Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-03-17
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN NOW ON
Portland Sets the Pace and Other Towns Fall in Line for
Beauty and Cleanliness

The Josephine county court house
so uare, which by its unsightly ap-
pearance would be taken by strangers
for anything but court house square
in the center of city that prides
itself on its progressiyeness, is in for
heroic treatment Of civic improve
ment. Under the orders of County
Judge j. o. Booth, the fence about
the grounds, that had become about as
unstable and disorganized as the
Russian army. is being taken down by
Janitor W. NJ. Cheshire. The posts
though, are left and sawed off low
aud banister rail is being nailed on
top to serve as a guard to the cypress
hedge, that was planted a few years
ago and which by another year will
be- neat looking border to the court
house grounds. The grounds about
the court house and Jail are to be
cleaned of the chunks of wood. old
cans, piles Of ashes, etc, that now so
utNlhNb iAOhi lNu aHDfbihhNNt ~
be made more in keeping with
modern ideas Of the condition in
which public grounds should be kept
Judge Booth is planning to this fall
eliminate the orchard effect that the
straight rows Of trees, now on the
grounds, give to the court house
square In carrying out this work, a
large number of the unsightly, shade
less, litter making locust trees will
give away to trees that afford more
shade and that will give to the court
house square park-liko appearance
and make of it beauty spot and one
OF the attractions of the city instead
OF an eyesore as it heretofore has
been.
The energizing spirit of civic i'm
provement is at work on the residents
Of Grants Pass, though on some tho
effect is exceedingly light. with the
result that every degree from perfect
| cleanlinss to extreme filth is repre-
sented. At one residnce the yard
will be the perfection of neatness and
the street about the premises likewise
| clean and neat, at the next residence
the promises will be perfection, but
the adjoining street and alley a
catoh-all for old shoes, rags, burned.
out stove pipe, cans, slops, washwater,
etc. Then the next house will be ON
the order of the boy, who shines the
toes of his shoes and leave the heels all
mud, for the front the yard will be
clean and in order while the back
yard will be Ioeking in collection
OF filth ranging from broken boaid ds
and old cans 10 potatoe peelings and
lemon skins. The street Of course, in
front Of such house usually has its
collection of scavenger bric.a. brac.
Then there is the house that is on the
border line of typhoid fever and the
street likewise, with the list closing
with the hovel with filth inside,
outside and in the street.
The business houses SHARE with the
residences in the honor and in the
shame Of cleanliness aud Of filth.
/ With some the baCkyards rival a city
scaveugcr heap, while the alley to the
rear is deep in rubbish of all kinds
aud the street in front is anything
| but presotablt, Ii is a common oo.
curronce in the business section Of
| Grants Pass for sweepings from the
| floors and ashes from the stoves to
be- thrown into the streets to make
mud In the winter and dust in the
summer. There is q great teld for
missionary work for civic improve.
mcnt among the business and profess.
/ ional men OF Grants Pass.
Many Of the shade trees along the
sidewalks are as scraggly and unkept
as hobo aud the low hanging limbs
are menauce to the eyes and the
peace of mind Of the passerby. Then
whole sections Of other streets are as
bare OF trees as the Sahara desert and
there is neither beauty nor shade to
give peace aud comfort to the resi-.
dents or the passing pedestrian
The billboards are hero as in every
city, the more commanding the To-
cation, the more glaring thty are,
Aud the ubiquitous tiu aud paper
placaIds give their disdguriug pres.
encc TO tr,es. fences, walls and tele.
phone aud light poles IN every part
OF the city.
Nature has done ,vory thing possible
for G,ants psSs. fJs the toNnsiJv is
au ideal onr, there beiug no swamps
nor foul places, nor deep myines to
become caIchalls tor al manner Of
Glth and breeding place for disease