Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-03-03
BOOMING THAT PAID
OHIO TOWN eEAUTlFleO AND BUILT
UP BY ITS CITIZENS.

Originator of the Boom Tells How
the Movement Was started and
what Was Accomplished when All
Took n Hand In the work.
you ask how we doomed our town."
said an Ohio man who halls from one
Of the cleanest, neatest villages in the
Buckeye State. "Well, shall be glad
TO tell you and hope other towns may
profit by It. My town has about 1000
inhabitants and 400 or 500 buildings.
Up to the time we began work, which
was three years ago, at least half the
buildings were implanted. There
wasn't what you might call a decent
fence iu front Of any residence, nor
could one find ten rods as good side
walk. Hogs and cattle were allowed
TO roam at large, the streets were full
Of holes, and our courthouse was dis
grace. II was what you might truth
fully call a slipshod, ramshackle town,
and It seemed as If everybody who
could sell out was ready to do so and
get away. There wasn't place in the
town but that had gradually detero.
rated In value, and rival villages had
drawn much Of our trade.
"Well, 1t all began by my speaking
to my wife and asking her to make a
move in the matter. She got three or
four other women interested, called a
meeting. and committee was appoint
ed. When they had got TO work |
called for meeting Of the men, and 1t
was agreed that we should take a hand
and do something for the town. We
first took hold of the streets and filed
and graded them That was done at
public expense, as were also the repairs
TO the courthouse. Then we took the
sidewalks block by block. We got our
lumber cheaper by contracting with
one dealer, and the work was also
done by one contractor The next
thing was the fences, and we pursued
the same policy The paint and oil
were bought at wholesale and every
citizen painted his own fence, One day
twenty-five women turned out and
handled the brush all day long
"Of course we had few Rip Van |
Wrinkles who wanted TO continue their
slumbers, but after a few improve
ments had been made they began wax
Ing up and doing their share. We
started our work about the middle Of
April Before snow fell we had made
Il new town OF II. Not dwelling or
fence was left unpalnted We had
good walks, good streets, flowers and
shrubs everywhere, and the railroad
gave us new depot Of brick.
The merchants woke up and began to
put In plate glass fronts and to adyer.
tIse, and all their lost trade came back
and more with IL.
zone Of the things we did was TO
clean out all the wells in town. There
were nearly 200 Of them, and some Of
them had not been pumped out for
twenty years. The year before we
started IN we had eighteen cases Of
typhoid fever. The year after we had
not one single case. Some Of the house
holders had TO run In debt TO make
their improvements, but as an Offset
real estate is worth % per cent more
today Not only that but several new
business men and at least score Of
new families have come IN, and we
have got more new houses under way
today than any other town Of our size
In the state. In place Of the cows and
hogs we have flower beds and shrub.
berry, and In place Of weather beaten
houses aud dccnyod fences we look like
I girl In her Sunday clothes. 1t took
4 lot Of talking 10 get the thing started,
md we almost had To use Il crow bar ON
some OF the property owners, but we've
got town now TO brag Of and are
going to keep it up and head the pro
'ession.' A. Il. LEWIS.