The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-04-14
GOOD MOVEMENT
csy Improvement Received a Flne
Impetus at City Hall Meet
ing Saturday Night.
ing Saturday Night


Of the homes mole attractive. They
found opportunity to respond 10 this
cause in the mass meeting held at
the city ball Saturday evening when
q large and representative gathering
listened to the excellent addresses of
DR.. Thomas Nicholson aud Mayor
Geo. A. Sllsby.
Additional interest was given The
program by the musical numbers
which were rendered by local talent.
The high school chorus of thirty
young ladies under the direction OF
Miss Windle with Miss Florence
Winsor at the piano, made a splen-
did showing. Nichols mandolin CLUB
gave several good selections. Miss
Emily Bras sang a solo that was much
appreciated. Her accompaniment
was played by Mrs. Cora Poice-Crow.
Miss Mae Collins was alSo on the pro-
gram for a solo, which she rendered
we'll. her accompaniment being PLAYED
by Miss Fannie Mccormick. Miss
Perle Richard gave one of her best
piano selections in a credilable ..mau-
neI.
Hon. O. l.. Branson acted as chair
man of the evening and very happily
introduced the speakers.
DR.. Thos. Nicholson was the first
speaker for civic improvement and
in the course of his remarks touched
on several subjects pertaining to
improvements: What can we do:
Why should we do it; how shall we
do it. Dr.. Nicholson spoke particu-
larly OF the impression that is made
on the stranger who comes within
our gates to see homes beautifed,
fine large trees, shrubbery growing
p%rofusely and a general air Of cleanli-
ness throughout the city, and refer
red to his own case of his first visit
to Mitchell. These matters, he said,
had the effect of bringing pepole here
to live. Between his visit and the
time he came to Mitchell to live he
saw much that had been accomp-
lished. He suggested that there
should be a specific head in each
ward of the city as leader for the
civic work to be promoted. Plans
should be defined looking to a con-
.certed action, but it shouln not he
understood by citizens in general
that this means the abridgement of
any PERSONS liberties, but rather to
make one citizen vie with the other
in making the home surroundings
more attractive. These improve
ments, he maintained, had a com.
mercial effect on the city's growth,
If We cared to put it on a basis of
that character, and it was in the
nature educational to the growing
generation of the city. He referred
to many enterprises that showed the
substantially OF our growth that i'm
piled a desire to make Mitchell the
literary and social center of the state,
and he could not see any valid rea-
son for not bringing about such a
conclusion.
Before concluding his address DR..
Nicholson suggested that Chairman
Branson appoint a committee of five
to present to the meeting something
OF an organization to start the civic
improvement idea on substantial
ground. Mr.. Branson appointed the
committee as follows: DR.. Nichol-
son, d. b, Miller, Rev A. Craig
Bowdish, Mrs. Geo. a. Silsby. Mrs.
E. f. Reamer. The committee re-
tired to an adjoining room to prepare
their report.
Mayor Silsby was the next speaker
and was quite entertaining in his
preliminary reu arks. He set forth
two epigrams that we're quite applic-
able: Where a weed will grow a
rose might bloom; five cents worth
of clover seed will cover up a multi
tude Of tin cans, and will certainly
be edifying and beautiful. The
mayor paid his respects to the prem
Uses back OF the business houses, and
said that If he could have his way
he would fence off Main street for a
week and force the buyers to go into
the stores by the back doors. He
thought that the effect would be for
the customers to force the business
men to clean up in the rear, some
thing that the chief Of police has
been unable to accomplish. The
mayor felt that civic improvements
would lead Mitchell to a greater pop
ulation of a mora! and religious class
and would make a more desirable
place to live, appealing to outside
citizens on these lines.
AT the conclusion of the mayors
address the committee was ready for
its report, which vas read by DR..
Nicholson as follows:
This organization shall be
called Inc Mitchell Civic Improve
ment Association. Its object shall
be to promote i'm every legitimate