The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-03-20
DECKER TALKS
OF BOOSTING.
SUCCESS IN SPOKANE
Residents Of the City Turn Out and
Aid 81 Making the City Beautiful
Business and Professional Men Be.
com Common Laborers. !

core Common Laborers. !
From Wednesdays Daily.
'.Thero are 30 many ways, OF boost
ing a town that all may get into line
and do their share toward building
up a community. The successful
cities farther west have discovered
this long ago and are taking advan-
tage OF every possible neal to keep
themselves in the iimeilght. We are
not slow ourselves, continued secre-
tary Decker Of the chamber Of COM.
merce, shut now and then we overlook
Ia chance.
"Just now spokaneis coming in for q
great deal Of free advertising all over
the country because u a custom insti-
tuted there only a few years ago. The
annual cleaning day 10 drawing nigh,
and the fact is being heralded broad
cast from one end Of the land to the
other. The mayor Of the town has
issued his proclamation and officially
designated April IS as the day when
every one in Spokane turns out and
donates a days services toward 2
city beautiful 1t is expected that
between 10000 and $4,000 men, wom-
en-: and children will be on hand with
shovel, hoe, rake and broom, all
working under the directions Of a
chief marshal.
Everything in the way Of dirt will
be raked and shoveled together and.
carted away by hundreds Of teams
which have been secured for that pur-
pose. All will work without expecting
Or receiving a cent Of pay.
Women Plant Flowers.
"It is expected that nc fewer than
5000 business and professional men
will turn out and for the day become
common laborers. Some of the women
and children will plant flowers and
shrubbery. Others will prepare and
serve luncheon for the workers who
.sare too far away from their homes to
permit them to take the time required
to go for their dinners. The COM
bustible matter Is carted into heaps
and burned, fremen from the city fire
department being detailed to have
charge of that part Of the work.
II can't see why we can't have
something like It here. The people
: DESTROYS Of having q clean and at
tractive city. All that Is needed to
get them into line is concerted action.
I am sure that were Mayor Foster to
issue q proclamation setting aside q
day for q general housekeeping and
urge the cldzens to heed the procla'
nation the same results would follow
here that have accrued at Spokane.
Proves Good Advertisement.
] Here is what the Spokane mayor
has to say in regard. to the general
cleaning day:
"tSpohane's cleaning day campaign
is one Of the most successful move
ments ever carried out in this city
. and as a. result l have received let
tiers froms mayors Of hundreds Of
towns and cities in various parts q
the United States and Canada asking
for detailed plans. These were tried
out in numerous instances late last
spring, and there are reasons for be
lieving that the day is not far distant
when many Of the cities Of the cont
nent will devote one day a year te
this work.
"'The work done last spring shows
the interest that cansSbe aroused II
this kind Of civic improvement in 4
few weeks. It is estimated that near
ly 10000 persons took part in thu
campaign, and, in addition TO rakini
lawns, pruning trees, clearing alley
and vacant lots and repairing fences
and walks In the suburbs, more thar
10000 packets Of flower seeds ant
several hundred pounds Of grass sect
were sown. #sa
"I may add that all the work wal
volunteered, not q penny being con
tributed through any source.
"'Our work vas probably more 81
fective than It could have been b!
hiring the labor. The people TAX
pride In having their home surround
ings as beautiful as It H. possible Il
make them, and it is in this that GU
campaign appealed to them. Not onl!
that, but they enlisted the services 9
visitors in the city, thus augmentinI
their own ~forces.'"