The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-04-08
Hon to Beautify
the City of Leon.
A Paper Read Before the
Amicitia, Club by Mrs.
j. O. WOOdmanSee.

Beauty is defined to be something
that combines those graces which are
pleasing to the sight or any Other
senses, or, to the mind. The sense O.
hearing is attracted and charmed will
oratorio or symphony. The sight is i'm
pressed with the harmony of arrange
ment in color or landscape.
One cannot visit conservatory OF
flower garden without being impressed
with the harmony the All-wise Create,
has given to the commonest of flowers
We Americans have gone commercial
ly mad, and, in our pursuit of the
almighty dollar, have been accused by
the older nations of forgetting all else
in our supreme effort to acquire prop
erty. This indictment severe as it is
is largely deserved. This is particular
~ true of our own beloved state. Nature
has indeed given us soil which yields
beautifully to the husbandman. Sc
entirely is this true that Iowa farmers
refuse to yield her acres even to the
building OF large cities within her
borders, when he can raise seventy
five bushels of sixty cent corn on al
most every acre Of her soil.
In recent years, as our state has
grown older, more attention has been
given to the conservation of the old
landmarks within her borders, and the
gathering together of material things
which are unique in our history and
experience. This tendency has resulted
in the erection of our Hall of History
at the capital of the state, and which
is growing in interest in the minds of
our people as the years are passing,
and which in the future will be Mecca
to which the feet of pilgrim Hawkeyes
will turn with increasing numbers.
The next step from the preservation
OF the monuments of our past history
and experience, will be the setting
aside by our cities and towns of tracts
of land to be used as public parks.
Scarcely city exists in the state that
does not have from one to half dozen
parks. To the shame of Leon be it said
that we have no suitable place within
its limits where an out door meeting of
any kind can be held. Davis City and
Decatur are known far and wide for
their beautiful parks.
The city of Leon has now grown to
such size as to admit of it's division, Ly
operation of state laws, into wards.
We ought to take steps speedily to pro-
vide convenient park for our use.
Our citizenship ought now to turn it's
attention to the identifying Of the
streets OF the city. Steps should at
once be taken by the city council to
establish grades along the streets. and
between such grades and the sidewalks
parking of sufficient width should be
established to enable the abutting prop
erty owners to plant flowers and trees
and in other ways to beautify the
streets. Main street should be paved
from the Ballew lumber yard to the
railroad tracks at the bottom of Main
street, and Commercial street across the
city.
AS have suggested before, | think
the next step should be the acquiring
OF tract of from six to ten acres to be
devoted to a city park. This park
should have band stand and rustic
seats, and should be dotted over with
flowers in tastefully arranged beds,
and, when we get waterworks, should
have fountain or two. In the park
the summer evening band concerts
should be given. Then, as the city
grows older, and larger, small zoolog-
ical garden should be provided for the
benefit of children, in which deer, bear,
eagles and other animals and fowls
which are rare to our climate and
civilization should be kept. Tennis
grounds should be laid out as we'll as
croquet, and accommodation made for
the entertainment of picnic parties.
This would attract visitors from the
surrounding towns and would increase
the business of the merchants of Leon.
The public school grounds should be
beautitied as far as possible without
encroaching on the play ground of the
children. The same should be said of
the grounds around the churches of the
city. All board walks along the prin-
cipal streets should give way to cement
and brick.
Such pressure should be brought to
bear on the officials of the G. B. & @.
railroad as to cause them to remove the
depot from it's present location to one
nearer the center of the business dis
trict. The anticipated walks approach
ing the station should be replaced with
modern ones in keeping with the pro-.
gress and civilization Of Iowa. The
unused grounds about the depot should
be sodded and planted in shrubbery and
flowers SO that the first glance of a
visitor to our city will not create an
unfavorable impression. The stock
yards should be removed to point
farther south and east of the station
than the present unsightly mud. hole
which greets the eye and nose of every
stranger coming to the city.
Nothing would better advertise the
city of Leon than to do what / have
herein suggested. This work is not
beyond the accomplishment of this club
and it would be commendable work
in which l would like to see it enlist.
"Doan's Ointment cured me of eczema
that had annoyed me long time. The
cure was permanent" - Hon. S. w. Mat
thews, Commissioner Labor Statistics,
Augusta, Me.