Bisbee daily review., 1904-02-21
BOOMING THAT PAID
OHIO TOWN BEAuTiFIEp AND BUILT
 UP BY ITS CITIZENS.
Originator of the Boom Tells How the Movement Was Started and What Was Accomplished When All Took a Hand In the Work.


 Took a Hand In the Work. You ask how we boomed our town" said an Ohio man who haiis from one of the cleanest, neatest villages in the Buckeye State. Well, l shall be glad to tell you and hope other towns may profit by it. My town has about 2,OOO inhabitants and 400 or 500 buildings. Up to the time We began work, which was three years ago, at least half the buildings were unpainted. There wasn't what you might call a decent fence in front of any residence, nor could one find ten rods of good side walk. Hogs and cattle were allowed to roam at large, the streets were full of holes, and our courthouse was a dis grace. It was what you might truth fully call 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 deterio- rated in value, and rival villages had drawn much of our trade.
 Well. it 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 I called for a meeting of the men. and it was agreed that we should take 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-twO women turned out and handled the brush all day long.
 "Of course we had a few Rip Van Wrinkles who wanted to continue their slumbers. but after a few improve ments had been made they began walk ing up and doing their share. We started our work about the middle of April Before snow fell we had made a new town of it. Not a dwelling or fence was left unpainted. We had good walks, good streets, flowers and shrubs everywhere. and the railroad company gave us a new depot of brick. The merchants woke up and began to put in plate glass fronts and to adver- tise, and all their lost trade came back and more with it.
 "One of the things we did was to clean out all the wells in town. There were nearly 2C0 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 holders had to run in debt to make their Improvements. but as an offset real estate is worth 9 per cent more today. Not only that. but several new business men and at least a 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 tine state. In place of the cows and hegs we have flower beds and shrub bery, and in place of weather beaten houses and uecayed fences we look like a girl in her Sunday clothes. It took a lot of talking to get the thing started, and we almost had to use a crowbar on some of the property owners. but we've got a town now to brag of and are going to keen jt m and head the pro- session." A. E. LEWIS.