The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-20
Wilson's Architectural Ambition

There are some places where archltcc-
turdl improvements do not go. Henrietta
street is one OF them. That is n pity, be-
cause II there is any place that needs
architectural improvements 1t Is Henri
eta street.
Henrietta street is suburban thor
oughfare. II is only a block long. u cX-
tends from the gas tanks on the north
to the railroad switching yards on the
south. and Is bounded on the east and
west by ninctv-siX houses. forty eight on
a side All of these houses look exactly
alike. They arc frame houses, are
story and Il half high and n basement;
have the same number OF doors ana WIN
dows. the same high flights ot ricEcty
wooden steps, and are painted the same
sicllly yellow, with dirty brown trim
mines.
Although Henrietta street is no para
disc. only one person living there has ever
had the hardihood TO try TO slick things
up bit about his premises. and he after
ward wished he hadn't. That one pro-
gressive citizen was Nathaniel Wilson
Wilson did not thus aspire to aeSthct-
cism OF his own accord. He did IL be-
cause the Municipal Art society got after
him.
Wilson lived at No q Henrietta street
He owned his own house. in the base
ment of which he conducted a prosperous
grocery and incidentally nourished a po-
Iitical ambition whose seeds had been
sown by the indomitablc district leader.
II WAS a sad day for Wilson when he
ran UP against the Municipal Art socie-
". IncN persuaded MN llldl ne "Oulu
profit commercially and politically by cul-
tivating the fine arts, so at their sug-
gestion he raised the half-story OF his
house to q whole one, built bay window
and a porch close out OH the sidewalk
and daubed the transformed dwelling over
with several coats OF pale green paint.
Nathaniel Wilson, In the simplicity OF
4 newly nedgcd politician and art con-
vert, expected his ueighbors To be pleased
with his proErcssiVencss but they were
not pleased. They did not tell him TO his
face that they disapproved. but outside
the store they said some pretty hard
things about linn. The woman next door
was particularly bitter,
'If anybody had told me six months
ago" she said shortly after the Improve
ments were put under way, that Nat
Wilson would ever get the big head I
wouldn't have believed it; He amt tho
same man since he got mixed up in poll
tics. I'm sorry Nat'H find It won't pay
70 put on style i'm Henrietta street
That's So asseutcd her husband.
heretofore every man jack OF lis in tins
street has oeen as good as his fellows;
and It's my opinion that nobodyll stand
FOR Mats nummery."
Mr.. Wilson. looking out of the base
mcnt window two DAYS later. saw the
next door neighbor going by carrying 4
dilapidatcd market basket. from one cor
uer of which protIuded leaves of lettuce
and stalks of rhubarh. In the course Of
ratio parcgls were carted boldly past the
Wilson's, windows. while a stll greater
number DclnE purchased pN. lllnld Souls
who lacked courage to face Wilson in
their disloyalty. were smuggled into Hem
rietta street surrcptitlously. on succeed
ing days similar incursiOns were made
into foreign markets, and Wilson. watch
ing his own stock OF prorcndcT ion man
and beast growing stale IN his boxes and
barrels. felt big enthusiasm over munich
pal art fall decidedly nat. BY and by
the situation grew SO bad that the only
way Wilson could find relief was TO tallt
about H. He chose for confident the
district leader.
"'rhcrc is a terrible slumr i'm the gro
Gerry business up our way" hc began.
The lcadcr took alarm from bis tone.
What Is the mattcr2'' he asked. Folks
in Henrietta street stopped eating"
NO" said Wilson. but they might lust
MS well have stopped for all the good
their appctites do me. They buy all their
grub elsewhere. I'll have 10 shut up
shop if this thing keeps up much longer.
I'm not earning enough to pay my taxes.
let alone the cost OF Improvements on my
house. Yesterday | sold one yeast cake.
which was about as heavy sale as |
have made since the boycott set in
The district leader turned purple.
improvements" he cried. Great Scott.
you haven't been making improvements