The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-04-25
LETTER FROM MR. MCFARLAND.
Suggestions for Civic Improvement.

Suggestions for Civic Improvements.
The president OF the Woman's Civic
League has received the following
letter from MIR. j. Horace Mcfarland,
president of the American Civic As
sociation, who recently lectured at
the Opera House, this city:
April II, 1913.
Dear Mrs. Stewart:
I want to thank you most heartily
for the great courtesy shown on the
occasion of my visit TO- Westminster,
and to express the hope that I may
have said some things which will
help you and your organization in the
improvement which that town de-
serves.
II may venture to make one or two
concrete suggestions, it would be that,
first, while completing the clean
up movement already started, you
endeavor to inculcate the idea that it
ought never be necessary to have an
other cleanup day or week. That il,
town ought always to be clean.
Then I would suggest that several
receptacles for loose papers, fruit
skins, and the like be obtained by your
club and put at prominent places, in
the interest OF cleanliness, and to
keep the streets free from litter. You
can obtain on application to the Office
of the District Commissioners in
Washington details of a very excel
lent trash can, used in that city; it is
not expensive.
noticed on your streets that
great many telegraph poles, them
selves rather Objectionable, were
decorated with tin signs. All these,
I think, are illegal, and can be remov-
ed at once, under the common law
which prevails in all the states that
the streets belong to the people of
the state and are merely held i'm trust
by the city for the people of the stats.
Any intrusion for private interest and
to private advantage on the streets con-
stitutes a nuisance. III you would
have some active man simply tear off
all these signs, you would find that
no one can legally object, and it
would greatly improve the appear
ance of the streets.
If few children's gardens could
be started, that would help greatly in
the work of improving Westminster.
If you would write to Mrs. John W.
Kelley, president of the Civic Club of
Harrisburg, you could get details as
to how the work has been done under
the hands of the Civic Club of Harris
burg.
Should you think it wise to consider
the getting of a plan for the eventual
improvement of Westminster, along
the lines we have talked of and to-
ward the end of making the town
popular place for suburban residential
uses, I would suggest that you write
to one of the several men named here
after, all of whom are public spirited
and capable city planners.
Warren Fl. Manning, fremont Build
ing, Boston, Mass.
Frederick Law Olmstead, Brookline,
Mass.
John Nolen, Harvard Square, Cam
bridge, Mass. 4!
Harlan p. Kelsey, Salem, Mass.
If there is anything which | can
do to facilitate the work you are I'M
dertaking, please command me.
Yours truly, +
J. HORACE MCFARLAND, I
President.
To Mrs. Charles E. Stewart,
Westminster, Maryland.
The colonel came down to break
fast New Years morning with a ban
daged hand.
Why, colonel, what's the natter"
they asked.
"Confound it ALL" the colonel ans Il
wered, I'VE had a little party last
night, and one of the younger men got
intoxicated and stepped on nv hand