The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-01
Civic Improvement LeasueShould
Begin Work.
That BILLBOARD NUISANCE
when Spring Houseeleanins Is Com
meneed IL Ought to Include the
Sack Yards and Vacant Lots
in Residence Districts.

In all the cities OF California OF any
Importance the civic improvement
league is busily engaged in assisting
nature to beautify the landscape and
in planting trees. Last week the fae'
was published that soo school children
turned out in one day and planted
nearly 20 miles of. trees on both sides
Of county road. The same thing Is
being carried on in all the principal
e;ties. In California beautiful flowers
and shrubbery meet the eye on every
lawn. Not only in the front yard, but
in the back yards as well. until today
California is regarded as the, garden OF
Eden. In Astoria tomato cans, rub
ber booth, hoopskirts, old bottles and
rags take the place of flowers ana
shrubbery. Along the streets the hide
ous telegraph and telephone poles sup
plant trees. Some people have an
idea that a house is simply
residence place where afternoon So
cieties are held to play euchre and pro-
gressive whist for a washboard OF
nutmeg crater.
People in Astoria do not seem to
realize that there win be thousands OF
eastern visitors in the city this spring
and summer. or II they do realize It
they are apparently Indifferent to
cleanliness and sanitation. 1t is to be
doubted If there is another city or
the coast that has as slovenly appear
anee as Astoria. Some of the yards
In the residence district are character
fstic Of an Indian village. Along the
water front old iilapidated shacks
ready to tumble down. the beach
strewn with old lumber and refuse
While the people of Astoria have be-
come accustomed TO seeing these un-
slightly evidences of total depravity
the impression created on the minds of
visitors is not conducive to formulat-
ing an opinion that Astoria is a desir-
able residence place. Visitors usually
FORM their own opinion of the char
acteristics of the people by the APP
pearance of the yards and streets. One
thing is certain, no eastern family
looking for a new home will locate in
Astoria under the present condition
OF the streets and yards.
Attention has been frequently called
to the unsightly appearance of the bill
boards, and an ordinance was intro
duced I'm the common council to regu-
late them, but it has evidently gone to
the bone yard along with the Whipple
hotel proposition and about 25 or 80
franchises granted by the common
council to itinerant promoters. On the
bill board question it is noticed that
Portland is taking steps to eradicate
the evil and the following taken from
the Portland Telegram applies with
equal force to Astoria.
Why foster the bill board monopoly
in this city? Like most monopolies, it
is detriment to the general interest
and serves alone that Of a single con-
cern which controls it. The spirit Of
civic Improvement is now in process
of rapid development. There is reason
able hope that its hold on the popu-
lar mind is destined to be strong and
lasting, making Portland one of the
most beautiful cities on the continent
as II has ever natural right to be.
Why retard, why nullify the move
ment by allowing the bill board to re-
main undisturbed when there is profit
in it neither to the city government
nor the public?
As a matter of fact there is no con.
sideration of profit that should be al
lowed to interfere with the progress of
the civic improvement propaganda. 1t
Is to be considered on an altogether
higher plane than is suggested by mere
revenue to the city or profit to the in
dividuaL 1t means eventually larger
benefit to the entire community than
can be involved in either of these. In
municipalities where its influence has
been manifest for some time, in a
practical way, the bill board has been
one of the first points Of attack. It is
only question Of time in the deyel-
opment of any city where modern ideas
are becoming dominant when this
nuisance has to give way. Portland
cannot do better than to dispose Of
the matter at an early stage in the
proceedings.