Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-04-19
Strong PLEA MADE

City to Keep Up the Good Work and
Appeal is Made for the Proposed
Sewerage System.
Before the Berkeley civic Lesgii.
and friends last night at the Y. N. G.
A. Mr. Richard 7. Watrous, secretary
OF the American Civic Association Of
Washington, delivered a very heipful
end sensible address. without any
attempts at oratory Mr.. Watrous
plainly and briefly touched upon some
Of the important questions that are
today confronting the towHs ana cit.
les Of the country.
In neatly wcrded speech Mrs. G.
T. Grimsley president OF ihe League,
introduced the speaker, who said that
this was his second visit to The city,
his first being some three years ago
when he appeared as the guest Of the
board OF trade and discussed civic
questions He expressed surprise
thar conditions here had not changed
during the period Intervening between
thu two visits. but said he learned
with gladness Of The movement inau-
gurated to make the city a more beau
tiful and cleaner one, and That the
movement had been carried to such
an extent that last week we ceiebrat-
cd Z Clean Up Day, and had made
much progress alo'.g that particular
line.
Conditions are not as they were
during the days Of our fathers and
gfandfathers," he said. because each
day new conditions arise ald as they
como we must meet them. There s.
general chance sweeping over the
country. Things are being shifted
aroand and they are also being SHIFT
ed TO their very bottom. The indlyid-
ral is going to do what IS right Hnn.
Greds and thousands have been con
tent to let matters drift along,{ bri
they are waking up, because the" le-
alise that the old order OF things does
no, apply as It did in the olden days
Some of MS are proud Of what our an
eestcrs did, while others ire not so
proud of their achievements,
Providence has given us wonder
full country in which to live but we
must improve II; we must not permit
conditions to remain the same. The
duty is obligatory, and the sooner we
realize that we must make improve
ments. the sooner we will become
more healthy and have conditions bet
ter suited to our being
Here he referred to the flooded cit
les in Ohio and Indiana. saying that
the people we're in a measure respon-
sible for the foods because proper
provisions had not been made to guide
the course OF the rivers. Had more
attention been given TO this impor-
tant matter the cities would not have
been destroyed. and hundreds Of lives
would have been saved
"This city" he continued, has not
had any great disease which would
have swept hundreds of people away,
but you must change conditions, and
be prepared 10 meet the occasions
as they arise We are dispensing with
the old ways. Not many years ago
We had our boys to dust the carpets
and rugs in the back yards, but now
we are using the vacuum cleaner,
and as a consequence disease has
been greatly lessened.
You have had a wonderful epidemic.
You have been cleaning your city. 1t
ought to be just a beginning. You
have set a higher mark this week than
you had one year ago and you must
keep up the fight. am privileged by
your association to serve you, and /
would suggest and recommend that
this cleanup campaign he carried on
with renewed vigor. / do not advo-
cate spasmodic cleaning, but I adyo-
cate a permanent system of cleaning
1t is not wise for a city to have an an.
nual cleanup day, or to clean up ey-
cry three weeks, but to keep cleaned
up always.
"We may be ambitious as individuals
to have rubbish taken away but not
alert enough to provide proper faciIi-
ties. The city administration should
be made responsible for facilities for
the collecting Of garbage and rubbish,
and see that it is properly disposed
of."
He then spoke Of the system in
vogue in Washington; OF how the city
collected the refuse matter and made