The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-10-19
HcautifuIand Useful.


 If you livodin poor littlo place where there were ,swampy commons around the town, a stony hillside back of it, and in the midst of it a miserable, smoky railway station. with piles Of ashes, ci- gar stumps, banana skins and old news papers lying all around it under the very noses Of the town marshal, the min ister, tho doctor and the postmaster, and it suddenly occurred to you that this kind of town would not tempt people to it as @ summer resort ana would not tend to make the children Of the natives want to stay there any long CT than they could help or make them wish to comel back there after they had got big enough to get away, neither would such spot have tendency to develop great poets, preachers, artists and inventors among the young ones whom adverse fate condemned to be born there, but would rather tend to make them lunatics, what would you do to change this forlorn conditionf
 That was question discussed lately at ono of the Worlds fair congresses Plainly, in these times whom organlza- ton is all end the individual noth- iu:, tho first thing to do would be to form a village improvement society. Such societies it is in every town of con siderable size in California that have transformed almost that whole state into a resort for travellers. These go to the Pacific state from the uttermost parts of the earth, lured there by the parks, the gardens, the fruits and the excellent ho' tels and beautiful private homes. This whole country might be made as attract i've outwardly ss California. and it can be done by the village improvement so- eiety and the awakening of adecent pub lie spirit among local rich people.
 The village improvement society should have small initiation fee and annual dues. That will be Q working capital on which to begin. Start with draining the malarious mudholes around the town and in the yards. Next clean up the railway station and cover the patch of ground about it with turf, trees and flower beds. Create such public soirit that not 5rn the small boy will throw paper or subpish into the streets, Then begin to work on the private homes and cause residents to tear down the ugly front fences and make their grounds beautiful for all. Rest not till you have secured good streets. first class public library, literary society and reading club and have turned the sickly green marshes and stony hillside into a lovely town park. The rich men and women of your community will help you in every case. if fproperly approached Every step toward giving village good streets and good roads leading into it, everything done to benefit its health and morals and please the nsthetic sense, makes property whereabouts more valu' able.
 Some of tho towns and small cities that have thus been beautified and their people refined and elevated in conse' quence are well known. North Easton Mass, was thus helped into beauty and fame by Oliver and Oakes Alnes and their sons. The Fairbanks family spent much of the money received from the famous scales of their make in improv' ing the sanitation and appearance of St. Johnsbury, Vt. Faribault is pronounced the model town of Minnesota because for 90 years Bishop Whipple has resided there and thrown all his knowledge and enthusiasm into making his homo town attractive to himself and others. Some. times the good work is dono by Q single individual or family--as in the cases mentioned. Occasionally town coun. cils are enlightened enough to under take it, and again the village improve ment society does all.