The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-23
MRS. BENSON
TALKS.
Tells How the Junction
is Kept Clean.
NO MASS MEETING
Chairman Does Not Want
Municipal Government
Criticised

Improvement IN tue coHuilloH u oui
streets?' asked Mrs. Hudspeth-Bensont
Chairman of the Town Improvement De-
partment of the Woman's Club, when in
terviewed upon the subject by a News
reporter. The reporter was forced to adj
nit that there was, and Mrs. Benson en-
couraged thereby, began to tell
a been accomplished.
.Just look at the Junction. continued
Mrs. Benson. The reporter had just come
from the Junction, and after a second
encouraging admission Mrs. Benson pro-
duced a little black book, containing the
constitution. bylaws and membership of
the Jersey City Woman's Club with a few
odd blank leaves in the back for the
names of additional members as they
should join the organization. These leaves
gave the names of a number of well
known business firms in the vicinity of
the Junction.
why, what does this mean?" was
asked.
Mrs. Benson explained that each firm
honored by the Woman's Club constitu-
ton subscribed so much per week toward
keeping the Junction clean. For this pur-
pose q Mail Is ll1ICQ, dl oCNCii ~ -
week, to manipulate the push cart, with
it's street cleaning apparatus, which Mrs
Benson has been successful in procur-
ing.
There is only one man we applied to
who refused to give anything" said Mrs.
Benson. Even the Chinese laundryman
appreciates cleanliness and pays prompt
" too. We are not aggressive. We go
in and ask and nobody refuses, except this
man." Mrs. Benson further said hat in
this way the Town Improvement De-
partment managed to keep five blocks,
two on Grand street and three on Com
munipaw avenue in a pretty good con-
dition. 'It is a great object les
sons aid she. 1--WE are doing a wonder
full work at the Junction"
Mrs. Benson also spoke of a receptacle
for fruit skins and other refuse which the
ladies have been successful in getting the
Street and Water Board to place at the
Junction. On this the speaker could not
enough importance, Though, OF
course" added she, I'VE nave to keep 1t
chained to the telegraph pole"
@But what do you think of the way the
men clean. the streets2"
"Weli.', answered Mrs. Benson, after a
moments hesitation, they don'tNNdo it
right; but I tell you the appropriation is
too SMALL
When further questioned about the men
pushing their brooms along, leaving a
trail of dirt on either side as well as
filing the ash carts too fun, Mrs. Benson
said
81 saw an Italian only the other day
doing that very thing, SC I went up to
him and told him to go back and clean
up the dirt. he nae left behind. Yah,
YAH said he, andtwent right on. then
told him if he did not do his work prop
erly I would call a policeman. He IN
derstood that quick enough and hurried
back as fast as his legs could carry him.
If you see the men doing anything like
just call a policeman"
DO you lave many complaints from
outsider"
Eyes" answered Mrs. Benson; com
plants are coming in constantly She
then showed an anonymous letter from
a resident of Newkirk street, stating
that her (the writing was evidently
feminine) street had not been cleaned in
some time and asking the department to
look after it, with a very congratula-
tory note appended COMMUNICATING the
women on the improvement in the city.
"And the officials are very courteous"
added Mrs. Benson. .Mr. Murphy is
pushing the work forward beautifully.
time ago, as Mrs. Edwards and I
passed down York street, in the vicinity
of Jersey avenue, we noticed about a
hundred ash barrels set out. 1t was
house cleaning time and beside nearly
every barrel was a big pile of rubbish,
shoes, old clothes and papers. Mr.. Muir
ply was notified and a man was detail
ed to investigate. Two days later the
proclamation against such offense was is
sued.
ment gave a further illustration of a
man who had dumped a pile of rubbish
in a vacant lot. "See here" she said;
'syou must burn that The man refused,
.sOh, dose vimmins OBJ de Town
dey gibe peoples more
.droubles!" "Wen," replied Mrs. Benson,
"I am one of those women" and he
burned the rubbish. $50, you see" added
Mrs. Benson, they are really afraid of
us. They think we have some author
How about your mass meeting?' was
the next question.
I'VE are not going to have any. I
don't want all those New York women
over here to find fault with our
municipal government. Besides, it would
cost from thirty to forty dollars, and I
think we can put the money to a better
USE"
No" said Mrs. Benson, as the reporter
was about to wish her a pleasant sum-
vacation, Il am not going away this
year.. I am going to stay at home and
look after the Streets
B. p d < MINSTREL SHOW