Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-05-13
IMPROVING A CITY.
REFORMS ACCOMPLISHED BY MINNIE
APOuS WOMEN.

he Educated In Municipal CIennIi-
ness-SchOOI children Assist-BiII-
board Nuisances.
Town Improvement societies, organ
lied and conducted by women, have
proved their value i'll so many COmmu-
mites that it is hardly necessary to par
tiCularize the work of any society, yet
the Minneapolis Improvement league
has been the means of so many excel
lent reforms in municipal government
that special mention is not out of place.
This league was organized in 1883,
and now has IA membership of 40 wom-
en-. The constitution states that this
organization shall keep clear Of all po-
itiCal organizations, its business being
to promote intelligent cooperation be-
tween the people and the peoples Off
GERS in making Minneapolis one of the
most healthful and beautiful cities in
the world. "
The subjects to which the attention
of committees was first turned We're
the garbage question, the smoke nui-
sanCe eXpeCtOratiOn nuisance, hitChing
horses on the public streets, removal of
gases, restriction of dogs and unsightly
vacant lots. They reasoned thus: OF
what avail is it to tell the stranger
within our gates that we have the
healthiest and one of the most beautiful
cities i'll the country, with l, 800 acres
of beautiful parks, if at that moment
his eye catches glimpse of vacant
lot piled high with all manner of rub
bish?
One of the first steps taken was to
offer prize for the best article ON
THE Disposal of Kitchen Refuse, " and
many valuable suggestions were thus
obtained. These We're combined in IA
list of Hints to Housekeepers " or
"HOusekeeperS' Books, which were
printed on cards with instructions to
hang under the kitchen clock. These
cards were given to the school children
and i'll this way one was sent into nearly
every home i'll the city. They were in
great demand, and no doubt accom-
plished much good.
Members of the league have present
ed the work to the Woman's council
the State Federation of Clubs and other
organizations on many occasions.
In this way the work of education
has been carried on until the influence
of the league has been felt not only
throughout the state, but letters fire.
quently come from other states asking
for information i'll regard to the work
and similar societies have afterward
been formed.
Largely as the result of the work of
the league ordinances have been passed
to abate the smoke nuisance, to forbid
under heavy penalty the deposit of refuse
upon public ways or grounds, to regu-
late the stabling Of horses on the prin-
cipal business streets, to forbid splitting
on the floors of street cars, notices to
this effect being posted up i'll each car
and also to regulate the collection of
kitchen refuse.
The league early realized that its
work must be principally one of eduCa-
ton. The proverbial good nature of the
average American citizen tOlerates these
nuisances. He walks through Uttered
streets, slips on banana peels, sees his
wife and daughters drag their skirts
through filth vOided from the mouths
of tobacco chewing pagans, inhale the
smoke and SCOT and poisonous gases
from huge chimneys and helps to add
to the general untidiness by his care
lessness and aCquiescenCe in the petty
in iaI, 1th 10 III
fellow citizens Against this spirit the
most vigorous street cleaning force must
struggle in vain. Even the gods cannot
keep clean what prefers to be dirty.
The Improvement league believes that
cleanliness means health. 1t is beauty
and it is not only next to gOdliness, but
it is gOdlincsS.
At present the league is engaged in a
warfare against the bill board advertis-
ing that is overrunning the city like
one of Pharaoh S plaques. Some of these
are exceedingly Objectionable. One i'll
particular is that of little curly haired
boy i'll dresses, with a cigarette in his
mouth, before which crowds of children
are often seen admirably gazing.
The members of the league believe
that it is eminently proper for the wOm-
Ell of city to take an interest in its
housekeeping affairs. Chicago has "a
woman street commissioner. The catch
basins are not ornamented with bows or
ribbon, nor the garbage receptacles dec
Grated with hand painted blooms, as
predicted. Her work, instead of being il
failure, as predicted, has been eminent
ly successful.
Fairgrounds for children are reSeiv-
ing the attention of the league.
The principals and teachers of the
public schools have been from the first
most active workers and allies. In some
schools auXiliaries have been formed.
One school reported one year 26 vacant
lots in its vicinity cleared of rubbish,
40 dead cats, chickens, etc, buried,
and an incredible number of tin cans
disposed Of.
Another school destroyed millions of
ing the pest in that neighborhoOd while
others have waged war ON the tena-
cious sand bur.
Many have set out trees and planted
thousands of tree seeds.
Like the ship which the united efforts
of the men and women of the town
We're unable to move and not until the
children were called to assist did the
great hulk slide off into the water, the
Improvement league saw that it must
interest the children i'll the work if it
hoped to see its efforts crowned with
al Al