The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-12-20
CLEAN STREETS PAY
NlAlTH BENEFITED, TOWN eEAur,
FLED AND ADVERTISED.

money Properly Expended p.s
''"ning Paying Inves,m.n,
io"" Alwoys Judged by IT, "a,
'ernnl Appearance.
money spent on street cleaning br,ro,
turceiold return to the taxpayer,
J. ust-ln that It promotes tbo Loo,r,
ma comfort Of himself and fnmilv "
"'c'nl.-The town is bcautiacd Inu6
I"- Us encouraged ana the yolro .,
ealty Cuhmccd. ~
lh.rd.-Cl.au streets mako r,yor
oo'' impression on visitors. thus serv.
ing as am advertisement to attract ton-.
ist travel. '''''
Oi,'i' streets are absolutely essential
TO the health ana comfort of n corn.
lnunlty writes Warner Smtler in tho
washington Times Statistics provs
mat the cleaner the town or city tho
loW'r the death rate, and vice versa.
Twenty years ago very little attor.
ton was given to the streets. Futh
ana refuse were allowed TO accunu.
laie thereon with the result that epl.
uemlcs were the rule rather than the
exception, With the advent of pny.
ing however, municipalities became In.
terestcd in the cleanliness of the city.
and as progress IN that respect was
made Il corresponding improvement i'm
the health Of the community was ob.
served. At the present day all civic
governments recognize that the health
and comfort Of their citizens depend
mainly, II not altogether on the de.
gree of cleanliness achieved, as is evl.
denced by the sums of money spent
yearly for this purpose.
The property owner is vitality inter.
cstcd in civic cleanliness. No matter
how advantageous the situation or
how well laid out, If cleanliness is lack.
Ing the ueighborhoOd becomes unde.
sirablc; proper tenants cannot be Sc.
cured, rents become lower, and the In.
vestmcnt naturally depreciates IN val
ne. on the other hand clean streets
beautify the locality building opera.
tions are encouraged, Il better class Of
tenants seek homes therein. rents are
higher and there Is corresponding
increase I'm values
Merchants ANA hOusohOldcr5 are also
greatly benefited 10y streets which are
free from hlh and dust the former
I'm that their goods can be- exposed for
sale without fear of Objectionable mat.
ter being blown ON them from the
streets, the hitter iuusmuch as the
fresh air may hc allowed TO enter their
homes without the accompaniment OF
foul odors and dust
Pedestrians aud those who ride or
drive are likewise bcnefciarics At
best during wet or foggy weather the
pavement Is slippery, but il in add.
ion IL is also covered with filth the
result is disastrous to the wearing ap-
parc Of the Individual, and the lives
Of horses are pl,rd IN danger
And now we come To n phase Of the
question which should appeal TO the
pride OF every member Of the com
\ town may be possessed OF
many beautiful and substantial build
lugs, yet if the streets are not kept
clean the effect is 80 m0rrcd rs TO
create bud instead of a pleasing I'm.
preston. Visitors ARE apt to Judge and
IN fact do Judge a city or town by its
external appearance.
one Of the first If not the first
things noticed by the tourist Is the
condition OF the streets. Whatever I'M
preston, whether favorable or other
wise, he may have formed in that con
nectlon, nc is not slow to communicate
to others. II favorable, then, Of course,
the result is increased travel TO the
town and corresponding influx on
money,
We may therefore conclude Q that
street cleaning is necessary, (2) that II
Is beneficial, (3) That money properly
expended for that purpose Is paying
investment.