Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-07-07

dlLIOSI d 1ulA pd6C IL SA0 oSNA
Life for July is testimonial OF the
work which is being done out on the
bleak prairies for the betterment OF
city life.
Suburban Life says:
Two communities in North Dakota
show examples of what may be &C.
complished in civic betterment. In
Bismarck the Civic improvement
League has beautified some bad spots
and has presented five-acre park to
the city, in addition to much other
activity. In Fessenden the CIVIC
league concentrated it's efforts last
year on playground that was sue
cessful from the starv.
The Civic improvement league OF
Bismarck was organized in the spring
of 1908. No definite plans for work
were adopted until it was too late to
accomplish much that season. The
league attempted a general cleaning
up of the city and placed garbage cans
at convenient intervals in the business
section. This helped to keep the
streets free from waste paper, and in
turn a more tidy conL1tion than for
fermly.
Start City Park.
AS Bismarck had no city park the
league decided to exert its greatest
efforts in that direction, and park
fund was started. In the spring
Of 1909 no SIZE for permanent park
was available, so the league secured
the use O. some vacant lots at the
corner of Fifth and Main streets, near
the Northern Pacific depot, and con-
verted the plot into floral garden.
The spot had been an eyesore for
years, but the people began to call 1t
the beauty spot" in few weeks after
the planting. Before the season was
over it exceeded all expectations.
The garden was 75x150 feet. The
total expense of the project for the
season was $171. This included the
fencing of it with cheap wire fence
to protect it from dogs. Hose, water,
grass seed, labor and flower seeds
were donated.
This garden, with it's beds of old
fashioned flowers. such as petunias.
verbenas, cosmos, pansies, asters, mar
igolds, zinnias etc., and fences COW
cred with wild cucmbers, morning
glories and sweet peas, seemed to nave
particular charm for people from
the larger cities, who were accustom-
ed to the more expensive beds OF ger
aniums, cannas, etc., which ornament
larger city parks.
AS the land was used for building In
the spring of 1910, the league trans
ferred it's work to part of the Nor
thern Pacific depot park, where 1t was
equally successful, although the sea-
son was much more favorable.
The league purchased a f1ve-acre
tract of land of the west side OF
Bismarck last year and presented 1t to
the city for a small park. Here where
there are no trees except what the
league plants and cares for, the devel-
opment of a park will be slow work.
Last fall it secured the services OF b.
Terrell Hoyt, landscape architect OF
St. Paul and Minneapolis, to prepare
plan for the improvement of this land,
so that some results will be attained
this year; and, while the league has
been working hard toward the beauti-
flying of this city, it has also started
fund for the establishment of rest
room for women, and has taken an &C
tive interest in securing milk inspec'
ton. and the establishment of a pub
lie health laboratory. 1t has also as
sisted in the campaign against the
spread of tuberculosis.
Busy Women Behind the "WheeI."
The organization is not a large one.
and us composed of busy women,
whose homes and families rightfully
receive their first care and thought.
"All of our undertakings are beset
with many discouragements, yet we
find that we'll directed, determined ef-
forts accompanied with tact, bring
results. We endeavor to make our
work educational in it's influences, an
object lesson that is worthy to be
copied" says Mrs. C. NJ. Dahl, the
president.
MANY of our North Dakota cities
have active civic Improvement leagues
There is much greater need for the
work in the treeless prairie state than
where there are natural forests, parks
and beauty spots. In the years to
come future generations will enjoy
and appreciate the results of the work
that is being done by the women OF
today in North Dakota"
Fessenden Has Playground.
Early during the summer OF 1910, a
meeting of the citizens of Fessenden
was called to discuss the feasibility
of employing director and maintain
ing a playground for the months OF
July and August. Those present en-
dorsed the movement, some women OF
the Saturday club committee on civic
Improvement. with two or three men,
were made a committee of arrange
ments to carry on the scheme, and
soon the affair was we'll launched. 1t
was also voted at this meeting that
those present should form themselves
into a civic league, no membership
and no dues required so that every
one in town should be considered
a part of the movement unless there
were personal objections thereto. This
plan, it developed, was most admirable
as help came fro mmany and un-
loOked-fOr sources.