The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-07-27
VINES FOR EYESORES
HOW AN OKLAHOMA TOWNS POST
OFFICE BECAME BEAUTY SPOT.
Trees, Too, to Make the Place Shady,
and Rose Garden Planted Whera
Ashes and Cinders. Bottles and
Bricks Used to BE Deposited.

Bricks Used to He Deposited.
Often the most unsightly and iii.
ap:>!atcd building in a town is used
f,r the public postntfice. Visited sew.
eral times n day b: citizens. the latter
In time become familiar with its taw-
driness, cease complaining and accept
as unavoidable a condition that weak
ems public sentiment in its demand fol
clean streets and attractive buildings
Occasionally, however, is found a re
bellious citizen. with enough energy
and pride in making beautiful his town
to resist this lethargy.
When W. T. Little. the father of ex.
detrimental forestry in Oklahoma. the
founder of Perry's tree parks, was az.
pointed postmaster at Perry severa,
years age he beheld with loathing the
building and grounds assigned to him
as an office by the federal government,
says Perry correspondent of the Kan
sas City Star. The postotfice building
stands in :'government acre" at the
northwest corner of the three acre park
which Little planted to American white
elm trees. The building was of native
red sandstone, lending itself admirably
to the ornament of vines and foliage,
but without them garsh heap of bowl
ders in a sun baked street. defiled with
waste paper and broken bottles and
surrounded with chasms made by wash
ing rains Mr. Little has spent more
than 5000 of his private funds in max
ing necessary repairs TO the building
and In laying cement sidewalks. with
out counting the cost Of trees and yard
decorations
The town council passed special or
dinance for the protection Of the two
beautiful trees that stand In front of
the building. These trees were planted
over two years ago and at that time
were single branches. each about six
feet in length. A single tree can now
give shade enough to cover three bug
gies standing in the street The ground
circumference of the tree Immediately
In front Of the postoffice door is nine
teen inches. At an inch above its
height when planted. this tree now
measures fourteen inches in circumfer-
ence This means growing cylinder
Of solid wood nearly four and One-h8H
inches in diameter in a growing sea
son Of sixteen months and on upland
over which the wagon and postOffice
traffic of town with free city de-
livery and seven rural routes passes
daily.
The south wall Of the building was
an expanse of dead stone two years
ago last spring when Little filed
nearby ravine and planted cuttings Of
Japanese Ivy. Southern exposure in
this climate offers little encouragement
to japanese ivy or kindred plants in
ascending only by sticking their feet
against the sun scOrched and wind
swept stone wall, but under Titles
care the ivy thrived. The soil was
made so warm with manure that the
vines budded earlier than usual and
were killed to the ground by the freeze
that destroyed the peach crop in the
winter Of 1905. From the ground the
east vine reached the caves three times
last summer. The west vine touches
the caves in three places. The other
vines climbed halfway to the shingles
in 155 days. The beauty of this vine
clad building will increase with the
growth of the ivy and is now the envy
Of housewives, who ask Little almost
every day to tell them how to make
vines grow" And he tells them
Look at that tree said Little last
fall, pointing to one standing near the
south door of the pOStoffice 1T came
as volunteer two summers ago. and
its branches now arch the door and
cast thor shade from the morning sun
twelve feet Into the postoffice."
If the south side of the building was
made more beautiful with the green of
clinging vines the beauty Of the east
side became UNNECESSARILY greater
when Postmaster Little, at his own ex-
pense, planted rose garden In which
he placed nearly 100 Of the choicest
varieties Of roses. This spot for nine
years had been a depository for coal
ashes and cinders, bottles and bricks.
through which rainfall percolated into
constantly degenerating soil This
rubbish was removed and the soil purg-
ed and renewed The roses were plant
ed little over two years ago. and de-
spite the fact that ravages Of rose
worms required the replanting Of near
~ half the bushes the first season there
was yield OF fully G0000 fragrant
blossoms. Il know that seems like ex.
aggeration." said Little as he walked
In his bright colored garden. pointing
out his favOrite roses. but | counted
Sl0Q roSos ~, oua l,.,nl, l.,af Inn,