The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-02
HOW 70 BEAU1FY
old GRINDSTONES
MRS. McCRAE is OFFICIAL BEAU
TIFIER OF RAILWAY STATIONS.
She Travels in the Private Car of a Big
Line and Is Given Carte Blanche by
the Officials, Who Declare the Result
Pays How Difficult Propositions Are
Treated.
Chicago Post.

There are many professions open to
women; but there are not many men
who have perfected professions for
themselves. For that matter there are
few men clever enough to originate new
cago woman has done. She is Mrs. A.
E. McCrae. She has not named her
profession and she has no official title.
She might be called a station beautifer,
for her work consists in making more
pleasing to the eye the station grounds
and buildings which mark the ways of
railroads. And who that ever has trav-
eled for days past dull, square build
supposed to be ornamental will say that
it is not blessed workq
1t is twelve years since the railroads
! began in any systematic manner to
beautify their properties. The first at
temptss were, modest ones, but they
grown, until today Mrs. McCrae is
given carte blanche by the road which
employs her as to designs and expenses.
She travels in her private car and is
| recognized as one Of the number who
contribute to the welfare of the rail
| road world. -.,.s.. So
Il Finds Pleasure In Work.
me- said Mrs. McCrae. II always
have been interested in landscape work
Of various kinds, and in this work OF
mine I have found an outlet for all my
enthusiasm. You see, there has been SO
much to do that 1 have felt interested
all the time in the final outcome. 1t
has been an experiment, but its worth
has been proved now. All the larger
roads may be said to be interested in
this improving of their grounds The
| traveller of today has more pleasant
way to travel than he would have had
twenty years ago. Instead Of, bare lit;
tie buildings, which either were SO dull
eyes, are to be found neat little struc
so gaudily painted that they hurt the
lures, which neither are shabby from
lack of paint nor overloaded with it.
LAS for myself, I don't care TO,
many Of the first attempts which were
made to improve the station grounds
places. I refer to the 'graveyard' eff
fects produced by mounds bearing in
gravel or in flowers the name of the
town For that matter, [ do not be
lieve in spending too much money o.
effort in growing flowers. Hardy shrub:
bloom for 50 short a season and otter
need to be reset each year; so they
are beautiful for the greater part OF
the year, and for year after year.
| Room for Improvement.
/ cot course, it ism t always possible
to obtain the desired effects. But
never yet have seen a spot so lacking
in possibilities that it could not be i'm
proved The grouping of the buildings
has much to do with the general effect
have been erected, all we can do is to
make the best of them and their sur
roundings. When the main building is
in the : foreground and the others
grouped together in the background, /
feel grateful. A clump Of bushes may
outlines Of the minor buildings, and the
value Of the vine cannot be overesti-
mated. g.. r. 49,. ~ y ;,
II remember one station, especially
| which / wanted to improve. 1t was
small and the grounds were, tiny. In
fact the place was too cramPed to carry
on the work of the road. The station
agent was polite to me, but he told me
at the start that he didn't believe
inch Of space to spare, The said. I coulo
see that he was right. Yet I was de-
4 termined to do something for that ugly
little station. I watched the men driv
ing up to loading platform and there
was not room for them to reach it with
out hitting the building each time
There surely WASH It an inch to spare
But said 1 to the station agent, they
can It drive into the angle Of the build
ing;., can they9 Well, can put a httl
green in there I did put it in tina
angle and in the opposite one and
trained a hardy vine over the l1ttl
building, and really it didn't look g.
badly, after all. ~ -.
Keeps Busy All the Year.
The work which Mrs. McCrae does
carried on the year around, as the VIII
ter months are spent in the warme
D. states. ..--~.->- -, >.
= The arrangements Of the railroad
t which have spent 50 much money an
effort on the identifying Of their PROF
critics claim that they receive dlrec
: return for their money.
$ "This work. said one railroad mai
"simply is in line with our general 81
fort of lettering in every, way. OF
service. , Of course, where there IS \
o, competition, man will ride. in tn
. train he must, to reach his destination
q but with a choice of roads, the on
:. made as beautiful as possible and tn
other neglected, there is no question bt
/ the prospective passenger will choos
that which has been most improve
We have found it pays. and the ia
| Of the old. ungainly stations IS past.