Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-15
PROTEST MADE
BY A CITIZEN
CONDITION OF THE STREETS, Al.
lEYS AND YARDS OF LEW.
ISTOWN.

Editor Fergus County Argus.
Lewistown, Mont, Sept. IA, 1906
My Dear Sir: With your kind leave |
l would seek the columns of your
worthy newspaper as medium
which to address few lines
to my fellow citizens of Lewistown,
in order that may point out to them
a few salient defects in our municipal
government, which can be remedied
with little labor and cost to those con-
cerned, and which, meantime, are es-
sential to the we'll being, health and
prosperity Of our citizens and to the
safety of their property. shall treat
my subject under the three heads OF
streets, alleys and yards.
Our streets are broad, well graded
for most part and generally service
able. However, the cutters, in num-
erous instances, are not graded to
drain themselves properly, which
leaves therein stagnant pools OF wa
ter after each rain. The cutters are,
furthermore, the receptacle for all
manner of filth and trash-a general
public waste basket. Now this is at
once unhealthy and inexcusable; and
the citizen is even more to blame in
this respect than the official, for he is
invariably the author, as 1t were, OF
the trash cast into the gutter by
householder and passer by on the
street. The street crossings are much
worse than the streets themselves.
At one time it appears that the city
government kept them in tolerably
| passable condition. Unfortunately,
| this state of affairs did not last long,
but rather seems to have been merely
INDUCED in to show the public what
they might enjoy than for aught else.
Another thing which should be speed
lily remedied, and particularly before
the arrival of frost, snow and ice, is
the bad condition of the sidewalks.
AS it is at present one can not pro-
coed half a block, on those streets
which are not paved with stone or
concrete, without being forced to
avoid some broken, loose or fitting
plank. In some cases the foundation
of the sidewalks has given away to
such an extent that the pedestrian is
in momentary danger of serious acct
dent and injury, while in others whole
sections are in dilapidated state
Now this is intolerable to say the
least, and reflects little credit upon
town the size of our own. Besides
, it is dangerous and ought not to be
, countenanced for an instant by eth
err the community or city council
, While it is bad enough in the broat
: light of day, it is a serious menace
to the person homeward bound a
t night fall. This much for the streets
D of our city.
5 The alleys about town are ever
: worse than the cutters of our streets
S They in greater part resemble rubbish
J. piles or city dumps, wherein all tn
T. ashes, refuse and Offal of house, sta
s. BILE and store appear to be thrown t
l. breed disease and pestilence. Asid
9 from this it is offensive to both ey
J. and nose, and is indicative of shift
n lessness and squalor Furthermore
e alleys contain empty packing case
and their accomplishments, which fOrl
v serious menace of damage by fire.
+. The same condition of uncleanl
" ness exists in more or less degree a
=. regards the yards within the confine
o of the city limits. Many of our cit
" zens, it is true. deserve unstinte
~ praise for their laudable work alon
20 the lines of beautifying their yarc
with trees and grass and flowers.
70 only goes to prove what can be a
~, complishel with reasonable outla
IN and a firm determination, and tt
20 good derived is shared by the col
+, munity at large as well as by II
~, property owner, who thus enhance
~ the value of his real estate holdin,
- most appreciably.
The sanitary conditions of our CT
can be readily and speedily impro
ed by few mutual acts on the pa
it of the municipality and citizens. TT
C.. city government can drain our q
ed tiers and keep them clean and Gle;
We the street crossings with a very SIN;
fic appropriation set apart for that pl
n pose, or by seeing that those Officia
is, directly responsible are required
es perform their just duties, while Il
lis well directed ordinances can prOhil
'ss the citizen from litterng our pub
he thoroughfares with trash, and co
III pei the property holder to keep
premises and sidewalks in reasOnal
good condition. In this way comb
tible and deleteriOus matter can
disposed of properly and not ma
raj our streets offensive and unattra
i've to both citizen and stranger.
20. There is no reason why any pub
~ spirited citizen should consider t
ID performance of a simple duty as op
ns ating in the way of hardship. 7
VS. VS. city can we'll afford to do it's p
,ae when we remember the generous t
- es contributed to it's treasury. The
Iao. fore, let us unite on this wholeso
s proposition and see the fruitful resu
"' of it's fulfillment. that our progr
-. in other ways may be paralleled
I 'ns one and the same time by saluta
lne sanitary and safe, as we'll as respe
ING ible conditions.