The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-06-05
THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1913.
DEALING WITH VANDALISM.

The maintenance Of beautiful Things
in beautiful condition is Il task re-
ouirine eternal vigilance. Every
where there is complaint that some
people, usually only a few. have $" lit
tie regard for the rights Of Others
and even for their OWL real interest,
that they will destroy work which
has been done to make surroundings
more slightly. and work which. Incl
dentally. has cost money. A New
York ape has the following article
which illustrates hat even in the
largest cities it is necessary to adopt
stringent in order to stop
vandalism:
"Visitors to Central park yesterday
were SO careless in their treatment
Of lawns and %shrubbery as to provoke
an indignant protest last night from
Alexander H. Spencer Of 200 West
F~ifty.seventh street. chairman of
Mayor Gaynor's park advisory COM
nnittee. This citizens committee in
cludes representatives of the City club,
the bar association. the chamber Of
commerce., citizens union, Parks and
Fairgrounds association, Geological
society. Botanical society, Agricul-
tural Experts association, Scenic and
Historic Preservation society. Nation
al Society Of Architects and the So
ciety Of Landscape Architects.
eft is the intention OF this COM
mittee and Of the mayor and the park
department to put In end to vandal-
ism in the parks Of this city, said Mr..
Spencer last night. 'oday at the
Maine monument celebration the
lawns and %shrubbery in the vicinity of
Columbus Circle were trampled under
foot by citizens and soldiers. I am
not criticising this occurrence. how
ever, because it vas probably unavoid-
able. 1t was tacitly understood hat
the paraders must have some space
Spencer last night. Today at the
spectators were concerned it was a
special occasion.
"'It does seem, however, that in
other parts Of the park common de-
cency would have prevented visitors
from littering up the lawns. Thou
sands Of persons placed newspapers
on the grass on which they sat, and
left the newspapers lying there OF
their departure, together with paper
bags, luncheon packages and other
refuse. This is inexcusable.' If the
parks are to be kept in proper condi-
ton and their natural beauties main
tanned unimpaired, such carelessness
must cease.
"'Mayor Gaynor has turned over to
the park department and this COM
mittee the services Of $50 policemen
in plain clothes who will take espe-
cial are Of the so-called picnic parks
such as Central park, Riverside park,
Prospect park in Brooklyn, and 9TH
ers. This notice is in the nature Of a
friendly warning to the public.
eve would rather use persuasive
measures than coercion, but if such
vandalism continues harsher methods
than those adopted hitherto will be
used. Offenders who leave behind
them on the lawns a litter of newspa-
pers, paper boxes. and other debris
will promptly receive summons to
appear before a magistrate. They
will never know when they are under
observation because policemen in CIV
ilian garb will be on the watch to de-
tect them.
1--WE want the people to enjoy the
parks. but we also desire to keep the
parks in condition for them to enjoy.
If it is too much to 8 park visitors
to deposit rubbish in the reecptacles
provided for it. then we will see what
q little coercion will do in compelling