Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-10-27
CIVIC IMPROVEMENTS.
GRANTS PASS TO BE MADE THE HAND
soonest TOWN IN SOUTHERN OREGON

place tnan over tne SIDEWALKS, ana
awaken property owners to the need
less expense that gates and fences
Cause them, as well as the disfgure-
ment of their yards. Grants Pass is
no longer village COW pasture and
has no need for fences.
The second day after one Of the new
concrete bridges was completed across
Gilbert creek tn $ summer, it was
made unsightly with patent medicine
advertisements. The fine steel bridge
across Rogue river, at the foot of
Sixth street is literally covered with
ali manner Of signs in every state of
repair and raggedness, and even over.
tapping each other in their crowded
state. From this bridge most
beautiful vista of the river is to be
had but the scene is sadly nsrred by
the glaring signs that cover the
bridge and its approaches. To get the
county court and the city authorities
to prohibit the disfgurment of bridges
aud other public structures would be
decided gain in the effort to make
Grants Pass the handsomest town in
Rogue River Valley.
The free and easy way that soma of
the residents of Grants Pass have of
using the streets and sidewalks for
oarhau ua 1nmpo for ola oboas oh;oLa,,
feathers, old cans and boxes, leaves
and other refuse from their yards
there are yards though where most of
the rubbish is on the inside of the
fence-should be made unpopular by
heavy fines, as should also the habit
that some Of the business men have of
sweeping the refuse from their stores
and offices into the streets. The
/ throwing Of ashes and the burning of
rubbish and boxes in the streets
should be prohibited for that makes
more dust to fly into stores, and the
bent nails from the old boxes are
liable to ruin horse's foot or
puncture an automobile or bicycle
tire. The leaving of trash on the
streets where wood has been piled
should be prohibited. Clean streets
are one of the best advertisements a
town can bave TO draw homeseekers Of
the better class.
Get the business streets improved
with macadam or some other substan-
tial covering, and cutters put in that
will thoroughly drain the streets, and
that can be readily flushed whenever
required. The loose boulders that
have been placed on the streets, to
the injury of vehicles, the hindran CO
Of horses and the annoyance and dis
comfort of persons riding, should be
removed, and all gravel hereafter
used for street covering should be
screened. Well paved business
streets, and clean, smooth residence
streets are proof to prospective invest
ors of towns solid prosperity,
The granite sidewalks of Grants
Pass ARE decided Improvement over
the board sidewalks of other towns.
Only last week young lady, Of Med.
ford, and a daughter of one of tho
councilmen. had limb broken by a
fall caused by al defective wooden
sidewalk. Granite sidewalks never
cause broken limbs, but in the glare
of the summer sun they are hard on
peoples eyes, and they grind off shoes
equal to an emery wheel. If the
municipal league could demonstrate,
with sample section, that crude
petroleum. or some other su stance,
would do away with the glare from
the sun, and give smooth, hard sur
face to the granite that would prevent
it being destructive to shoes, and
from tracking into houses to th,
ruin of carpets and oiled floors, ant
to eliminate the grinding noise thai
the grains Of sand make when a per
son walks over it, public good woulC
be accomplished that would be far
reaching in its effects The decom
posed granite, of which there ar,
great hills along the Southen Pacif,
railroad just west Of Grants Pass
would then become the sidewall
material Of all the towns within
reasonable shipping distance, ant
thousands Of tons would be shipped
and great industry built up. |
would also give Grants Pass sidewalk
, Of which the city could be proud an
which would add greatly to the goo
appearance Of the streets and to th
comfort of persons using them, and
most effective method Of advertisin
r the metropolis Of Southern Oregon