Evening star., 1909-04-15
CLEANER CITY TODAY
Washington Not Quite, But
Near "SpotIess ToWn."
CRUSADERS WORK SHOWS
Rain Helped Some, But the Women
Did the Most.
WAR wAGED ON WASTE PAPER
Army Of Volunteers Engaged In Re-
moving Litter From Parks and
Areaways-Work to Continue.

The "spotless town" crusaders are win
ming their fight. Their agitation and work
are counting for something. and. while
the task they have set for themselves Is
by no means completed, they have made
sufficient progress in their efforts to have
more attention paid to the streets OF
to bring great encouragement
to those who are back Of the movement.
Today was the day for the city to be
cleaned up. 1t was cleaned up In q man
ner that surprised even the most sanguine
Of the women who were personally inter-
ested.
OF course. the rain last night helped
some. So did the street cleaning depart
ment Of the District, which has been un-
usually busy in anticipation of today's In
spection. But public opinion and the
of the clubwomen did
great deal more. Let the good work 60
on" Is the slogan of the women.
Mrs. f. v. Coville Of 1885 California
avenue, who started the movement and
who is chairman of the committee which
has the work in charge, made q tour OF
the northwestern section of the city this
hours inspection from an automobile she
expressed herself as highly pleased with
the results.
Improvement Seen Everywhere.
The Improvement is wonderful" said
Mrs. Coville at the conclusion of the tour
of inspection. Unless one Is familiar
with the conditions that existed in certain
sections In the northwestern part Of the
city before we began this agitation the
change cannot be fully appreciated. but
any one can see that the Streets
the sidewalks the lawns and the parkings
are in. infinitely better condition today
than they have been In months. There
are lots of places that were all Uttered
up with dusty. dirty papers week ago
that are absolutely clean today.
ginning are now taking us seriously. II
chose could give the names of proper
ty owners whose premises show TO-DAY
that they paid very close attention TO our
announcement that we intended to push
this crusade.
There is a great deal more to be done,
but I feel confident that 1t win be done.
II the newspapers of Washington stand
by us as they have up to the present
time they will aid US wonderfuily. !!
cannot say too much in appreciation OF
the manner in which the newspapers have
supported US. We are most grateful to
them"
Contrary to reports. the women did not
get brushes, brooms and shovels and go
out into the streets to show the regular
street sweepers Of the street cleaning de-
partment how the work should be done.
Many Of the, city's toilers kept sharp
lookout on their way to work this morn.
ing for squads Of feminine white wings,
but they were disappointed, for the work
was not done that way.
How It Was Done.
Every woman interested in the work
called upon her neighbors to see that the
parking and sidewalks in front of their
houses presented an immaculate appear
ance at 8 o'clock this morning. Some OF
the public-spirited ones looked after vacant
lots in the vicinity of their homes. The
actual work was done, In the majority OF
cases, by servants. and in many instances
by children. who were told to watch out
for stray pieces of paper that might be
blown on the sidewalks and lawns after
they were cleaned early this morning.
One woman hired a band Of small negro
boys and made them pick up papers all
around the block on which she lives. soon
the news of her plan spread and small
boys, with lively interest in the nimble
dime, went around ringing doorbells ask
ing if they, the householders, did not want
the papers picked up around their prem
ises. Many bargains were driven. and an
unexpected corps of amateur street clean
ers was at work early.
Mrs Coville, who at the last meeting Of
the women interested in the work was in
structed to appoint committee of five,
of which she Is chairman. mas selected
La Toilette, wife Of the senator from
Wisconsin. and Miss Grace NJ. Thomas.
The others will be selected in the near
future and upon this committee will rest
the responsibility of looking after the
work.
Waste Paper Receptacles.
What they will attempt to remedy at
first is the evil OF waste paper. In the
business section Of the city there are
countless tin waste-paper boxes attached
to lamp posts, but there are comparatively
few of these in the residence sections.
Mrs. Coville and the members of her
committee are endeavoring to get the
District government to place these boxes
all over Washington. They want waste
paper receptacles put in the parks also.
At the request of the committee Col.
Cosby gave them a permit yesterday to
placard the parks and today on benches
and trees In the different parks and cir
cles of the city are conspicuous placards
requesting the public not to throw waste
paper on the ground.
The waste paper and trash wagons OF
the street cleaning department., the ladies
claim, have been responsible for the
appearance of much Of the waste paper
in the streets. Until recently these wag-
ons were not kept covered and paper
blew out of them and on to private lawns
and sidewalks. At the request of Mrs
Coville Commissioner West has ordered
that these wagons be kept covered as
they go from place to place.
To Remove All Ashes.
Among the communications that Mrs
CovilIe received-and she receives dozens
every day-was one from a woman in
the northeastern section OF the city. in
which the writer called her attention to
the ash can proposition. Many poor per-
sons In her neighborhood. the writer said.
bank their ashes In their yards. They
cannot afford to buy ash cans ant. the
city ash collectors refuse to take up
ashes except from cans. This case was
reported to Commissioner West. He as
sured Mrs. Coville that he would issue
orders compelling the ash collectors to
take the ashes away whether they were
in cans or not.
When the parks are properly supplied
with trash receptacles Mrs. Coville and
her allies will keep strict watch and
see that the laws regarding the lttterfng-
up OF public places are put into opera
tion.
"If the District Commissioners will de-
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