Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-04-04
NOTES BY OBSERVER.

ouietly. took stroll around town the
other day, and being public-spirited
person who always wishes to put Shep-
berdstown in the best possible light,
he hesitates to tell IN the columns Of
the REGISTER what he saw. But be-
cause he wants to have the old town
appear at its best. and because be
hopes that matters will be mended,
he speaks right out in meeting.
Who wonIi believe that in brief
stroll he could have counted fifteen
ash piles on the public streets? Well,
they are there, some of them right on
the Main street, and still others just
around the corner. Three or four
stores we're ornamented with insight
" piles of ashes and other rubbish
near their front doors. One store,
neat and clean within, has had for Its
chief outward monument all winter a
pile of stones into which ashes are
regularly deposited each morning
The biggest pile Of all was deposited
by public institution. Professional
men have to plead guilty to the came
ofense.
All of the offenders have been VIC.
latipg the town law. Why, therefore,
have not the town officers prevented
it2 They are sworn to have these
laws properly observed. but they have
not done 30. If this offense is per-
mitted to grow. what will be the re.
suit? What a town We will have
when everybody sports a rubbish
heap in front of his property
Now that spring has come, every
body ought to take pride in making
the town clean and tidy. 1t has often
been told that Rome was kept clean
because every householder swept in
front of his own door. It's far cry
from Rome to Shepherdstown, but we
think that the old custom would be
very applicable here. Let our town
officials clean up the streets and alleys
and enforce the laws to keep them
clean-and let every householder look
after his own premises. Let US take
pride in the appearance of our prop
erty and of our town.
Observer would like to see good
deal of paint used this spring on the
houses. Oh, 80 many Of them need
it. And what change it makes
Observer knows house that was sim
ply transformed by tasteful painting
twas dingy. gloomy looking place,
and coat of paint in harmonious col
ors changed it into handsome, dig
nifed mansion of most attractive ap-
pearance.
Whitewash is 6rstrate thing if
paint cannot be used. Whitewash
would make some of the dilapidated
old buildings and rickety fences pic
turesque and beautitul-and surely
wbitewash ia within the reach of every.
body.
Another thing we need is attention
to our shade trees. Many OF them
need trimming very badly, and they
would be all the better for it. There
are other places where young trees
ought to be planted, and where vines
would cover multitude of defects.
Shall not all Shepherdstown folks
unite in identifying the old village
that we love 80 well ?
Then there are the pavements-our
variegated sidewalks, over some Of
which generation after generation OF
our people have stubbed their toes
and stumbled. A hundred years ago
the old stone sidewalks might be en-
dured wife patience, but not 80 in
these comfortable times. The new
granolithic pavements in front of the
Jefferson Savings Bank and the Rein.
hart building give US taste for more,
and we really ought to have more.
Won't our new town council start the
ball a-rolling Of course new pave.
ments will cost money and it may in
convenience some householders. but
after all the public good and the gen.
eral welfare must take precedence
Let's be up and doing,
Card Of Thanks.