The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-05-01
"cLnANL1Npss Is aoDLrNDss"

Then why not have 1t, Thoroughly Hho
universally, within the corporate limits
of our city. The lover OF order ano
healthful neatness is compelled each
year to express volumes of involuntary
disgust at the unsightly (need we say
disgraceful) appearance of large mum
bers of private premises and public
thoroughfares. And the sense OF NUM-
cipal pride, which prompts many to es'
cort about the city friends who come to
visit, or strangers here on business, is
often wounded by the accumulations
of refuse which meet their gaze, and
their sensibilities are causes to tinkle
with chagrin, at the visible express
sions of surprise portrayed upon the
sight-seer's countenance, when the eye
falls upon mounds and ranges of con-
glomerated deposits all along his course.
1t does not require very scrutinous
observance to behold tons of garbage
lying about, including barrels. boxes,
oyster cans, ash heaps, barrel hoops,
saw logs, hay, straw, old iron, wire, cast
off foot wear, old clothes, rags, paper,
manure, lumber, wood piles, decayed
vegetables. bones, dead leaves, brush,
saw dust, old hats, feathers, worn out
machinery, dry goods boxes, broken
down vehicles, kitchen waste, lawn rak-
ings, tin clippings, waste leather, pieces
of tumbled down fences, office sweep
ings, stone, lime, hair, cement, shavings,
slops, coal, broken dishes, bottles, TIN
pans and horses, cows, colts and calves,
too numerous too mention.
If this state of things were confined to
alleys and out-of-the-way places alone,
the array would not have SO impress
sive an effect as is the case. But UNI
fortunately this is not so. The principal
streets are dumping grounds, and garb-
age of every nature is deposited there
on with an unstinted hand. While this
may be necessary in particular instances
during the winter months, while alleys
are packed with snow, or otherwise in
accessible, there is not q smattering of an
excuse for permitting ii to remain there
until the summer months, nor even to
this date, as an eye-sore to the populace
and hot beds of disease. Many cities in |
the State with half our population and
wealth would put us to everlasting shame |
were comparison made in this respect. |
A little labor and trifing expense ap |
piled to repairing and painting fences,
and the numerous buildings which have
become weather-beaten, would enhance
the looks of the city in general to an ex-
tent that would more than reward the
owners for the outlay. Another matter
which should not escape notice in this
connection, is the practice of ,stabling
teams on the street, by those who come
TO the city from distance. There are
a number of places in the most promi-
nent cross streets which are occupied |
almost daily by teams hitc. to
wagons, where they are fed, and ne
localities have more the appear
ance of u farm barn yard than of a
prominent street in city of 5000 in
habitants. Good, warm, well-kept and
supplied barns can be Sc
cured at the low price of ten cents for
stall and all the hay wanted during the
day, and anyone 81 1scrupulously saving
rs to convert the municipal avenues into
barn-yards to avoid this expense, should
be made to pay liberal fine for his
economy.
The authorities have this week is
sued proper notices to clean up and
have taken the most effective method of
seeing that every property owner re-
ceives the same, and if it is not regarded
promptly, nothing but gross indifference
can be attributed as the cause. "a word
10 the wise is sufficient"