The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-05-17
WOMEN BOOM A TOWN
HOW THE FAIR SEX IS IMPROVING
NORTAFlELO, VT.
Transforming a New England VII
lage Into Nidenwnae, Growing
Tow n-rhetr Clever Plan To Keep
the Streets and Sidewalks Clean.


campaigns for public Improvement
.ver attempted by women anywhere,
says the Boston Globe. Not satisfied
With the progress already made 10y the
men, who have walked the place out
Of twenty five year sleep and made
this settlement of 5000 souls into ii
miniature city among the hills 10y form
ing board of trade" getting new In.
1ustrieS. beating other villages of the
same size in the race for modern pub,
lie utilities and in general putting
Mortified back on the map, the ladies
got together last year and said they
guessed the situation needed the fine
aesthetic hand of woman to give II
taste, If not also n little organized hen.
peckiug TO give ii persstcucy.
They banded together In II village
Improvement society. This at first
confined its enthusiasm to making the
streets beautiful To look at. Then the
conversation, wherever there were
preparations for new building. was
peryaded by them in the interest OF
ornamental architecture. Recently they
gave Il dinner, at which the after Cof
fee oratory disclosed plans more rad
lcal. There are TO be drinking foun
tain. granite chip embunkmcnt OF
the now unsightly tog river and an
observatory on Paines mountain.
Since the dinner 1t has come out that
It was committee of ladies calling on
Secretary Smith of the board Of trude
that induced the board to make It's
present effort toward getting Il new m
dustry for women and also that the la
dies are about to set their bOnnets at
Andrew Carnegie.
But the latest is that the village i'm
provemcnt society is going to earn,
beg, levy and magnetic n fund where
with to buy steam fire engine. North
field has paid fire department. but 10
hydrants or steamer. other villages
have had ladies' Improvement societies.
but Mortified is out with Il claim that
this is the first woman's voluntary
board Of municipal hustle.
The society began modestly, giving
no sign OF the ambitious vgor which
has since come over II. As Mrs. Ed
gerton said at the dinner: 80 build
parks, to plant trees and keep them IN
healthy condition, to fight the sign
board and waste paper nuisanccs, to
clear the streets OF rubbish and TO
plant vines ana flowers all these nre
the work of the ordinary village i'm
provement society. If we succeed, ms
others have. In arousiug pride and
carefulness among the people, these
will find expression In the desire
among ndghborhOods to rank highest
for clean streets. well kept lawns and
neatness In everything pertaining to
out of door housekeeping
OF course the money to large eX
tent comes from the men. and II was
carts picking up. but ii isn't men that
tend the public flower beds One OF the
early maneuyers OF the society was 10
invite a landscape architect to come
up from Boston, look the town over
and tell the ladies In an address what
y
ought to be done to render II really
good and beautiful one of the numbers
on his programme was pnrklcts at
street corners planted with flower beds
These have been put in and are under
the personal supervision OF Miss John
stOn and Miss Ingalls,
Miss Johnston, the president, thus
described what has been done and
what remains TO come:
The plots of low, uncouth ground at
the corners OF our streets and also the
sandy and burren waste about our de
pot wcre graded and the ground pre-
pared for cultivation ana were made
most attractive spots. The grounds are
now all ready for cultivation again
when spring opens We are ready with
money 10 20 on with this good work
and many things will be done. such az
waliing our river on both sides with the
waste OF granite chips from one Of our
manufactures and covered with n
growth OF vines and n public drinking
fountain erected on or near the com
mon.
Baskets are placed at intervals along
our streets. where paper or any artiCla
that tends to litter our walks may be
placed Seats are to be placed IN con
yenient spots for travellers, nud In the
near future we sha u see an observatory
with well kept road leading TO 1t,
which will give to US here and our
T,ta
tiful views I'm our Green Mountain
State"
IT would be iucIact 10 say that the
luxurious side OF NE thus SO vigorous
~ cultivated by the ladies has had no
effect upon the gentlemen. The latter
spent many anxious moments in quest
Of an activity worthy OF the high stand
ard set by the more sentimental sex
Many distinct results followed this
mental exercise One was a splendid
piece Of medigval chivalry In order
TO understand II thoroughly one should
know that Mortified ladies' wear par
ticularly fetching frOcks. Now, the
farmers were accustomed 10 tie their
teams 10 posts In what should have
been the most imposing quarter of the
metropolis Much paving produced
holes, which Glled with rain, mud and
slush. and more paving deposited
stains upon the passing frocks A par
ty Of young men. having priyate,y az
certained from the judicial authorities
that nothing would be done about It,
stole forth By night and uulawfulIy
ripped up the posts That forced mat
ters. aud, though the posts have been