Carlo designs May Park in Horsham

Amongst Carlo Catani's work in Victoria was the design of May Park in Horsham. The original piece of land where May Park is, was triangular in shape and was created in the 1860s by a new road which cut off the land from the adjoining allotment. The land was part of the Shire of Wimmera, but in 1882 when the Borough of Horsham was created it should have gone to them but the Shire retained control. Ever since then the borough ratepayers have been placed in the novel position of having within their territory, in a part which is capable of improvement, at blank piece of land over which they have no authority. Some years ago the Progress Association, after receiving a substantial donation from Mr. S. May, planted a few pepper trees on the reserve and euphemistically named it May Park. Since then it has been more or less a harbor for rabbits, periodically a grazing ground for favored stock, and ever a scene of desolation (Horsham Times, July 25, 1911) In 1912, the Wimmera Shire had plans to sell the land but that did not eventuate and around 1914, it was officially handed over to the Borough of Horsham and they decided to formulate a definite scheme for the improvement of the locality. (Horsham Times, April 10, 1914)

Views in May Park, published in Horsham Illustrated, by the Horsham Times, 1920s.

Digitised at the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/245438

By good fortune, Carlo Catani, was in the town in July 1914, so the Council was able to obtain his expert opinion and advice. Two weeks later the Horsham Times could report on these plans -
In outline, his suggestions for the improvement of May Park are the erection of a screen of permanent trees right round the boundary, with shade trees and seats bordering on the paths. There is proposed a large lawn for the youngsters, a band stand and shelter, with conveniences, a fernery, rockery, and two small ponds, for acquatic and other plants, introduced about the centre of the Dimboola-road frontage. A palm group would be near the entrance, and, between this and the pond, would be flower beds. Outside, at the east end, would be an ornamental lamp post, on Grampian stone, with a tablet commemorating the fact that Major Mitchell passed close by in 1836, and at the north end a similar erection and tablet to mark Eyre's visit in I838. (Horsham Times July 24, 1914) Carlo also suggested enlarging the park by acquiring land from the adjacent road reserves.

Work was commenced later in 1914; a large double iron gate was donated by McDonald Brothers, builders and contractors, of Horsham in September 1916. In May 1917, the Horsham Progress Association made a canvass of the town for subscriptions to enable the gardens committee to have the necessary lawns planted in May Park and £160 was raised (Horsham Times, May 4 1917). A year later, in May 1918, Mr Frank Rushbrook, Honorary Secretary of the Horsham Progress Association wrote a letter to the editor of the Horsham Times saying that May Park is now nearing completion, and the flowers and shrubs are coming on well. He also urged that Let each one when in the park consider himself or herself one of its guardians, and do all that is possible to prevent any damage being done. (Horsham Times May 24, 1918).

Picturesque May's Park, Horsham, 1940s

Views of Horsham postcard series, State Library of Victoria Image H2001.132/4a

Before we go onto the opening of May Park, we will have a look at the man it was named after, Samuel May. Samuel was born in Cornwall in 1847 and the next year the family migrated to South Australia, where his father worked in the copper mines at Burra. He started his apprenticeship as a blacksmith in 1862 and in 1874 he established a business in Mount Gambier, with James Millar - May and Millar - Iron founders and agricultural implement makers. They very quickly moved the business to Horsham, where it traded under the May and Millar name until 1910 when Samuel traded under his own name. Samuel was very civic minded - he was an inaugural Borough of Horsham Councillor, on the Hospital Committee, Fire brigade, Oddfellows Lodge, Justice of the Peace, amongst other activities. Samuel married Christina Eglinton in December 1870. Mrs May died at the age of 59 on November 7, 1909. Samuel died October 28, 1914 at the age of 67. They had six children. We know that Samuel had donated money to establish May Park and he also left £805 in his will to be distributed to charities and public bodies and the May Park Improvement Fund received £100 of this money. You can read more about the bequeaths in the Horsham Times of April 13, 1915. You can read Mrs May's obituary in the Horsham Times of November 9, 1909 and Mr May's obituary in the Horsham Times of October 30, 1914.

 May Park, Horsham (Rose Stereograph Co.)

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/4691

May Park was officially opened on November 6, 1920 by the Mayor of Horsham, after being open to the public for some years. The Mayor, Cr J. Bennett, gave a short history of the park. The local parliamentarian, Hon. A.S. Rogers, M.H.R reminisced He could remember the spot they were now on a waste piece of ground until it be came the inspiring idea of one of their townsmen, the late Mr. Samuel May, to transfer it into a healthful spot that would become an addition to the lung power of the town, and after his death the beneficiaries under his will endowed the borough handsomely to make this park one of the beauty spots not only of Horsham but of the Wimmera. Mr J. Morcom, President of the Horsham Progress Association, spoke about the work of the organization in the town and the beautifying of May Park and mentioned that Mr. Catani was brought here and the park was planted to his plans. (Horsham Times, November 9, 1920)

We will finish this post with a rather nice tribute the Horsham Times made to Carlo Catani - Mr. Catani, of the Department of Public Works, one of the enthusiasts in landscape gardening, and botany and park-outlaying, whose names are familiar where-ever artistic cultivation has proceeded in the Commonwealth, has been consulted by the Horsham Borough Council [to design May Park]' (Horsham Times, July 24, 1914)

Trove list
I have created  a list of newspaper articles on May Park on Trove, it can be accessed here. All the newspaper references listed here are on the list.

Carlo and the Bennett’s Stump Puller

A successful trial of the Bennett stump-puller was held last week at the Bunyip village settlement. It was arranged between Mr. Catani, C.E., of the Public Works department, and Messrs. J. Davies and Co. that a three days' test trial take place with a view of letting the settlers see the advantage of the stump-puller to clear the scrub. The objection against the old method was that it took a long time to clear, it being so heavily timbered, also that if any, of the root fibres were left in the ground they, would grow again. The puller was started at the back of Mr. Leithhead's store, in the presence of a great many settlers. The stumps were pulled clean out of the ground without grubbing. Some of the holes caused by pulling up the stumps were eight feet by four feet deep, thus showing the quantity of root fibres. The settlers were greatly pleased with the work done. The Government intend hiring the puller out to them at a very cheap rental, and the men who worked the puller at the trial put their names first on the list tor the use of the machine. Last Friday the Minister for Lands visited the settlement, and was greatly pleased with the puller. A couple of men can work it easily. The Government, we understand, intend ordering several of these machines.  (The Australasian February 3, 1894) 

A further report in The Age of the same day said that Mr Catani had accompanied the Minister for Lands, Mr M’Intyre and Mr Callinan, the chief surveyor on the visit. They had arrived by train to Bunyip where they then transferred to a very primitive but serviceable tram car which was drawn by a reinless horse over a tram line built by the settlers, with timber provided by the Government at the small cost of about £50 per mile. The car was loaded with bags of flour, boxes of provisions and eight passengers; and although the progress made was slow, it was safe and sure. At the end of a mile and a half we came to a locality known as the Bunyip Junction. It was at Bunyip Junction [at the Junction bridge] behind Mr Leithhead’s store that the Bennett’s Stump puller was demonstrated.

Advertisement for Bennett's Stump Puller

The Australasian November 18, 1893

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/138110589?

The Bennett’s Stump puller which had clearly caught the eye of Carlo Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department,  had been advertised in Melbourne papers since late December 1892. It had been imported by John Davies & Co., Franklin Street, Melbourne.The first demonstration was carried out at Mr William’s orchard at Doncaster, here the puller was put on its trial and it extracted 20 stumps with the ease of a dentist drawing teeth with the aid of electricity. One of the stumps was 3ft 6in diameter, but as some of the party thought that a pull at a green stump would give more satisfactory results, a growing tree was cut down. The stump was double-rooted, but, nevertheless, It came up, when it was found that the sap root measured 10in, in diameter. Everybody was highly pleased with this test.(The Herald, December 2, 1892) It was later exhibited at Glen Farm in Clyde, the property owned by Mr Wadey.

John Davies & Co. displayed the machine at the Melbourne Agricultural Show in 1893 and The Argus of September 1, 1893 had this to say about how the machine was advertised -  The notice erected around it that one man can lift 20 tons attracts a great deal of notice, but such is the fact. They have a large piece of cast iron weighing 1½ tons suspended from the puller, and the smallest child can lift it. During the visit of His Excellency the Governor to the show he was shown the puller and was greatly pleased with it, and tried for himself the power of it. Five pounds weight on the lever will lift a ton.

Bennett's Stump Puller

The Leader, December 10 1892.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196893111?

How did the machine work? This description in The Leader of February 3, 1894 attempts at an explanation -  This appliance is in the form of an ordinary sledge, the two cross bars underneath being shod with a steel plate set to enter the ground like the edge of a plough share. The sledge being drawn forward acts upon the scrub and roots by means of the steel shoes. One of the selling points was that the  whole machine could be moved by one horse. The machine has been invented in the United States by Harwell L. Bennett and Russell B. Adams of Westerville,  Ohio and it was granted a U.S patent on February 27, 1894. Read the Patent application and see the original specifications, here. There is a photo of Bennett's manufacturing plant on a tour of Westerville's Industrial area, here.

I don’t know how Carlo got onto the Bennett’s Stump Puller but he was an innovative man and was obviously interested in machines that would make the work quicker, easier and more efficient. It was this same reason that he imported the Lubecker Steam bucket dredge to the Swamp in 1913.

If you are interested - John Davies, who imported the Bennett's Stump Puller, died on July 9,  1926, He was also an engineer and had worked on the construction of Princes Bridge. This is part of his obituary from the Emerald Hill Record, July 10 1926 -   Mr. Davies resided in Harold street, Middle Park, and was a close observer of the advancement of this municipality. He was a strong supporter of the  policy of teaching boys trades, and his enthusiasm for this important contribution to national development led tn his appointment to the council of the local technical school in October, 1919 (read full obituary, here  It is more than possible that Carlo and John Davies knew each other as they were both engineers and that is how the Bennett's Stump Puller came to Carlo's attention. Or perhaps Carlo had just read the reports in the paper of the wonderful Bennett's Stump Puller and decided to give it a trial.

I have created a list of articles from Trove, about the Bennett's Stump Puller. You can access it here.

Via Catani Boulevard - 'pretentious' or 'one of the finest ever seen'?

Via Catani was the name given, at one time, for The Boulevard which runs between Heidelberg and Ivanhoe. It was, of course, named in honour of Carlo, who drew up the plans for the road. No less a person than Walter Burley Griffin approved the design of the  Boulevard, however some were less than impressed.

The first sod for the new road was turned on Monday, September 8 1913.This is part of a report in The Age of September 9, 1913 that tells us about this road - The ceremony, which took place yesterday afternoon ...was made possible by the patriotism and generosity of Messrs. P.E. Keam, Austin Sharp and F. Castella, who are interested in land extending for about three miles between Heidelberg and the city. These gentlemen have donated a strip of land 100 feet wide above flood mark, and have also given sufficient for a footway along the banks of the river itself. The spot where the first sod was turned yesterday is over a quarter of a mile from the water's edge, but the intervening land is liable to floods, and it would not do for a large sum of money to be spent on it. Where the land keeps high, the proposed road will run adjacent to the bank. Mr.Catani, the Government engineer, has prepared plans for the boulevard, which will include accommodation for carriages, foot passengers/bicyclists and equestrians, some what similar to the lay out of Alexandra-avenue from St. Kilda-road, but it will not be quite so elaborate. Read the full article, here.

1. A general view of the new Boulevard looking towards Heidelberg. 2. Entrance to the Boulevard from Lower Heidelberg Road.

Weekly Times, September 23 1916

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132714110?

As you can see from the article I quoted from, above,  there was discussion about the location of the road not being close to the river and on January 17, 1914 The Age had a hard hitting article on the Boulevard  [read it here].  It started by criticising the Government - both State and Local - for their dalliance on the matter.  It then criticised  the Government for failing to buy up land along the river that would have allowed a boulevard along the length of the Yarra -  In the year 1912 the Government, at the suggestion of the metropolitan members of Parliament decided that the first step to be taken was to secure the land along the banks of the river. Twelve months ago the Public Works department undertook to secure options on privately held land fronting the river. What the department actually did has never been disclosed, but as far as can be ascertained it has not secured any of the land it was municipal authorities, but other land needed for the scheme has been cut up and sold while the Government or its representatives were asleep. And all the while the market price of land in Toorak, Hawthorn, Kew, Richmond, Collingwood and other river suburbs has been steadily advancing and making the ultimate hand ling of the scheme so much, the more expensive.

The report then talks about the work in the upper reaches of the Yarra i.e. between Heidelberg and Ivanhoe The "boulevard" is supposed to embrace in a 100-feet strip a footpath 10 feet wide, a 30-foot roadway for carriages and motor cars, and a pedestrian track. In addition, river bends have been secured for the establishment or parks and picnicking reserves. Those are the achievements of the Government at a cost of less than £3000. 

The facts, however, are disappointing. The most astonishing feature of the thing is that the "boulevard" is not a riverside avenue at all. All that is now visible as a result of the expenditure of £3000 is a partially formed road and footpath, not along the river bank, but up on the hills. At one or two points it gets within 100 yards of the river, but for the greater distance it is between 200 yards and half a mile away. The new road runs from near Heidelberg-bridge to the edge of a Chinese garden. There it stops like the serial story, to be continued— on the other side of the garden. The Chinese, holds this land on lease, and the officials apparently did not think it necessary to arrange with him for the running of the road through his properly......

The road is resumed on the other side of the garden, and by an easy grade it ascends the hills, getting further away from the river, to a spot where it is proposed to connect with a short unmade road that runs into Lower Heidelberg-road. On the way the officials have diverted themselves by making some interesting curves, and contortions along the hillside, which are calculated to keep a motorist so busy looking for accidents that he will not notice that the riverside road is half a mile away from the river. There are three curves of 3½ chains diameter, with the hill slope on one side, and on the other side banks that hide the view of approaching traffic. At the Ivanhoe end the pretentious "boulevard" stops short at a post and rail fence, and all the rights of private property and the majesty and might of the law unite to prevent the officials from pulling down that fence so that they might reach a public road 40 or 50 yards away...... with extraordinary stupidity the officials have, actually placed themselves in the power of the owner of that land. .....

Of the chapter of bungles into which the short history of this road is divided the most striking of all is the choice of a hillside for what is supposed to be a river side boulevard. It is only by a severe stretch of the imagination — stretching in fact back to the flood of 1891— that any connection between road and river can be understood. Excepting at the Heidelberg end the thoroughfare will give frontages on each side to private property, and in the course of time this expensive "boulevard" will become merely a suburban street — with dwellings on either side— constructed and fenced by a complaisant Government free of charge to the municipality and to the owners of the property.

So you get the picture, The Age was not happy with this pretentious boulevard. However, the next week, the next week the paper had a reply from the Minister of Public Works, Mr Hagelthorn.
One of the complaints is that the road as surveyed is not a river road. A boulevard, such as is being constructed, cannot be satisfactorily placed on land subject to flooding, which occurs periodically more or less three or four limes in a year. In 1911 it was flooded, to a depth of 15 feet, in 1891 24 feet, and move than once every year it has been flooded from two to three feet. However, the road is primarily intended to be a pleasure drive, having easy access to the river at various points. Mr Hagelthorn also dealt his trump card with this statement Mr Catani's conception of this great boulevard has been approved by Mr. Griffin, the designer of the Federal Capital, who stated that the drive was one of the finest he had ever seen and if it were in Chicago it would be worth millions to the people. Read the full article, here. 

The Boulevard - A bend at Ivanhoe

Weekly Times, September 23 1916

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132714110?

The road was officially opened sometime in late 1915 or 1916, I haven't found an official opening date yet. The  local community were obviously well pleased with the work Carlo carried out on their behalf as at Heidelberg Shire Council meeting held Tuesday, August 20, 1918 the following took place - Cr. Keam, referring to the death of the late Mr Catani, said that in order to perpetuate his memory, he proposed that the Minister for Public Works be asked to name the boulevard "The Via Catani." An Italian by birth, Mr Catani did a lot for the beautification of the Yarra, and it would be fitting to name the boulevard after him.-Seconded by Cr. Hannah and carried. (Heidelberg News, August 24, 1918).  This name change was approved by the Department of Public Works in the September and Via Catani came into being. Sadly it seems to have been a very short term name - there are advertisements for land with frontages to Via Catani in April 1919, but that is the last year I can find a mention of the road being called that name. Perhaps the locals thought that the French sounding The Boulevard was more to their  tastes than the Italian sounding Via Catani. Interestingly, there was a letter to the Editor of The Argus on July 17, 1918 that suggested that the road should be renamed Anzac Boulevard as a lasting memorial to our brave boys. (Read the letter, here)

As for whether Via Catani or The Boulevard is just pretentious or the drive was one of the finest ever seen and if it were in Chicago it would be worth millions to the people, you can be the judge.

Advertisement for land in the Valley Vue Estate, with frontages to Via Catani.

The Herald April 5, 1919

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243482251?

I have created a list of newspaper articles on Trove about the Via Catani, access the list, here.

Mr Catani eulogised

This interesting report of a meeting of the St Kilda Council, from the Malvern Standard of May 26, 1917 is, as the headline suggests, a eulogy to Carlo, who had just retired from the Public Service.  What we learn, inter alia, is that his work on the St Kilda foreshore was admired, that he had retained his juvenility notwithstanding the great work he had done throughout the State - that's a bit of an old fashioned way to say young at heart (or I think it is, anyway). We also find out that he had no interest in becoming the Mayor of St Kilda and that in 1879 it was his duty to plan out the Lower Esplanade. 1879 - only three years after he arrived in Victoria. Carlo also reveals that he could not see how any objections could he raised to the taking of sand for the work of beautification because the foreshores were just as much public property as the sun that shined to give us warmth. Apparently, not everyone agreed with that view and yes, it is hard for me to write that not everyone thinks he is perfect, but there you go. Finally, another thing we learn about Carlo is that he made reference to indecorum on the beaches, saying that while police efforts were put forward to put down soothsayers, so firm steps should also be taken to stamp out the indecorum referred to. Interesting that he equates indecorum on beaches with soothsayers, clearly he didn't approve of them as well.

You can read the article on Trove, here, and it is transcribed, below.

St Kilda Esplanade, 1875. Artist: Elizabeth Parsons. 

This is only four years before Carlo said he started his work on planning out the lower Esplanade in St Kilda; this view must be almost as he had seen it for the first time.

State Library of Victoria Image H36676/17

MR. CATANI EULOGISED.
At the meeting of the St Kilda Council on Monday evening Mr. C. Catani, who recently resigned from the Public Works Department, was present by invitation. Another visitor was Mr. R. G. McCutcheon, M.LA.

The Mayor (Cr. Barnet) said it was the desire of the council to express appreciation of Mr. Catani's services not only to St Kilda, but the whole of the State. Mr. Catani had had a great deal to do in making Elwood what it was, and it was his mind that had also brought the beautification work along the foreshore generally. They all admired the great work he had done. It was admired not only by citizens of St. Kilda, Victoria, and from other parts of the Commonwealth, but from other parts of the world. From early morning till late at night Mr. Catani had given his time to beautifying the foreshore. It would ever stand as a monument to his handiwork. For 41 years he had been connected with the Public Works Department, and during that time he had been associated with important works in other parts of the State. It was well to know that Mr. Catani would continue to act as a member of the St. Kilda Foreshore Committee. They all hoped that Mr. Catani would live long to continue the good work he had only commenced. They were proud of Mr. Catani, and were deeply appreciative of what he had done for St. Kilda.

Other councillors also added their quota of praise of Mr. Catani.

Cr. Love said Mr. Catani still retained his juvenility notwithstanding the great work he had done throughout the State. He looked forward to the time when Mr. Catani might possibly occupy the position Cr. Barnet occupied that evening as Mayor (Mr Catani smiled, and shook his head in the negative). Mr. Catani's fine work of beautification would stand as a monument to his memory.

Cr. Hewison spoke of Mr. Catani's strong individuality, which, he said, no doubt was the cause of his having such marked influence over his fellow members of the foreshore committee.

Cr. Sculthorpe said he would have liked to have seen more of Mr. Catani's handiwork at Elwood. Crs. Hart, Allen, Hughes and Pittard added their eulogies of Mr. Catani's work.

Mr. McCutcheon said he was extremely sorry that Mr. Catani had resigned from the public service. He had given magnificent service to the State, and during his long career in the Public Service he had gained the good-will and esteem of all with whom he had come in contact.

A summer day on the Beach at Elwood  - it looks about the 1930s. 
I cannot see any indecorum going on there, nor any soothsaying for that matter, but perhaps that type of behaviour only happened in St Kilda, not Elwood.

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1216

Mr. Catani, in rising to respond, was received with applause. He said that he really did not feel worthy of all the kind things said of him, but he would not be human if he were not deeply appreciative of the kind sentiments expressed. It was because of private reasons (Mr. Catani said) that he had resigned from the Public Service. Becoming reminiscent, Mr. Catani gave some interesting particulars of the early days of St. Kilda, and said that it was in the year 1879 that it was his duty to plan out the Lower Esplanade. Even at that period he was inspired with the great possibilities that were in store for the Esplanade. Making reference to the sand question. Mr. Catani said he could not see how any objections could be raised to the taking of sand for the work of beautification. He hoped to see a foreshore drive from Port Melbourne to Sorrento. What had already been done was only a decoy duck. The Brighton Council say they want their beach left as it is, but the whole of the foreshores were just as much public property as the sun that shined to give us warmth. In conclusion, Mr. Catani made reference to indecorum on the beaches, saying that while police efforts were put forward to put down soothsayers, so firm steps should also be taken to stamp out the indecorum referred to (Applause.)

Mr. Catani was subsequently chief guest in the mayoral parlor.