The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-04-23
AN INSTRUCTIVE LECTURE.
Mr.. MCFARLAND Points the Way To-
ward Beautifying the Town.

ward Beautifying the Town.
The April meeting of the Friday
Evening Club held last Friday even
ing was the annual meeting of that
organization. Secretary treasurer h.
J. Genung presented his annual re-
port showing that eight meetings had
been held with total attendance of
3,297, an average of ALI. The largest
attendance was $50, when the Panama
Canal was considered. During the
year there were thirty-six resigna-
tions and thirty-three new members,
the present membership being 266.
The treasurer's report showed a bal
ance from last year Of 1850. IA receipts
of $1,054.04 and balance left of 1896.
This is smaller than last year, but the
treasurer explained that nine meet
ings were paid for out of the funds of
the year instead of eight as is general
ly the case and the April meeting is
allepaid for except the hall rent of S35
SO that really the financial conditions
is about the same as year ago. In
addition more has been paid for lee
lures, despite the fact that Bishop
Potter refused any pay for his address.
Fl. A. VanGilder and ROBERT G. Caskey
were appointed committee to audit
the report of the treasurer.
On recommendation of the nominat-
ing committee MesSrs. F. B. Dwight,
G. A. Becker and f. W. Stevens were
elected members of the executive COM
mittee for terms of three years.
The speaker of the evening was J..
Horace Mcfarland, president of the
American Civic Association. Previous
to the meeting he had been taken
about town by a committee and dur
ing the course of his lecture he con
graduated the citizens upon living in
one of the most beautiful towns he
Ll0u CNCA NlolUOus 4AC 1OlOIlOu PdI OiO-
ularly to the irregular lay out of the
streets as an advantage over the grid
iron system SO generally in use and
urged that the trees be cared for and
preserved. Although he had seen
some places which we're not what
they should be, he said that the main
problem seemed to be to retain the
beauties we have rather than inaug-
urate the policy of correcting mis-
takes. AS to improvements he sug.
gested that some competent adviser
be secured to recommend a general
scheme of improvement. The water
ways through the town struck him as
feature which can be developed
much in the way of parkways and
widening out into play grounds, etc.
Civic development and beautifying,
he declared, has a solid basis of finan.
cial value in preventing crime and dis
order.
Mr.. Mcfarland showed a great
many stereopticon views of wire con-
ditions, billboards, ugly railroads, poor
buildings at Park entrances and neal
railroad terminals with the prediction
that the communities will soon super
wise them. Already the law recog-
nizes the disadvantage Of bad odors,
great noise, etc, but has not as yet
recognized that the eye can be offend
ed as we'll as the nose and ears.
On the other hand he exhibited
views showing the changed appear
ance of houses and back yards by a lit
tie tasteful work, the improvement in
railroad station grounds and along
the tracks which can be easily made,
and examples of the care of wires, To-
cation of trolley tracks, ETC., possible
if the beauty of a town is considered
and not only the matter Of few dol
lars to corporation. His views of
the marring and destruction of beau
tiful trees for the sake of aerial wire
lines was particularly timely, as this
section has been afflicted sorely in
such matters.