Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-04-14
ANNUAL MEETING.
The Civic Improvement League Held
Its Annual Meeting Last Evening
at the Court House.

at the court house last evening, there
was not as large an attendance as there
should have been The league has
over 100 mem bers and perhaps one-half
that number were present. me meet
ing was called to order at s o'clock by
President Charles E. Turner. The min
utes of the last annual meeting were
dispensed with, and the president ten
dered his report, which briefly tells of
the main work accomplished by the
league the past year The report IS as
follows
The report of the president will
necessarily be brief, owing | think to
his inetficiency. / cannot point with
any amount of pride to the things done
during the past year. The thing that
stands out prominently to my mind are
the things that might have been done.
| offer only as my excuse, -other things
that needed my attention, and this office
seemed to be the one that could be neg
lected Some things have, however,
been accomplished during the year;
perhaps more than appears on the sur
face.
The more study the subject of civic
improvement, the more I believe in this
organization. | believe it is the only
way to accomplish great many things
that will add beauty, comfort and
healthfulness to our city. | believe our
citizens should take an active inter
est in this organization, assist it with
their time and assist it with their money.
For it is an organization that stands for
a cleaner, more beautiful Wausau, a
greater Wausau. Its object is to do
what it can in an organized way for a
more progressive Wausau, and while
it may seem on the surface that its prin-
cipal object is to plead for cleaner
streets and alleys, more beautiful lawns,
more buds and blossoms, IN that plead
ing and in that endeavor it unconscious
ly asks for higher and better citizen
ship. For civic Improvement not only
means the adOrnment of our city, but
its initiative is the awakening of our
finer tastes and sensibilities and the
love for civic art and civic beauty
Yes, the love for civic integrity and
municipal purity comes from within,
not from without. So if | am right in
my conclusions this organization, with
its humble beginnings, has high ideals
and hopes to accomplish by organiza-
tion, many things, anu asks the patron
age and assistance of our citizens.
Combining ourselves to its history the
past year, let us see what has been ac-
complished.
One of the first things was to give the
free illustrated lecture of the National
Cash Register, Co. of Dayton, Ohio.
This was generally appreciated, and |
believe bore fruit, for | am confident
many home was made more beauti-
full by the suggestive object lessons of
that Splendid lecture.
The circular splitting signs you have
observed on The corners OF our streets
were the outcome of an interview by
this organization with our mayor.
believe the signs were good and health
full IN their suggestiveness, and should
be renewed this year. Wausau should
be progressive, and assist in this world
wide fight to abate the splitting nuisance.
We suggested and helped carry out
the plan of having general cleaning
up day, our city government nobly help
ing, and the plan was highly successful.
This plan should be followed up this
year, for there are many of our citizens
who have nofacilities for removing the
accumulations of the winter, and unless
some way is devised for disposing of
this accumulation free of charge, it will
not be removed.
1t was reported by one of the west
side ward committees that the west
bank of the river, near Harrison Blvd,
be cleaned up, and some attempt be
made towards identifying the same. 1t
was suggested that S25 90 be spent for
the work. A committee was appointed,
consisting of Mr.. Stone as chairman, to
look the proposition over to see what
could be done. 1t was looked overland
reported that it would be useless to at
tempt to do anything with so small an
amount of money, and as we were most
of the time financially embarrassed,
nothing was done.
A garbage committee was appointed,
with Mr.. Conlin as chairman, and | will
call on that committee for report.
At one of our meetings it was decided
to fix up some alley as sort of before
and after object lesson, and $1,000 was
expended on this experiment. | will
ask DR.. Conlin, chairman of that com.
mittee. for a report on that experiment
Now, the last, and perhaps the most
important, work we have undertaken is
the following: We have decided to pur-
chase a carload of shrubs, plants and
vines, which will come here the early
part of May, and we will undertake to
distribute them to our citizens at a low
price. We will also have landscape
artist to assist in the successful carry
ing out of this plan, and we hope for
success.
Now, you will notice that in a quiet
way progress has been made, and some
things accomplished. We only suffer
by comparison when we see how much
more could have been accomplished by
a stronger, by more aggressive, by
a more enthusiastic organization. L
believe this will come in time.
The reports of the secretary and treas
urer followed allof which were received
and placed on file.
DR.. Conlin reported on the garbage
question and stated that the committee
had been ascertaining what was being
done in other cities the size of Wausau
and it was about ready TO propose a
plan. DIR. Conlin also reported on the
experimental work done in beautifying
al Vii 10. 1<uhOy tlC llOkiob, VIZ
had charge of this work, told of its prog
ress and also what kinds of vines and
flowers should be used to get the best
results in season.
The corresponding secretary, Mrs. g.
ID. Jones, reported that she had been
corresponding with Prof Sandsten, of
the state university, with view of
getting him to come here and deliver
an illustrated lecture and that he had
consented to do so. Mrs. Jones was
instructed to have him come at as early
date as possible.
A committee of three, consisting o,
NJ c. Ewing, W. E. Johnson and E.
Thayer, was appointed to propose Off
GERS 10 be voted Oh for the ensuing
year
Brief talks were inade by Messrs.
Judge Marchetti, B. H. Conlin, w r.
johnson, Chris. Lund, Pres. C. E.
Turner and NJ c. Ewing and Mrs. G..