St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-10-30
Some Needed Improve
ments.
By PROF. J. HANHo DE1LER.

By PROF. J. HANNo DEILER.
III.
Covington, La, Oct. 30, 1897.
Editor st. Tammany Farmer:
In the Alpine countries OF
Europe, where people know better
than anywhere else how to adver-
tise their towns and villages. and
how to beautify their country, and
thereby attract tourists and summer
guests, even tue smallest place has
its "verschoenerungsverein."
Don't be scared by this long
word, for you can easily have the
same. It simply means . Society
for generally improving and beauti-
flying the locality" Everybody
belongs to it. No politics. The
ladies assist; the Council votes an
annual appropriation; there are
benefit performances, and the
grateful tourists and summer
guests contribute to it when their
attention Is called to the subscrip-
tion books, which the society keeps
in the dining rooms Of tue hotels
and boarding houses. during my
travels ia Europe I saw quite =
number OF such books, which con-
tanned not only the names Of the
donors but also their suggestions
for further Improvements, artistic
and humorous sketches, aud even
poetical illusions of no mean or
der, contributed by enthusiastic
tourists, which furnished mus inter-
esting reading and were highly
valued by their 0wners.)
Now let as see what these people
do with their money. While the
authorities build the great highways
and look after their condition, so -
to make travel possible, these
societies try to make it pleasant,
especially BY looking after tue COM
fort Of those choosing to travel on
foot, and Of the visitors desiring to
roam about in the woods.
They plant trees on the road
sides, 80 that you can walk in the
shade, and place benches within
short distances, 80 that you can
rest when you feel tired or want to
enjoy some fine scenery, and where
ever there is . aspiring Of god water,
they take care Of it, attach q cup
with . chain, put . seat or two.
drain OF the water, and show you
the way there by putting up sign
boards on the trees.
But the greatest work OF these So
cieties is the taking care 0f the lit
tie fOotpatls and bvways, for which
no one else cares, although they
are Of greater importance to the
majority of the people, being much
more frequented by natives and
sojourners. than the dusty high wsvs.
A little cleaning out here and
there, q footbridge, bench in come
sweet nook, numerous aignboards
to guard against losing your way.
springs. grottoes-all these and
many other things are designed to
make outdoor life more pleasant.
Then they publish . little guide
book with . map showing every
road and footpsth for some distance
(whst = boon for tourists. owners
Of vehicles, h0rseiaen and cs clists, }
the location of every hotel, to-
getl,er with the rate for board, the
ferries, landings, bridges aud places
where carriages Or guides can be
hired, with prices, the arrivals
and departures Of trains, steam
boats and stage-coaches, descrip-
tions Of the surrounding country.
suggestions as to the making-up
Of excursion parties, stating time
and conditions when and under
which the different points may be
seen At tLcir best. historical arti
Giles, "reminiscences. legends, GUS
toms ana manners of the pe0ple.
and other things Of interest to the
stranger.
Should there not be such a So
ciety in Covington? Let US see
what it might accomplish.
There are beautiful banks on the
Bogue Falis River, and not single
path leading along from the bridge
up to Sulphur Springs. One
could be easily made. Indeed, there
ehould be two, one on each
side OF The river, with some kind Of
ferry At the Springs, aud. per-
haps, one midway. What = pleas
ure it would be for The ladies to
catch . glimpse Of tue river without
being forced to climb across tue |
treetle or risk being frightened OfI
the bridge by horses or by your
awfully long-hornet: cattle!
There ought to bc also . we'll |
kept, shaded path from the public
wharf down to Mr.. Schreiber's
Stone Spring. and to Capt. Weav-
er's place. il not one 70 Old
Landing. These, and more, could
be easily made.
There is your Courthouse Square.
with . fine Court building, the
spring and some stately oaks, but
not . single bench, that one may |
sit down, and sUcH = dilapidated
fence around the whole. This
could be made . beautiful spot, IL
the Police Jury would place it in