The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-06-13
Belfast Improvement Society

The annual meeting of the Belfast I'M
prOvement Society was held in Room g. Me-
mortal Building, Monday, June 10th, and
was called to order at p. NJ by Mrs. Chas.
Bradbury, President, who addressed the
members as follows:
Officers and members of the Belfast I'm
provement Society:
Dear Friends: take great pleasure in
expressing to yOn at this time my sincere
thanks for your kind helpfuiness to me, as
| President, in all the work we have under
taken and accomplished during the past
year.
| wish to thank our ex-Mayor. Mr.. John
times; also our eX-park commissioners, DR..
A. O. Stoddard and Mr.. J. F. Wilson, who
worked so earnestly and efficiently for our
interests. The people in general have re-
sponded literally on all occasions; to them
| extend gratitude and appreciation.
| We certainly have every reason to feel
encouraged from the present outlook and
with the hearty cooperation of our Mayor,
| Mr.. T.. f. Hanson, park commission and
townspeople, | trust our efforts iii the fu-
| ture may be even more successful than in
the past. With the spirit of harmony, de-
termination aud perseverance, let US work
together for the Improvement of our beauti-
full city, Thanking you for the honor con-
| ferred upon me, | remain, =
Respectfully yours,
Mrs. CHARLES BRADBURY.
| The routine and unfinished business were
readily dispatched. Then came the reports
OF the secretary and treasurer, which were
adopted and by unanimous vote ordered
printed, as follows:
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
| Tn tha ntfiaarS nd mo har of t(a pa1F F,,t
| improvement Society: 1t is my privilege
| to submit herewith my seventh annual re-
| port as secretary OF your society, and while
the past year, like those preceding, has been
one OF struggle with alternate expectation
and disappointment, we are to be congratu-
lated that the closing of the year brings us
so near the realization of hopes long deferr-
ed.
To say that the Belfast Improvement So
iety is live organization, always wide
awake to the interests of the city, would be
only to repeat what everybody knows. and
we have certainly been living up to our re-
| putation during the year.
1t is impossible toIestimate just how many
| definite results may be counted from our eff
forts during the life of the Society, for civic
| betterment is contagious and outside of the
several large enterprises so successfully car
rled out we have to our credit the convert
| ing of many an un>ightly blot into delight
to the eye and unkempt lawns and by places
are now the exception. 1t is always temp
tatlon when compiling notes for an annual
first beginning lest we forget the many
things that have been wrought in the way
of progress and the many changes for the
improvement of our city. But the citizens
who are enjoying the convenience of the
| water system IN our cemetery or find rest
upon the inviting rustic seats there and at
other points about the city; who listen to
the tiue music by the Belfast band from a
commodlous stand built from our funds, or
attend any of the first-class concerts or en-
tertainmentS given under our auspices
whose children have profited by the works
of art that adorn the walls of the several
schoolrooms, who sit without anxiety as the
curfew rings out on the evening air; who
have travelled the comfortable gravel walk
on Northport Ave where they were wont to
pick their way ankledeep in mud and water,
and who for three years have had free use
of the picnic grounds and ovens, with the
convenience of modern lighthouses for a
nominal sum. and are now to realize the
benefits of a beautiful city park, must ad-
NIT that our society has done something
more than to merely exist.
We have aimed ever to be progressive,
albeit we have sometimes seemed to be ag-
gressive, but the best interests of our COM
munlty have been our first thought Now
with the present outlook we can truly say,
"we are citizens of no mean city," Still
our needs are many. If some advance is
good more is better We hope for the per-
feet system of sewerage that is absolutely
necessary for good sanitation. and for ade-
quate provision for our public schools, in
which we all feel so deep an interest. We
are far behind other cities or even towns of
| similar size all over the country in this re-
Spect and are robbing our children of the
pure air and comfort rightfully theirs and
necessary to build their bodies along with
their brains. With greater public spirit,
greater interest in what tends to broader
living, this too can be accomplished.
No one will deny that the greatest charm
of city comes from its beautiful parks,
trees and shrubbery, good roads and well
kept lawns and gardens, and not buildings,
however substantial and grand. Believing
this our society has labored indefatigably
to make ours the "city beautiful along this
line.
1t is now five years since the movement
for a city park was inauguarated by the few
active lady members of this society. After
two years of earnest work in which our
plans were many times frustrated, yet with
out loss of enthusiasm, for the promoters
were women possessed OF unusual tact and
zeal and were under most energetic leader
at the time, we succeeded in securing from
the city council an appropriation for the ff-
teen acres on Northport avenue, which
promises to add so much to the attraction
and value of the city. The story of the
struggle of the period of years since is too
WCli hLoN W lCpCdt' we nave, uOWcFtI, ,
all the time had the helpful, generous CO.
operation of Mayors and some of the coun-
ell. Last year Hon. j. r. Dunton showed
himself ready to support all meritorious
projects and the first appropriation for the
park was secured through his influence. 1t
remained however for our present Mayor,
Hon. E. F., Hanson, to arouse universal
interest in the enterprise, to make people
look up and take notice, and the fact that
our citizens are loyal lovers of Improvement
is manifest i'll the ready response to his ap.
peal in behalf of the park. 1t is surely an
inestmable good fortune to have mayor
and city council who are unit on any "good
of the public" Some one has said that the
, best possession of any city is to have citi.
zens who are devoted to its progress in the
''best things" The influence of numbers
! is irresistible and we are to be congratu.
lated on the splendid beginning made in
laying out and ornamenting our park. Trees
and shrubs are living, growing things and
impress one as nothing else does. No city
possesses more natural advantages than
ours and this delightful spot lends itself
easily to enhancement with its clear view
of our beautiful bay and island scenery and
will be d fine monument to the progressive
spirit of the Belfast Improvement Society
, We would suggest that the work Mayor