Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1905-10-14
FACTORY IMPROVING
REMARKABLE CHANGE WROUGHT BY
LANDSCAPE GARDENING.

His Factory and Benefited His EN-
ployees ms Well as Himself.
Several years ago we'll known Ohio
manufacturer. on his trips to and from
Dayton, O.. was greatly impressed
with the barnlike appearance and des-
olatc mir of the little homes lining the
railroad as 1t approached Dayton and
other towns, writes William ii. Tai
man in the Review Of Reviews. He
said TO himself that the fences and
back porChes would be improved by
few creeping vines and flowers. From
the back yard view of these homes his
thoughts turned to the barrenncss of
his own factory, and he decided to try
the effect Of some flowers and vines.
The first thing he did was to plant
big bed of flowers I'm the center OF the
factory lawn. lnstInCtiyely he felt that
something was wrong He knew that
his ideas We're right. but he lacked the
knowledge of how to carry them out.
and he finally sent for John &. Ohm
stead. the famous landscape gardener.
The first suggestion was the removal
Of the set piece IN the center OF the
lawn. Then he corrected the planting
of one bed Of flowers with eight or
nine colrrs. lie pointed out how, by
making little bays and inlcts Of shrubs
and flowers along the sides OF the
lawn. n pleasing effect might he Sc
cured. Next he suggested that the two
stable sheds opposite the factory
should bc connected with an arch, the
roof painted vcrmilion. the Sides olive
and rapid growing vines planted at
each end. thus forming harmony Of
color that would be r"stful to the eye.
Mr.. Olmstead's suggestions fell on
fertile soil Mr. Patterson not only dec
grated his factory grounds and build
ings. but covered the telegraph poles
and lamp posts with vines, so that the
streets about the factory seemed like
the approaches to n park. When he
saw how beautiful all this looked for
the factory. and when he reflected
how simple We're the principles of land
scapc gardening he thought how fine
n thing It would be to bring 1t to the
homes Of his factory people
lie began this educational work in
the factory Sunday school. and when
spring came he distributed $1,000 pack
ages Of seeds to the children. To stim-
ulatc the best effort prizes We're offered
for the best ornamental planting about
the home and for the most artistic ar
rangcmcnt and training of vines on
houses, vcrandas, buildings, fences and
posts Boys and girls under sixteen
were invited to compete for the best
kept back yards. whether lawns or
planted in flowers and vegetables. Five
prizes of s. each We're offered for the
most artistic window box effects. The
best planted and cultivated vegetable
gardens were To Ice awarded by five
prizes of $40 each. To take charge OF
this work he engaged the services OF
a landscape gardener, who could be
consulted 10y any of the employees.
Previous 10 the time the work began
the bare houses looked like those of
the Noahs nrk village adornment,
the lots separated 10y board fences,
with no regard to harmony Of color
The children then planted the seeds
and eagerly watched the rapid growth
Of the morning glorics and the moon
flowers Gradually the stIfH lines Of
the fences disappeared under the lux
urlant growth Of the vines. Then the
mothers. seeing the pretty effect Of the
vines. began II train them over the
porch and added window boxes. max
Ing bowers of beauty out Of the previ
Ous packing box style OF house. When
the autumn came and the vines disap-
pearcd they realized how very ugly
the fences looked without any adorn-
ment The training Of the summer
bore fruit, and when Mr.. Patterson
advised taking them down and rcplnc-
ing them 10y II wire fence which was
just about onc-third cheaper and bet
ter adapted to the climbing vines. they
were ready 10 do So Some OcCupicrS
Of adjoining houses improved on this
plan 10y doing away with any kind OF
a fence nud planting instead divi-
siOnal line of flowers
Some idea Of the interest In the con
tests for the landscape garden prizes
mny bc shown 10y the fact that an
audience Of 1000 people thrnngcd the
great auditorium at the fair grounds
when the prizes were distributed.
Thus those who had strlvcn all sum
mer were awarded additionally by the
public recognition ~ their friends.
We live In a prosaic, matter of fact
world, where most of us wish TO be
paid for whnt We do. How dld this
pay Mr. Patterson? No one can VISIT
Ills factory without noting the happy
and cpntentcd workers everywhere.
Each one II lniIvlduallzcd lie does
not feel that he IL a cog IN the wheel.
but n an essential part Of the vital
mechanism credited with intelligence.
In the old days the men spoke Of the
factory as "Fattcrsou's peuitentiary;"
now II Is called "Pattcrsun's paradise"
The factory people have organized
the South Park improvement associa-
tion so that they may cXtrud these ad-
vantagps throughout that section OF the
town Viewed from no higher plane
than that % commeryillism. there has
been a dcCilrd Increase IN the value ~
property.
Whatever makes the wage earuers
bntentel With their homes has value
lor the employer, Tor the greater the
home couteutmeut the hess likely viii
tho workiugman De- O. do that which
will .mperii or impair it- integrity
The very iurxususlye HuI sfmuts an