In our century

“Has your city these maps?” That was the question posed in the title of a May 1914 article in The American City by William Capes, secretary of the New York State Conference of Mayors and Other City Officials. The organization was surveying mayors to determine how far each had progressed in compiling complete map records of their communities. The article listed 18 essential maps “that every administration should have spread before it at every meeting at which are discussed or made plans for some city improvement or development.”

The list of essential maps included one showing population growth by election districts, one showing location of industries and other employment, a topographical survey, fire prevention maps, a tree map, street and sidewalk paving maps, street accident maps, juvenile delinquency maps, and a map of railroads and proposed street car lines or tracks. Maps would take the guesswork out of city administration, help elected officials study problems in relation to others, and increase cooperation among city departments, the author wrote. For example, by studying the juvenile delinquency map along with the maps of businesses and residences, the park department could determine new places for playgrounds.

The October 1915 edition of the magazine included a description of how New York City created its new official map. Under the direction of Nelson Lewis, chief engineer, the preparation of the map took nearly eight months with up to 22 draftsmen working in day and night shifts. The 973-square-mile area was divided into 21 sheets, with a scale of 600 feet to the inch, and it was finally assembled on a 27-foot-by-28-foot platform. The lithographed map, on a scale of 2,000 feet to the inch, measured 7.4 feet by 7.12 feet and was available to the public for $4 each (approximately $87 in 2010 dollars).

Previous “In our century” Stories

• In our century — September 1915
  Technology develops to ensure the safe movement of trains, cars and emergency vehicles through city streets
• In our century — July 1914
  Among the early efforts to improve public health, cities invent and seek weapons of mass fly destruction
• In our century — August 1913
  When bond issues fail, cities seek alternative funding for infrastructure improvements and other public projects
• In our century — August 1914
  Cities improve cleanliness and public health by strategically placing public restrooms and encouraging their use
• In our century — December 1914
  Cities begin the tradition of decorating enormous public Christmas trees to celebrate the holidays
• In our century — June 1910
  Government accounting methods and reports mature from vague and incomplete records to standard formats.
• In our century — October 1909
  Investigations into corruption and mismanagement lead to (some) reforms in government policies and operations.
• In our century — January 1913
  Cities experiment with road surfaces and set out methods for funding road construction and maintenance.
• In our century — September 1909
  Limits on outdoor advertising are set through cities’ hard-fought battles over billboard sizes, messages and locations.
• In our century — August 1911
  Fire departments gain authority, modern equipment to prevent and improve response times to structure fires.
• In our century — June 1910
  Street lights become symbols of communities’ economic success, and lighting technology efficiency evolves.
• In our century — September 1909
  With urban growth comes city leaders’ desire to control and direct it for the community’s greatest benefit.
• In our century — September 1909
  Cities embrace playgrounds as valuable public assets for children’s safety, health and social development.
• In our century — September 1909
  Women embrace public causes, work to improve their communities and expand their societal roles.
• In our century — March 1910
  Cities develop methods, mechanisms and regulations for residential solid waste collection and disposal.
• In our century — November 1909
  Occupancy laws and social workers emerge in the early 1900s to clean up inner-city neighborhoods.
• The way we were
  Publisher’s son remembers American City & County‘s roots.