Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-07
Cupid to retain apprenticeship over the
institution of courtship.
Il CLEANING AND CITY
HOUSE


CLEANING.
Cleanup days are the rule the coun-
try over at this time. This year the
movement has been more general than
ever before. Des Moines has just fin
ished cleaning her streets, yards and
alleys. the people having responded
valiantly when day was set aside by
the mayor for this work. Denver has
done better. Last year Denver set
aside one day for cleaning up and
everybody took hand with such pub
lie spiritedness that the result more
than met the expectations Encour-
aged by last years success Denver's
executive this year decided that three
days should be devoted to the task,
and accordingly the city was divided
into three districts, and each day the
residents In that district cleaned up
their part Of the town. In his procla-
nation setting aside cleaning days,
Mayor Speer said:
"a city free from dirt, in perfect
health and made attractive in all its
details, will advertise itself and draw
within its boundaries the best Of peo-
pie"
And accompanying the proclama-
ton were the following set of rules to
guide the city cleaners in their work:
Rake on a pile. the tin cans, bottles
etc, on the vacant lots near you, the
day before your cleanup day, and they
will be hauled away by the city teams
Plant trees and SOW grass-do not
live without a lawn.
Repair your fences, gates and
sheds paint or whitewash them.
Burn all you rubbish possible. Do
not throw 1t in the street, alley or va
cant lots.
Repair your sidewalk.
Take all the dandelions out Of your
lawn they spoil It's beauty and in
time will destroy 1t.
IF your residence, store front, wag-
ons. signs OF automobiles. look old or
faded. have them repainted.
Keep down the weeds on your prop
erty, and while they are young have
them destroyed on the vacant lots
near you.
"If your awnings are old. torn or
faded. get new ones.
do not spit on the sidewalks. The
city Is trying to keep those in the bust
ness district especially clean by wash
ing them several times each week.
Wherever you find anything I'M
healthy which you cannot remedy. tele-
phone the health department at city
hall.
Sewer connections, garbage cans,
and ash pits are necessities for cleanli-
ness at each home. See that they are
provided -kept clean and in good con.
dition."
The rules laid down by Denver's ex-
ecutfve were comprehensive and went
further than merely calling upon the
people to clean up their yards. Repair.
ing the sidewalks, gates and fences,
painting residences and store fronts
and removing torn and faded awnings
all these things do much to brigh.
ten city's appearance.
Ottumwa has not made plans for q
cleanup day, and perhaps the season
is too far advanced now to do so, but
much in addition to what has been
done could be accomplished. The city's
sanitary department has done much
to secure the removal Of the winters
accumulation Of rubbish, and the city
shows a great Improvement because
OF the spring house cleaning ALREADY
done, but the sanitary department can
not compel merchants and property
owners to apply few coats of paint
to their places Of business and resi-.
dences and to tear down old awnings
The pride of the merchants and prop.
erty owners in their residences and
places Of business should prompt this
If 1t is too late for. a concerted
cleanup movement, why not work in,
dividually to finish the house cleaning
job. Just read over the list of rules
governing Denver's three days cam
baign and see if 1t does not jog your
memory as to some work that might
be done to advantage