We send you, under separate cover by express, our preliminary outline plan for the proposed improvements in the vicinity of the bath houses and also six water color sketches and one pen and ink drawing furnished by Messrs. Andrews, Jaques & Rantoul, Architects, as follows:

No. 1 The proposed arcade as seen from the street.

No. 2 The arcade seen from the bath houses looking toward the street.

No. 3 The pavilion or spring house at the pump house end of the arcade.

No. 4 The proposed gateway through the arcade at the entrance between Palace and Maurice bathhouses.

No. 5 A suggestion by the architects for a wall fountain to terminate the vista through the straight entrance road from the gateway.

No. 6 The architects suggestion for drinking fountains and gateway in case the arcade is not built.

No. 7 Plan, elevation and prospective view in pen and ink of the fountain and gateway shown in No. 6.

We had already ordered the sketches for the arcade before we received your telegram of 14th Nov., 1892, stating that the Secretary of the Interior preferred to omit the proposed arcade. We therefore concluded not to countermand the order and to let the Secretary have the opportunity of judging of the value of the idea after having seen the plans and sketches.

In submitting our preliminary outline plan for the proposed improvement of a portion of the Government Reservation, we wish to make certain general observations and to explain the leading motives of the design.

The portions of the government reservation now proposed to be improved are not to be laid out according to the principles which should control the plan for a large public park. It is not the primary purpose to develop those forms of natural landscape which are valuable as being restful to the people of cities who are suffering from overwork and confinement. The prime object to be attained in the present plan is to aid visitors to while away, agreeably, some of their leisure time. To accomplish this object on this piece of ground, there should be provided certain artificial and natural features of interest, and also, of course, walks and drives to make them accessible. There will be, incidentally, fine views across the valley and there may be much natural beauty of detail within the grounds.

Our plan embodies the following features, some of which have been suggested by you and some through you, by the Secretary of the Interior.

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Plan and Elevation of Entrance Gate and Wall, Hot Springs Reservation

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First: A broad, level, public promenade, sheltered by a roofed arcade, instead of by trees, and so situated that everyone may readily enjoy it.

Second: A hillside garden, ramble or pleasure ground which may be full of incidents and variety, and provided with many seats and shelters.

Third: A drive, narrow but sufficient for present needs, extending to the top of the hill in the rear of the bath houses where distant views may be enjoyed.

Fourth: A walk to the hill top, without steps and with comparatively “easy” grades, so that invalids can use it comfortably. This walk must necessarily be long and winding.

Fifth: An alternative walk to the hill top made as direct and short as possible and therefore having necessarily many steps.

Sixth: A group of the natural hot springs in the tufa rock to be preserved as a special feature. Some of them may be bare and desert-like and others, by way of contrast, may be made verdant with mosses, and other low plants. This group of springs to be fenced in and carefully guarded from pollution. All others to be covered.

Seventh: A gushing wall fountain of hot water to be supplied either by the overflow of the natural springs or from a tank.

Of the above features it is our opinion that the arcaded promenade ought to be the first undertaken, the most carefully planned and the most liberal in dimensions and style of construction. Believing thus, it will be proper for us to state our reasons at some length.

Hot Springs is a comparatively small city which exists largely by entertaining visitors attracted by the hygienic qualities of the springs. Separated from their families and their friends and usually without their accustomed occupations, many of these visitors, however comfortable they may be made in the excellent hotels, and however much they may be benefitted by the springs, will soon become bored and leave the City if means are not provided for enabling them to enjoy themselves with little conscious mental effort and at moderate expense.

Experience proves that there is one way in which people of leisure can amuse themselves, day after day, for a longer period than by almost any other. That way is by sauntering to and fro for an hour or two before or after dinner, on an attractive and popular promenade. Most people who have leisure seem never to tire of the daily opportunity which the promenade affords them of seeing each other and each other’s clothes; of bowing to their acquaintances and gossiping about them; of chatting with their friends; and incidentally, of taking the air and getting, without special mental effort, the gentle exercise needed to maintain their health.

In most old cities and so-called health resorts, people are accustomed to promenade in some special place, which place has usually come to be one of the most notable and highly esteemed features of the town.

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Most of these promenades are not only broad and nearly level but they usually have some strongly marked character which distinguishes them from the ordinary sidewalks of a town.

Sometimes the broad promenade is bordered by the most fashionable residences of the town; sometimes by the gayest and most luxurious shops and hotels; sometimes by the river or harbor upon which the town is situated; sometimes the promenade is on a high rampart or terrace commanding distant views; sometimes it follows the driveway habitually used by the fashionable people for their afternoon drive, or ride, but this occurs rarely except in large cities where there are many wealthy people who can afford stylish turnouts. Almost invariably there is some accompaniment of fine architecture, or gorgeous stores, or numerous hotels, or a public square for open air concerts, or a richly decorated garden, or a grove of grand old trees, or a commanding view over river or harbor or meadows toward the sunset sky, or else the promenade lies between the town and a great public park or place of resort.

For instance, in Quebec the popular promenade is the broad walk along the top of the great military terrace, which commands a broad view across the St. Lawrence. In Chester it is along the top of the ancient ramparts; in Paris it is in the Champs Elysees; in Berlin it is the “Unter den Linden”; in Florence, it leads along the River Arno to the park; in Dijon it is in the broad avenue leading to the park; in London, it is along the fashionable ride called Rotten Row; in New York, it is along the fashionable east drive in Central Park; in Venice it is on the quay along the harbor.

Assuming that we have said enough to show that there is need of a similar popular promenade in Hot Springs, it remains only to choose a location which will compel it to be used and a design which will insure its success. It seems to me that the only available place for it is along the street in front of the existing bath houses and extending eventually along the fronts of the future bath houses to be built on Fountain Street.

We are decidedly of the opinion that it is not sufficient to lay out a sidewalk in this place ten or twelve feet wide only, and to plant a row of common street trees on one or both sides of it. As for decorating the borders of such a walk, if there are to be shade trees it cannot be done by the commonplace expedient of formal flower-beds, for the plants will not grow in the shade, and such flower beds can hardly be made very effective in Winter. In the absence of fine views, a promenade, if wide enough, would be successful and satisfactory only in case it was bordered with unusually handsome and costly residences, or grand hotels, or monumental public buildings, or by the large plate glass windows of stores filled with jewelry and other choice and handsome goods. In Hot Springs there are none of these accompaniments of such quality as to be credited. The trees are small and commonplace and will take many years to attain a respectable size. The street is not thronged by elegant equipages. There is no fine view. The architecture of the bath houses and of the shops and [588]buildings across the way is not such as will linger in the memory of the visitors as one of the fine sights of the world. What can be done in the face of so many disadvantages? There may be several ways of giving the promenade character and of satisfying the public sense of fitness and beauty. It seems to us that in no other way can the desired result be obtained so thoroughly and immediately; so fittingly to the conditions of the locality and climate; so economically and in so novel and original a manner as by erecting over the broad promenade a stone arcade with an open timber roof.

This proposed arcade would suggest the interesting relation which the region has had, and still has to some extent, with the Spanish-Mexican civilization. It would afford complete shade from the blazing southern sun, while permitting the breeze to draw through in any direction. It would permit people to promenade at times when there was light rain or falling dew, when any other form of promenade would be unavailable. It would throw the miscellaneous architecture of the bath houses and other buildings across the way into the background, and its quaintness and novelty would greatly interest all strangers.

The arcade would do away with the necessity of slow growing trees. With the omission of the trees on the bath house side of the promenade would come the possibility of growing novel and beautiful, sub-tropical evergreen shrubs and vines, and of setting out any desired amount of decorative flower beds. While the arcade would be effective if built in a comparatively economical style it would permit of almost unlimited alterations and additions of elegant and rich architectural details. At any time in the future its cement pavement can be replaced by a tessellated marble floor, its rubble piers can be rebuilt in finely cut and moulded granite or marble, or they can be replaced by polished granite columns. Its projecting bays can be turned into richly decorated fountain canopies or alcoves for choice statuary, its simple gas jets or electric lights can be succeeded by the most elaborate and artistic wrought iron or bronze work. The modest gateway can give way to the monumental triumphal arch. If the proposed arcade is built, much of this elegance and elaboration will come as a natural and reasonable result of the growth of the community in wealth and refinement. The present administration, with the money now available can build the arcade in a perfectly respectable manner and will, by doing so, gain the greatest possible credit and renown, and will have the comforting assurance that the project will probably not be abandoned by succeeding administrations, but will continually gain in richness of detail, extent and celebrity. All that is necessary is that it should meet a universal popular want in a creditable manner, and be started on a large enough scale to serve future requirements. We are confident that no other equal expenditure of money will give so immediately successful a result and be so permanently satisfactory. Such a feature would tend to add greatly to the popularity of Hot Springs. Its novelty and appropriateness would insure its being easily and pleasantly remembered by visitors who would speak of it to their friends, and thus stimulate them to go to the Springs.

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It may be objected that this arcade would interfere with the possible widening of the street. We cannot believe, judging from our knowledge of many other cities, that there would ever be any need of widening the street. We understand that the street is now 70 feet wide, not counting the promenade, which would certainly make the street equal to an ordinary one {60} feet wide.

It has been suggested that the funds now available be used for a building to combine the functions of a spring-house and a casino or amusement hall. It is doubtless very desirable that there should be a building or buildings for one or both purposes, but the funds now available are probably not sufficient to erect a very creditable casino, while it is certain that, if not now built, the demand for it will continue until a larger appropriation is available, and that it will in that case be much more likely to be built on a scale and in a style commensurate with its importance. If the present administration puts up a casino with the present limited means at its disposal, it is pretty certain to be either too small or too economically built to be noteworthy or creditable and permanent.

Yours respectfully,