West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-05-27
CLEAN WATER FRONTS
Their Value to Towns and How
to Secure Them.
NOTED EXAMPLE IN WISCONSIN

Move Begun by Women TO eeautify
Waterways IN Milwsukee--Wome
Congress 60 Cooperate In Plan TO
Adorn Rivers and Hsrbors.
Clean. tidy water fronts along the
rivers and lakes or seashorc add great.
ly TO the appearance or towns situated
by them. The samo kind OF work that
has been done IN n Wisconsin city can
bo tried I'm any town. according TO local
circumstances. as tho following article
shows.
Many prominent clubwomcn having
n keen interest In public affairs, rs
shown by their activity I'm the women's
national rivers and harbors congress
for the promotion OF improved water
ways, have been enlisted recently In
tho movement for tho Identification OF
American waterways.
In response TO an invitation 20 co.
| operate with tho American Civic asso.
ciation with view TO beautlfylng the
| waterways the women's national rly.
ers and hnrbors congress enlisted with
| enthusiasm I'm the work. This organ
ization has representative executive
board, Its members being drawn from
many states. and it promises 60 DO ono
| OF tho most important factors I'm tho
plan to have American waterways
adorned In n way pleasing TO the eye
MS well ns effective In utilitarlnn
| sense.
Mrs. Hoyle Tomkies OF Shreveport
La, Is president OF tho congress-, and
In recent letter TO j. Horace McFar-
land, president OF tho American Civic
| association, Mrs. Tomkies wrote that
particular attention would be- given by
the congress TO the aesthetic phases OF
waterway projects. In connection with
the utilitarinn feature OF tho rivers and
harbors Improvement the women, who
include prominent members OF the
General Federation OF Womens Clubs.
have been n great factor.
A notable example OF the application
or tho beautiful TO n commercial wnter-
way was Afforded by tho city or MIL
waukee during the year 1908. That
city has three navigable rivers, and be-
cause OF their depth Il Is ono OF tho
| principal ports OF tho great lakes
L
an important Jobbing district and over
ono or its bridges connecting opposite
sides OF its principal retail streets pass
thousands OF persons each day. Dur
| Ing the summer months many excur-
sion steamers go up and down the Mil
waukee river, and it had been n sub.
| Ject OF common talk that the water
front ms revealed TO the passerby, both
on land and water. was anything but
| pleasfng-in fact, was n dIscredit 10 n
city so beautiful as Milwaukee.
At the suggestion OF the Women's
Outdoor Art association n movement
| was begun TO rehabilitate tho water
| front along the Milwaukee river Tho
cooperation OF ono OF the leading bust
ness organizations OF the city was OBJ
tained and landscape artist invited
TO visit Milwaukee to make tour OF
| Investigation OF the river, the report OF
which he presented at mass meet
Ing, when he offered suggestions for
immediate work. The first great thing
TO do was TO remove from tho dock
line great accumulatlons OF ashes, de-
| bris, broken boxes and disabled sign
boards, and I'm that undertaking tho
mayor OF the city gave promise OF his
active and immediate cooperation.
A general committee was formed,
composed OF representatives OF varl-
GUS business associations. A canvass
OF the property owners along the
streets fronting tho river was made
for moral and financial support. A com
mlttee was appointed 10 take charge
| OF tho special work OF replacing the
bare spots, cleared OF their debris, with
green grass, shrubs and towering
plants. Window boxes were placed I'm
some OF the buildings, and railings
| were newly painted A few, too few,
offensive bllboards were taken down,
and n general atmosphere OF cleanli-
ness and beauty pervaded the entire
territory, which before that had been
one OF carelessness and positive ugll-
ness.
That work, so well inaugurated last
year, IS TO be continued this year. Tho
commercial activities OF tho business
men along the river were I'm no way
interfered with, the attractlveness OF
the city through ono Of its entrances
was heightened, and the spread OF
civic pride was alone well worth the
effort and expense connected with it.
What Milwaukee did with it's river
fronts can bo accomplished by scores
Of other cities and towns I'm all parts
OF the United States.