Connecticut western news., 1906-08-30

Villages.
 At the Village Improvement Society meeting held at Sharon on Saturday last Miss Wheeler, the president, made the following interesting and instructive report which may be read with much profit by residents of other villages in this section:
 "You are invited to meet here this after noon that you may more fully understand the aims and practical working of the Village Improvement Society, and for the pleasure of listening to MT. Schwab and to MT. Foster, who have kindly con- sented to speak to us.
 So few attend the annual business meeting, that it is not generally known just what the Society does with the funds entrusted to it, and as you give so generously I, as president, should like to tell you something of what the work is, and how the money is spent.
 Although it can be seen by all that the village as whole is kept in order, the grass moved, the walks graveled and trimmed, very few appreciate the amount of time, labor and money it takes to keep it so, except those actually doing the work. The taxes pay for the roads in the village and all over the township, but it remains for this Society to make and care for the walks, grade'and mow the green, plant and care for the trees, make ornamental bridges, set out shrubs and vines, and do any and all work that may add to the beauty and attractive ness of the village.
 As none of the town funds are avail able for this purpose the Society is en- tirely dependent upon individual sub scriptions, which usually average two hundred dollars year. This is quite inadequate to meet all the expenses and so almost every year some one has en- deavored by personal effort to make up the deficiency. One lady got up SUD- per which realized $lS5 another gave an entertainment from which we received $160. Both these sums were really nec- essary to defray the expenses of those years.
 About five years ago summer guest at the Inn gave us the proceeds of a party amounting to $S1, for the express purpose of continuing the walk from Miss Lydia Smiths, south to the cross roads. The walk was made to the great improvement of that end of the village, but as 1t is just beyond our limits, I regret there is no provision for keeping it in order. The district which the Society attempts to care for, covers mile and half, also down the street towards the station to the turn in the road, and from The Taghkanic to Mir Peabody's shop on Maple street. The walks of this entire district are hood and trimmed once during the season, and as Sharon lies on a side hill, they are badly washed by heavy rains and have to be put in order after every storm. This year many of them need new gravel.
 I days during May, June, and July, to prevent its looking rough and brown like a hay field. It takes man with horse machine three days, and a man with a scythe four days to do it at a cost of about S17 each time. There was special sum of S2l5 given last year by six per sons, for filing ill and grading low and uneven places on the village green. It has always been difficult to use moving machine on parts of the green. but this gift has made 1t possible to mow the greater part of it, though there are still places too rough for anything but a scythe.
 In 1901. the dead wood was cut from the trees at cost of 800, which seemed large sum to be used for such pur- pose, but it had become necessary for the safety of passers by, who were in danger from falling branches, as we'll as for the preservation of the trees.
 There is one expense occurring every year i'll connection with the trees which to almost any one would seem unneces- sary, that is the raking of the leaves in the fall at an outlay of from $50 to s40. We have tried letting them lie through the winter, but found them in the spring so matted i'll the grass, that it could not be moved properly. and they had to be ra6ed after all at a still greater expense.
 More than half the money subscribed is given by those living outside the Society limits, or by those who though within the limits, themselves keep the lawn and walks ill front of their places in order. Still there are people in Sharon who think the Society benefits one per son more than another, and who, if they give money, expect q personal return in work done in front of their places rather than else where. The work is not done