Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-10-14
A CONTRAST IN
CIVIC BEAUTY,
Experience of Idaho Town With
Two Railroads.
ONE DEEMED AN EYESORE.

The Other Considerate of the People
Rights and the municipalities Wei
fare and Misunderstanding Dif
ference Between Their Depots.
From one end Of Rathdrum, Ida, t,
the other, almost running parallel cas-
and west, two railroad lines are i'm
portant adjuncts Of the village. The
physical character of one dlsigures
and mars the surroundings; the other
has been constructed with q view to
giving an additional beauty to con.
tlguous points.
The Northern Pacific at this point Ia
a positive eyesore to all the inhabit.
ants Of the village, and no less so tC
the travelling public, says Bartlett Sin
clair In the Spokane Spokesman-Re-
view. In the construction, subsequent
Improvements" and maintenance of
this great commercial highway (here
at least nothing seems to have been
omitted to impress the eye with its
responsiveness.
1t enters the town from the east
through a beautiful grove of native
pines. Without apparent demand for
the act the old right of way was sunk
some ten feet through that lovely spot,
destroying hundreds Of the most state
ly trees, and as if more distinctly to
indicate the ravage the stumps of the
monarchs, the huge limbs and trunks
lie promiscuously on the banks of the
depression. There may still be seen
disgusting evidences of the old camps
Of the army of vandals.
As the road gets into the heart of
the town the grade increases in eleva-
ton until at several points it divides
the town by an embankment of five to
fifteen feet. The sides of this embank-
ment, stretching like a huge, black
serpent through the town, are covered
with filthy cans, useless scraps of rail-
road iron, fragments of old cars, con-
demned and ragged ties, all set in a
bed Of black and gray ashes.
No description Of offensive refuse
but may be seen or smelled on the
right of way within the town limits.
For twenty years a space covering
margin of two blocks has been used
as a dumping ground for the discarded
ashes from the engines. This accumu.
lation at times reaches height of ten
or twelve feet and a width of twenty
feet and protrudes for distance of
500 feet along the right of way within
the town limits. Sometimes this I'M
slightly pile is higher and wider, but at
all times 1t Is there The commercial
club and the village trustees have APP
pealed time and again for relief but all
to no purpose. The railroad authori. |
ties are impervious.
The horrible mass Is cOextensive for |
several blocks with the south walk of |
the recently laid out village park. Its |
appearance Is intensified by
the natural beauty across the street.
The prospect from the park in the d.
rection Of the road destroys all sense
Of the natural grandeur of the beauti-
full brook, the shrubs, the lawns and
old trees. The existence
Of that foul embankment is submits
,ively endured. The people think they
have no recourse.
But that is not all. The old depot
and platform are q positive
disgrace, not say menace to safety.
The ratings are down, and one Of the
lepots Is without steps, necessitating
IN acrobatic or monkey feat to get
within. This great corporation, with
Millions at its command, maintains the
lirtiest yard and surroundings in the
own. The poorest and most parsi-
nonious person Of the village supports
icer and more aesthetic surroundings. :
So long as this ulcer is maintained
n its present condition our village,
situated, must stand in bad
epute. And so must many another
'hese unkempt railroad grounds are
he first and last sight of all people
Tho visit us. The nauseating odors fill
he atmosphere, and the rough slopes
the roadbed, strewn with ashes and
irty debris from many and miscel- =
lneous sources. shock ones sense Of
le beautiful. 4
There are so many towns in the =
lme suffering, helpless class with
athdrum between the coast and 81.
aul that the situation becomes one of 3
eneral interest and concern. Some =
ling ought to be done. q
The other railroad which intersects =
lie village is the Idaho and Washing >
n Northern. AS is well known, this .
,ad is a recent creation and passes =
etween Spokane and Newport and is ii
lie work of the Blackwells. \ large 81
lrt of the road has been completed ~
I'd the extension into the Metaline -
'ction Is going forth at a rapid rate.
The Blackwells In the construction of q,
le road have given valuable illus u
alton of the truth that railroad line n
rough a village or city need not be =.
Disagreement and may be 80 built cl
to lend an artificial picturesqueness a,
the landscape and to municipalities. n
The wise and considerable course was y,
rsued by these contractors and true nj
lists Of cleaning up behind them as or
g rails were laid. No unsghtly ref
e was left to mortify the sight along b,
e right of way. Besides a beautiful ~,
ADDED, even and regular, the mag n
fcent country through which the or
ad passes is not marred b. noun ID
ms Of tangled treetops, stumps and IN