Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-01-13
b|LLbOARDS TO
FALL UNDER BAN
TOPEKA COUNCIL PLANS A THOR.
OUCH SYSTEM OF
REGULATION.
ONLY METAL ONES MAY BE
ERECTED AND MUST BE
UP FROM GROUND.

The flimsy, unsanitary, ugly bill
boards in Topeka must go, says the
Journal of that city. The council
will say so in a few weeks and at a
meeting of the special commltree for
this purpose to be neld, the fate ana
the laws governing the building,
maintaining and advertising of sign
boards will be decided upon.
This proposition received its first
impetus one year ago this month
when Councilman H. B. Howard in
PRODUCED a resolution asking that an
ordinance governing the sign board
city about seven dollars and it lost
A few weeks ago such well known
men as Charles NJ Sheldon and other
ministers in Topeka declared open
war against the advertising matter
on sign boards.
The last move gave Councilman
Howard renewed energy and he now
has before his police committee IN
the city council a number of valuable
pointers for the abolition and the
control OF the sign boards in this city
1t is with municipal pride that the
mayor and city CounCilmen fall be-
hind Mr. Howard in his war against
the bill board and it is but a question
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS when the
ordinance will become a law III this
city.
There are three heads under which
the new ordinance will be drawn.
The control Of the billboards in To
peka include the Cd construction, the
(2) location and the CD advertising
matter. These three heads have been
divided into convenient subheads that
will include every Objectionable feat
me to the sign board trouble in To
peka.
No Frame BiIIboards.
ID Construction-With the fire
limits the boards will lhave to be buiIt
of a metal-no wood will be allowed
1t has been found that the old style
frame boards are a menace to sur
rounding property and are traps for
cigarette and cigar stubs, etc. A fire
can take hold behind a snugly built
frame board and get under good head
way before discovered. Therefore, 1t
is necessary that the boards be bulll
OF metal.
The elevation of the signs is an.
other problem that must be settled by
the city. The old low built structures
gathered papers, straw weeds and
trash of all kinds. This is not only
dangerous from a fire danger stand
point but from a sanitary view The
trash and refuse that collects behind
the average billboard is a disgrace
The new ordinance will require that
the new board be built four feet from
the ground.
immoral conduct, drinking and gam
bling, is induced by the shadows of
the secluded board. Numerous com
plants have been registered during
the summer of screaming girls, hila-
riOus women and drunken men-ali
who have found the billboard a good
shelter. Il have heard this myself"
said Councilman Miller this after
noon.
(2) LocatiOn-It has been decided
by the city cOuncilmen through the
expert opinion of Councilman Howard
who has made a study Of the cOndi-
lions in other cities, that the loca-
! ton of the bilboaTds in the city Will
be regulated in such manner that a
| large number of the Objectionable
| features will be eliminated. The city
will see that the boards are only al
lowed in such places as will not him
der the light and the ventilation to
adjacent buildings and property. 1t
has been customary to build the board
to shut off the light, the breeze and
the ventilation from surrounding
buildings. The city will govern this
IN the future.
Chorus Girls Must Go.
3)-Advertising Matter-The post
ing of alleged obscene and immoral
pictures" on the biIlboards has
aroused considerable indignation IN
Topeka This will be an important
point in the new ordinance of regula-
ton. The city law will state that all
Objectionable, obscene and immoral
pictures must be kept from the TO
peka biIlboards.
There is a question of course, just
what is meant by immoral pictures
and advertising matter. The church
people said at meeting not long ago
taht short skirts, tights, etc, would
describe the displays. Some of the
councilmen are of the opinion that
underwear advertisements and regu
lation magazine and newspaper ads
are fully as bad, if not worse, than
the highly colored chorus girls which
are posted for public view. However,
this will be up to the courts to decide
when the first case is tried.
The new ordinance will receive sup
port of the council. Mayor Green IS
radically in favor Of regulating the
boards and all of the civic clubs,
churches and societies in the city will
join in the fight.
Truly. the oId-fashioned billboard
must 90.