The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-29
News Section.
IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE MUSTERS
FORCES FOR CLEANING THE CITY
Ward Committees Are Named and Concerted Assault
Untidiness and llLKept Streets and Alleys Is
to Be Arranged at Once.

Like an avalanche the spring clean.
up movement started by the Improve
ment league is coming down over the
city. Success lies in the start that is
made and everything points to gen
eral assault on the works of untidi-
ness and sloth. The message is to be
sent to everyone and no loyal Mime
apolitan will shirk his task to make
the city clean, beautiful and generally
attractive
The movement is widespread-it
works in every direction. The repaving
of the asphalt streets down town is a
part of it-one of the most important
parts. 4l ~, H.. -.
With newly paved streets, the work
Of keeping them clean is a compara-
lively easy task and there is nothing
heater or prettier in streets than a
newly asphalted thorofare. ..sI,,
The scores and hundreds Of electric
the downtown streets is part Of the
same movement. By night the city will
dazzle with the CLEAN of myriad lights
and shine with reflection reaching to
the clouds. -. n,..
r.... On Lower N1colleC. ~-5-. a.., T.,
Another manifestation Of the move
ment is the driving of employment
agents off Nicollet avenue. thus Danish
| ing from great avenue the large
| crowds of men which frequent these
| places. 49, - *..-.. .'.. .a..-.
They are all worthy men, of course,
but such crowds on the sidewalks
| block traffic and give visitors the i'm
preston that there are many idle men
in the city. This is not the case. but
as all the employment agents have their
headquarters in the vicinity Of Bridge
Square, men looking for employment
eetongregate in that section of the city
There is no intention of driving the
employment offices out of business, but
it is believed they can do fully as well
in localities where they will not in
terfere so much with the regular traf-
fic, nor be SO conspicuous.
The Cleaning Program.
The greatest work of all, however, is
to clean the streets and alleys and
yards. The aldermen thru their commits
sioners are already engaged on the
streets and will take charge Of that
portion Of the work as far as the ward
funds will permit. The health depart
ment is looking after the alleys for the
detection Of nuisances or unsanitary
conditions. '~ .sE
There is great deal of rubbish in
the alleys, however, which. tho I'M
slightly, is not unsanitary, and does not
concern co the health department officials.
This rubbish. consisting Of ashes and
all manner Of stuff thrown out from
the dwelling houses, should have been
cared for in other ways. Some of the
aldermen have already directed their
street commissioners to clean out the
alleys, and others will do so if properly.
urged. ~.
The Women's Work.
:, Then the back yards need attention.
It will be the duty of the women Of
1.-The Improvement league to- stimulate an
interest IN the big housekeeping. he
i undertaking is an. immense one, for it
is not only necessary to. clean up now
but to continue the work all thru the
summer 49, ~ ....... ...'@ .~,
| After all thergrime, dirt and rubbish
has been cleared away, will come a
united effort to beautify the city-to
lay out lawns, fowerbeds and shrubs
to screen unsight1y places in various
ways; to encourage rags owners and agents
at least to keep down the weeds.
Blllboards and offensive signs need
attention, schoels grounds can be beau
titled and the children can undoubt
eddy be encouraged to engage in the
work. Theodore Wirth superintendent
Of parks, says the school grounds car
be made very attractive by the use OF
- trees needed" but still are somewhat
bare hecausesQf the lack of shrubs. CIR
) Work for Children. i.
The children ca nset out the shrubs
, and would enjoy the work. It should
: however, be conducted under the sdi
! rection of the principals and teacher:
who doubtless would take as much in
, terest in it as the pupils. =: : zsf@7
The surroundings of the railway sta
: tions and thee conditions of the stations
themselves hay 6 often been thessubjec
lef criticism. 1.-THE women of the leagu,
are aware Of this and expectsto secur'
the cooperation of the railway ant
: depot officials. .-.. Il, !. 5s$s:% {
= To carry on the work on an. exten
sive scale, the Improvement league ha
invited "a number Of Representative,
women in the different wards to#tak,
. charge of, the movement in their ne
), spective wards. The committee vii
! be permanent one for the summe
and it's duty will be not only to =hav
{ the city thoroly cleaned, but kept clean
:. and beautifed by every possible means
Five women will represent each ware
= Ou IulS COuumICCSo, WulCu 1IS HIS
: session next Tuesday afternoon in tn
!. mayors reception room at the cit.
9 hall. At this meeting the plans of tn
Improvement league will be fully out
~ lined and several speakers will adj
: dress the gathering on the variou
/ phases Of the movement. g5*a s
!, :. g. Directing the Work.
t. The Undertaking is particularly s. IN
der the direction Of the civic com
mittee consisting of Mrs. J !. Crosby
Y chairman, Mrs. o. X. Richardson's sse
e rotary, Mines. Asa s. Wilcox. III, IF
y Newhan and Emma Beard and Mis-
t Gratia tCountryman.
/ &, Hearty cooperation has alreaa.
been assured by the numerous improve
e ment associations scattered about TIL
e city, among which may be named TIL
q following: Portland avenue, Lowr
hill, Camden place, Minnehaha, Ken
: wood, Oak Park, Shadyside, Sunnyside
Lake Calhoun, Linden hills, Park ave
t nue., eighth ward, Lake of the Isles
Hawthorn, Oak park, Prospect park
: Eighth ward, Seventh ward and others
5 The movement falls particularly with
the field Nof these neighborhood asso
L Citations. and their. power, for good is n
: most unlimited. While so-called pei
: manent improvements are desirable,
:. is apparent that the. neat and attract
!, i've appearance Of locality will temp
s as many people as would some Othe
Z features that would cost a great dea
!. Plan of the Work.