Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-08-31

Only Il few months ago three com
mutcrS living in small Jersey town
met on Il train homcward bound from
Now York The conversation soon
t,rncl to the subject of improving their
town.
What Crcsskill needs is an improve
meat society" one of them remarked.
4 Nothing more was said on the subject.
and they left the train for their homes
\ few days aftcrward another CrcSs.
killitc met the maker of the above re-
mark, and this conversation CnSucd:
Did YOU say that CrcsSllill needed
/ an Improvement society" said he.
II did" was the reply
'Do you mean 1t and would YOU be
willing to help in forming oner"
"Ccrtainly. | will do all can"
y meeting was called for the pur-
| pose of organizing an Improvement so
| Ciety, and nine men responded to the
/ call. After brief discussion a prcSi-
dent. vice president. secretary and
/ treasurer We're elected and the society
| launched on its career of good work
| At first the membership was limited to
! fifteen. The dues are - cents
/ month.
For some years the citizens of Cress-
| kill had been trying to have an extra
train stopped in the morning bound
| for New York, but had failed. The
Improvement society at once tackled
the problem, arranged a meeting be-
tween their representatives and an Erie
{ az
| promise of an extra train. The meet
| ing, mt which the needs of the com
mutcrS We're thoroughly discussed, was
| very pleasant, and in Il few weeks the
extra train stopped at Crcsskill and has
| been well patroniZcd. This shows
what Il little organized effort will do
The interest in the society grew
apaCc, and soon the membership limit
was raised to twenty-five. More Off
GERS were elected and the good work
! pushed along.
one of the principal streets in the
town is we'll shaded by an avenue of
fine trees, forming n very attractive
feature. The electric light wires were
so strung that they We're slowly, but
surely, running the trees \ commit
tee from the Improvement society call
/ cd the town councils attention to the
condition of the trees and requested
them to urge the electric light company
to prevent their wires from touching
| the trees throughout the whole bOr-
ough The request was we'll received,
and soon the electric light men cut off
all the branches that were touched by
the wires, and the trees have been
saved for the enjoyment of all.
This action no doubt brought the So
ciety prominently before the public.
One of the councilmcn. who is also a
member of the Improvement society,
agitatcd the observation of a cleaning
up day for the whole town. He urged
it among his friends and fellow council
men. The mayor issued n proclama-
tion urging all the residents on May
II last to clean up around their homes
in the morning and to assemble in the
afternoon to bcautify the grounds
around the depot. Quite a large num-
Der responded, and a great deal of
good work was done.
Through the generosity and the ell
terpriSe of the councilman mentioned
above over 300 towering shrubs of
many kinds were planted and beds laid
out In the parklike grounds about the
depot. An expert landscape gardener
Superintended the work. while the cit
liens assisted In digging. planting, rak-
ing up rubbish and trimming the edges
of the beds. In two days common
place piece of ground was changed into
pretty little park. which Is improving
all the time. The council has placed
the Improvement society in charge of
this park and 1t will be kept up and
improved as the opportunity offers.
Nearly everybody In town has talked
about the change. Such remarks as
"Well, the old town IS waking up at
last" quite an Improvement" Looks
fine" and Good days work for Cress-
kIlr' were heard. Young and old, men,
women and children, turned out to see
the change. Commuters from neigh
boring towns commented favOrably on
the change.
What Cresskill has done any town
can do if only n few determined peO-
pie will band together and resolve to
do what they can in the line Of i'm
provementS. The force of good ex-
ample and determination not to be
easily discouraged will work wonders
All the societys members vie with
each other In keeping their own
grounds clean and improving them,
thus setting an example that Is being
followed by other residents.
Cans for waste paper and fruit peel
ings will be placed in different parts Of
the town. 1t is the intention of the So
ciety to interest the school children
In the good work.
All moneys of the society are to be
spent on town improvements. The
meetings are held Mt the homes Of the
members twice n month. AS soon as
all business has been transacted q
Jolly heart to heart time Is enjoyed.
Thus another pleasant feature has
been added to the towns social attrac-
ions.