The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-15
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
MEET
Report of Committees Read and
Other Business Transacted-Ohi-
GERS Elected.


citation was held in the City Hall on
Monday afternoon, May 13, at 3
o'clock.
A very encouraging report was
read by the secretary, Miss Jennie
NJ. Ball, which follows:
During the year ending May /,
1912, thirteen regular meetings,
! twelve monthly and one annual, have
! been held with an increased average
attendance over the previous years.
The standing committees, Mem
! bership, Sanitation, Children's AuXi-
! liary, Flowers and Parks, respective
! ly have been actively engaged in
their departments, each a part, and
each contributing their share to the
whole of the splendid progress made
! during the year for civic improve
ment.
While the routine work of the
months has been performed thor
oughly and well, such as the caring
/ for and placing of the cans for
waste paper, the keeping of the
! parks in a neat and trim condition,
! the weekly sweeping of the State
! Bridge, the looking after of the pret-
! ty fountain in Park Lake; however,
the special attention and labor of
! devoted to repairing and pre-
| serving the trees of the town.
AS Central Park proved too
! large a task upon which to expend
! the first energies of the committee
on TREES, the smaller parks, Riv-
erside and North were carefully
| looked over and the trees cared for
! by the skilled tree surgeons of
| Bonsey Rifkin and Co., of Wilkes
! Barre. For this purpose the town
council donated S25 to the associa-
| tion, 50 was given by Mr.. Rifkin and
| $25 from John Strongman of New
| York City, the latter donation being
used for repairing the trees upon
| Mr.. Strongmans property and the
trees in Torrey park adjoining the
same.
THE interest of many property
owners became aroused and as a re-
suit, some forty of them soon en-
| gagged the men to preserve their
trees in like manner. Miss Weiss,
the special tree committee" is now
| enjoying a well earned vacation in
| Europe. Commencing in Novem-
| ber, 1910, and continuing until the
present time a series of progressive
teas have been given and more are
still to follow. Sixteen ladies, dur
ing the year, have opened their
homes for these entertainments, all
of which have been a success finan-
Cially and socially. Four ladies
! have given a sum of money instead
of a tea and the sums realized
thus are being kept intact to be used
in caring for more trees during the
coming season.
{" In July, 1911, Miss Jennie
Brownscombe presented the Asso-
citation with beautiful etching en-
| titled The Courtship of Miles Stand
| ish,' painted by the we'll known ar
! tist, c. Y. Turner, and etched by
James E. King, the same to be sold
| for the benefit of the Association
Mr.. Robert Miller, sexton of Glen
! Dyberry cemetery, presented the
society with a receipted bill for work
done, which was appreciated by the
ladies.
Last but not least of the good
accomplished is that of Cleaning up
| Week, the first week of May being
set apart for this purpose. Every
where throughout the town there
are evidences of cleanliness and
thrift, and we note in passing that
some who first opposed the work
of the Association are now among
its best friends.
The Flower Exhibit given by
the pupils of the public school last
September reflects great credit upon
Mrs. H. A. Oday and the teachers
who so kindly aided"
Miss Caroline Petersen, president
of the association, then went on
! to tell that this was the twenty-first
/ year of its existence, and that there
! have been many marked improve
ments during that time. The inter
est in the work is growing more and
/ more every year. She spoke of the
care of the trees, parks, fences,
/ benches, etc, and was more than
I pleased with the number of people
I who responded to having their trees
! treated. A list OF names was read,
showing that forty-two people had
/ their trees treated by Bonsey and
! healthy enough should be saved as
they add greatly to the beauty of the
| town. She stated that she was in
! receipt of a very polite letter from
| the Bell Telephone Co. advising her
that they thought that all their
| poles were taken care of and paint
ed green and that If any needed at
tention they would see to it, 1t is
hoped that the Consolidated Tele-
phone Co. and the Honesdale Elec-
trio Light, Heat and Power Company
will likewise care for their poles.
The Teas, started in November,
! 1910, were next referred to. They
have been great help, and a neat
sum has been netted from them.
Those who couldn't give a tea, gave
money instead.
A very interesting letter from
Miss Tillie Weiss, Treasurer, was
read, in which she described parks,
flower beds, and the stone benches
! that are used in Rome.
The President expressed her ap-
probation OF the valuable assistance
received from the press, teachers
and clergy.
Mrs. II. A. Oday, chairman OF the
Children's Auxiliary. was absent,
but a report showed that 1000
packages of seeds were distributed
to school children this year. This
is the sixth year that this has been