The San Francisco call., 1910-02-13
WOMEN OF MERGED
BEAUTIfY THE CITY
What Has Been Accomplished in
Few Years by the Ladies'
Improvement Club
Civic Pride Has Kept the Pro-
gressiye Community Well
TO the Front
TSoeoiaI Dspaich+sO The Call

Special DIspoichr1o ne NoiiJ
MERGED. Feb. 12-One of the things
which impresses the stranger in Merced
Is the beauty of the city and surround
sng country. The people OF Merced
boast that this city has more blocks OF
,psved streets. more miles OF cement
sidewalks and q greater length oil
shady drives than any town Of S,50O
inhabitants in the state of California
Merced has 80 blocks of asphalt pave
ments. Il miles OF cement sidewalks
and 25 miles Of shaded streets and
drives Huffman drive, which almost
encircles the city, is one Of the most
beautiful thoroughfares TO be found
anywhere, the stately trees on either
side of this roadway bending over it
like a canopy. their limbs touching,
until the leaves OF the elm kiss those
OF the walnut and the sycamore
caresses the maple.
CIVIC PRIDE STRONG
Civic pride is strong in Merced. The
people Of this community love the
beautiful and each year witnesses i'm
provements in the matter Of adding
attractions 10 natural surroundings.
Among the organizations which have
in recent years done much in this line
is the Ladies Improvement club, or
ganized about six years ago. At the
time Of its orga aniZation the member
ship was not large. but it was enthu
siastic. and the club today numbers
among its members almost all of the
leading women of the city. The object
Of this club at the time of its organi-
zation was TO plant shade trees along
the avenues and streets leading from
the city to the cemeteries, but the
purposes have been enlarged from time
10 time as certain improvements have
been made, until now the club has
come 10 be great factor in the beau
tifying of the city itself.
SHADE TREES PLANTED
The first year of the clubs existence
was one Of great activity. Shade trees
were planted along both sides of Thr-
teenth street for a distance of almost
Two miles and also from Thirteenth
street along the avenue leading to the
Catholic cemetery. The trees put out
that year were hard TO care for owing
20 the fact that the water bitches were
new and also TO the lack of funds in
the treasury. But all Of that was over
come and Thirteenth street is today
beautiful drive.
Later on the board of city trustees
granted the Ladies Improvement club
permission to plant row of palms in
the center OF Court House avenue from
the Southern Pacific station to Court
House park. Success attended the palms
and the city trustees take a great pride
in having them properly cared for.
Court House avenue is today an exceed
ingly striking ghfare-one that
would attract favorable attention in
any community.
BEAUTIFYING CEMETERIES
During the last year the Ladies i'm
prONement club has installed a water
system in all Of the cemeteries at a cost
Of more than $1,000 Water is supplied
by means Of pumping plant and is
piped 10 every lot in the FIVE different
burial grounds. This is the first con-
certed movement ever inaugurated in
Merced looking to the beautifying Of
the cemeteries. and the women are re-
ceiving much praise for the successful
manner in which the work was ac-
complished.
Since the installation of this water
system in the cemeteries the owners
Of plots are making arrangements for
the proper care. of the graves of their
departed loved ones. Within a few
years the cemeteries here will be far
more beautiful. than they are today.
TO ENTERTAIN FORESTERS
The Ladies' improvement club only
goes before the public once year for
the purpose of securing funds for the
prosecution Of its work but when it
does the response is indeed liberal, for
the cause presented is always worthy
one.
The club At this time is planning an
entertainment to be held during the
first week in May, during the time of
the meeting of the grand court of the
Foresters of America, which viii hold
its sessions in Merced at that time. 1t
goes without saying that the public
viii assist the women literally when
they undertake to help the Foresters
entertain their visitors during the grand
court sessions.
Mrs. W. r. LaJIdram is president Of
the Ladies' Improvement club and much
Of the good work which has already
been done in this city has been accom-
plished through her untiring efforts,