, to be with the other, No. 38, the finest and most beautiful boulevard in the world, with separate space for promenade, bicycles and carriages, and with statuary, fountains, trees, plants, brilliant electric lights and every other desirable attraction to make them an inspiration and delight.

Circle No. 36. Second Generals' circle, three hundred and fifty feet wide, same as No. 34, for generals' palaces.

Circle No. 37.Third Generals' circle, same as the other two. These three Generals' circles will afford generals' estates four hundred feet front on the Generals' boulevards for only about two hundred generals' palaces, besides the grand Administration capitol. As there will never be a like opportunity in this generation to secure such grand and delightful environments as will be provided in this grand Exposition and Model City of the world, and especially in these sublime Generals' circles, the wealthiest and most progressive people in the United States will eagerly secure these generals' estates and erect thereon their palaces and establish a society that will be an example for all the world to follow by using their wealth and ability to help all mankind to attain peace, happiness and prosperity on a basis of justice and reciprocity.

Circle No. 38. Second Generals' boulevard, two hundred feet wide, the same as the first.

Circle No. 39. Generals' park, three hundred and fifty feet wide, for the churches, schools, club houses, emporiums and other public buildings for the General's Degree members of the New Era Model City.

Circle No. 40. Generals' apartment building, two hundred feet wide and four stories high, with roof gardens and most beautiful and complete in every way. They will be used by General's Degree members who can not afford to, or were not in time to secure estates for generals' palaces. Under these apartments (as they will be continuous in the course of time, except for cross arcades and boulevards) will be the subway electric railways for supplies, etc.

Circle No. 41. First Majors' boulevard, one hundred and fifty feet wide, with electric railways connecting with the cross arcades and boulevards to all parts of the city, and a space for carriages, bicycles and promenade.

Circle No. 42. First Majors' circle, two hundred feet wide, for majors' estates, one hundred and fifty by two hundred feet, for Major's Degree members, which will cost $50,000, and the mansions to be erected thereon must cost at least $100,000, and be as beautiful as possible. Then follows five more Majors' circles for Major's Degree members' mansions; also three more Majors' boulevards.

Circle No. 51. Majors' park, three hundred feet wide, for churches, schools, club houses, places of amusement, emporiums and other public buildings for Major's Degree members.

Circle No. 52. Majors' apartment building, one hundred and fifty feet wide, six stories high, with roof gardens complete in every way, with subway electric railways for supplies. These apartments are for Major's Degree members who do not build mansions.

Circle No. 53. First Major avenue, one hundred feet wide, with double electric railway connecting with all others. Also to be a beautiful avenue, as all the other streets and avenues of the Model City will be, far more attractive and delightful, smooth and clean, than any of our streets and avenues in our present cities.

Circle No. 54. First Captains' circle, one hundred and fifty feet wide, divided into residence sites fifty feet front, costing $10,000 each, for Captain's Degree members who build residences to cost this amount or more.

Circle No. 55. Traffic way fifteen feet wide for supplies. Then follows five more Captains' circles, three more Captains' avenues and two more traffic ways.

Circle No. 66. Captains' park, two hundred and fifty feet wide, for churches, schools, club houses, theatres, emporiums and other public buildings for Captain's Degree members.

Circle No. 67. Captains' apartment buildings, one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, eight stories high, complete and modern, with roof gardens and subway electric railways.

Circle No. 68. Captains' avenue, one hundred feet wide, with double electric railway.

Circle No. 69. Captains' apartment buildings, same as No. 67, when needed. Then follows seven more Captains' circles, four more Captains' avenues and three more traffic ways in the captains' division of the Model City.

Circle No. 84. Traffic way twenty-five feet wide between the captains' and lieutenants' divisions of the New Era Model City.

Circle No. 85. First Lieutenants' circle, one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, divided into lieutenants' residence lots thirty feet front, that will cost $5,000 each, for Lieutenant's Degree members, who will erect a residence to cost $5,000 or more. Then follows eight more Lieutenants' circles, five avenues and four traffic ways between circles.

Circle No. 103. Lieutenants' park, two hundred feet wide, for churches, schools, places of amusement, club houses, emporiums and office buildings for Lieutenant's Degree members.

Circle No. 104. Lieutenants' apartments, one hundred feet wide, ten stories high, with roof gardens, subway electric railway, etc.

Circle No. 105. Sixth Lieutenants' avenue, seventy five feet wide, with electric railway in both directions.

Circle No. 106. Lieutenants' apartment buildings, when needed. Then follows eleven more Lieutenants' circles, six more Lieutenants' avenues and five traffic driveways.

Circle No. 129. Traffic way, one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, between the lieutenants' and sergeants' division of the Model City.

Circle No. 130. First Sergeants' circle, one hundred feet wide, divided into lots twenty-five feet front, to cost $2,500 each, for Sergeant's Degree members to build cottages, to cost that amount or more. Then follows nine more sergeants' circles, six sergeants' streets, sixty feet wide, and four traffic ways, ten feet wide.

Circle No. 150. Sergeants' park, one hundred and fifty feet wide, for churches, schools, places of amusement, club houses, emporiums and office buildings for Sergeant's Degree members.

Circle No. 151. Sergeants' apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide, ten stories high, with roof gardens, subway electric railways, etc.

Circle No. 152. Sergeants' avenue, seventy-five feet wide, for electric railway in both directions.

Circle No. 153. Sergeants' apartment buildings, when needed. Then follows eleven sergeants' circles, six Sergeants' streets and five traffic ways.

Circle No. 176. Traffic way, twenty-five feet wide, between sergeants' and privates' divisions of the Model city.

Circle No. 177. First Private's Degree circle, one hundred feet wide, divided into lots twenty feet front, to cost $1,500, for Private's Degree members who build cottages to cost that amount or more. Then follows eight more privates' circles, five privates' streets, fifty feet wide, and four traffic ways, ten feet wide.

Circle No. 195. Privates' apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide, ten stories high, to be built after Nos. 198 and 200 are fully occupied.

Circle No. 196. Seventh Privates' street, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 197. Privates' park, one hundred and fifty feet wide, for churches, schools, places of amusement, club houses, offices, emporiums, etc., for Privates' Degree members.

Circle No. 198. Privates' apartment building, one hundred feet wide, ten stories high, with roof gardens, subway electric railways, etc.

Circle No. 199. Privates' avenue, seventy-five feet wide, with electric railways in both directions.

Circle No. 200. Privates' apartment building, same as No. 198, to be built when this is occupied. Then follows nine more privates' circles, five more privates' streets, and four traffic ways, ten feet wide.

Circle No. 219. Traffic way, twenty-five feet wide.

Circle No. 220 Privates' apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide and ten stories high, with roof gardens, subway electric railway, etc.

Circle No. 221. Privates' boulevard, one hundred and fifty feet wide, with electric railway in both directions, separate space for carriages, bicycles and promenade.

Circle No. 222. Factory park, gardens, etc., one hundred and fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 223. Factory building circle, one hundred feet wide, for all kinds of industries in model factories and workrooms, connected together to economize space, power and time of operatives. This circle will have a circumference of about twenty-nine miles, affording space for factories of every kind that can be conceived or desired. Under this factory circle will be a subway for all pipes, wires, electric railway for transporting all supplies and productions to and from different factories, and to the railroad depots, warehouses, apartment buildings, local emporiums, and the Grand Central Exposition and Emporium in the center of the city. Through the first story of these factory circle buildings, when enough are built to justify it, an elevated double-track electric railway will be provided to enable spectators to enjoy a general view of the inside of the factories. Also for the convenience of the operatives in going back and forth to their work. These factory buildings being only one hundred feet wide, with delightful parks, gardens and trees on both sides, with everything kept clean and orderly, finely finished and supplied with all modern appliances and conveniences, so that those working in them will indeed find it a pleasure to be useful producers and workers instead of consumers only and drones.

Circle No. 224. Storage and Railway park, two hundred feet wide, with steam railroad tracks and storage houses, yards for supplies and products of the factories.

Circle No. 225. First Recruits' street, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 226. Recruits' apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide and six stories high, with roof gardens and other conveniences, for those who perform crude, coarse and common kinds of-work, or are only learning. or have been taken on probation or trial. Their pay will only be two dollars per day for eight hours' work, but the accommodations and advantages they can secure in exchange for their two dollars will far exceed what expert mechanics now earning three dollars can secure. Every inducement and opportunity will be provided for recruits to progress and be admitted into the higher degrees as soon as worthy or needed, according to the laws of the civil service department.

Circle No. 227. Second Recruits' street, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 228. Recruits' park, one hundred and fifty feet wide, for the churches, schools, places of amusement, clubs, emporiums and office buildings for recruits.

Circle No. 229. Recruits' apartment buildings, one hundred feet wide, six stories high, with roof gardens, etc.

Circle No. 230. Recruits' avenue, seventy-five feet wide, with double track electric railway.

Circle No. 231. Recruits' apartment buildings, when the others are all occupied.

Circle No. 232. Third Recruits' street, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 233. First Recruits' avenue, one hundred feet wide, divided into lots twenty feet front, to cost $500 each, on which cottages, to cost same amount or more, will be erected for recruits who are members of the New Era Union.

Circle No. 234. Traffic way, ten feet wide.

Circle No. 235. One hundred feet wide, same as No. 233, for recruits' cottages.

Circle No. 236. Gardeners' street, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 237. Gardens, orchards, hothouses and poultry farms, five hundred feet wide, the circumference being about thirty miles and containing about eighteen hundred acres., Here fruit, vegetables, poultry and eggs will be produced for the residents of the Model City in the most effectual and systematic methods possible.

Circle No. 238. Farm drive, fifty feet wide.

Circle No. 239. Stock farms and milk ranches on to the limits of the city, which will amount to about five thousand acres, and still leave space in the corners for large public parks, railroad plants, large factories, power plants and public buildings not desired inside the city.

In the northeast corner of the New Era Model City will be an immense railroad plant, with a grand depot, for the transfer of passengers from the electric railway system of the New Era Model City to the steam railroads outside. Also, with freight tracks, warehouses, railroad shops, car houses, power plants, large factories and mills, lumber yards, etc.

In the northwest corner will be a grand public park of about fifteen hundred acres, with a large lake for boating and fishing, tracks for all kinds of races and games, immense pleasure pavilions for amusements of all kinds, immense auditoriums for large gatherings, hotels and apartment buildings for those who wish to live outside of the city, and in every other possible way this grand park will be the most delightful and attractive in the world.

In the extreme southeast corner of the city will be the cemetery and crematory for the Model City, and in the southwest corner will be complete and perfect hospitals, asylums, jails and other public buildings.

In each residence division of the New Era Model City a number of blocks will be arranged for those who want homes on the Coleman Stuckert Model Home Plan--the plans of Mrs. Coleman Stuckert, that aroused so much interest at the World's fair, at Chicago, which provide for a central cooperative building in the centre of each block of houses, in which is provided an electric light and heating plant to light and heat all the houses in the block. In this central cooperative building all of the laundry work is performed for the entire block, and with a complete cold storage plant to preserve food in quantities, and the most complete facilities for expert cooking, all meals will be prepared for those who desire same, to be delivered in heated hampers by rapid electric conduits to each dining room in the private homes, or the public dining room in the central building. This central building has many other advantages, such as providing comfortable homes for the servants or skilled help; also, with billiard and game rooms for adults, class and play rooms for children, and a fine hall on the second floor for lectures, concerts, dances, amateur theatrical plays and other purposes for the residents of the block.

By Mrs. Coleman Stuckert's plan the advantages and comforts of each family are greatly increased, while the labor and expense for living are greatly reduced from the present plan, where each family must have its own servants, do their own heating, cooking, washing, etc., and then not have either done nearly as well as the skilled help by Mrs. Stuckert's plan will perform it. Every other possible improvement and desirable attraction will be provided, with telephones in every house, and all heating, lighting and cooking to be done by electricity, doing away with any necessity for furnaces, fires, steam, fuel, and other wasteful and unpleasant things now considered so necessary.

With the above system the New Era Model City will be a constant delight to its residents and visitors, and an example to the world for centuries to come, so that in time all the progressive and ambitious people in the world will be living in Model Cities, Towns and Villages, and the present cities and towns will be abandoned as useless and worthless. By the above plans for the apartments and private homes, the New Era Model City will accommodate five million people in comfort on ten

square miles, with all the public conveniences provided for, and without crowding or inconvenience. But provision will only be made at first for the following number:

General's Degree members and their families
1,000

Major's Degree members and their families
10,000

Captain's Degree members and their families
100,000

Lieutenant's Degree members and their families
150,000

Sergeant's Degree members and their families
200,000

Private's Degree members and their families
250,000

Recruit's Degree members and their families
289,000

1,000,000 . 


    Selected, scanned, edited, provided with headnotes, and formatted as a web document by John W. Reps, Professor Emeritus, Department of City and Regional Planning, West Sibley Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. Tel: (607) 255-5391, Fax: (607) 255-6681, E-mail: jwr2@cornell.edu