Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1914-08-21
MORRIS AND OTHER
TOWNS PRAISED
NEATNESS ATTRACTS AT
TENTION.

to This Part of the State and
the Prosperous Cities He
Visited.
Jordan Independent: Returning
last week from vacation auto trip
of about 600 miles all told, Mail
carrier S. L. Caswell, of Route No.
8. Jordan crowns enthusiastic over
the splendid appearance of west
central Minnesota and the villages and
cities of that section. With Mr..
Caswell on the trip was his wife and
daughter Ethel. They were gone
about ten days. The tour they had
was most enjoyable in every way.
Their route took them nearly to the
Dakota line. as they journeyed to
Herman in Grant County, where their
son Harvey is located and where they
have other relatives. Places visited
en- tour included such as New Ulm,
Fairfax. Olivia, Willmar, Benson and
Morris. They found them all active,
hustling, thriving and above all ami
mated with that spirit which believes
that cleanliness of streets. alleys and
residence and business frontages is
the best advertisement a town can
have Sd
"You'd be surprised said Mr..
Caswell, "If you saw the pains some
of these small cities we went through
go to in order to encourage property
owners to improve their premises. In
practically all of them the municipal
tiles keep the streets surprisingly
clean and smooth, having someone on
the job all the time. This seems to
have an effect on business, for in
every one Of the places where the
gospel of clean streets and alleys is
put into force there are handsome re-
sidences with neat lawns and grounds,
we'll cared for numerous new houses
are being buiIt, a lso business places
and the towns have general air of
liveliness and prosperity.
To encourage property owners to
improve most of these west central
Minnesota municipalities have ordin-
ances whereby the cities or villages
pay all the grading cost for the build
ing of new sidewalks and then one
third of the cost of putting in the
cement sidewalks themselves. Fin-
ally, of course the cities put in
good crosswalks. Mr.. CaswelI spoke
in praise Of the fine public spirit
shown by the progressive people of
the village of Herman, of the good
looks of such town as Olivia, Nor
ris and Renville. In his talks with
folks living in those places he ran
across no kicking on the part of
taxpayers (for LIBERAL public policy
costs money!. What he did encoun-
ter, however, was complaint here and
there that the city or village councils
much as they appeared TO be doing,
were not progressive enough to suit
some of the inhabitants!
Fairfax in particular the Jordan
mailman deemed to be the bright
particular star in the brilliant galaxy
, of clean-streeted and progressive
towns visited. The CasweIls have
quite group of relatives at Fairfax
and spent some time there. In Fair.
fax. according to MIR. Cawsell, the
, progressive public policy finds itE
J highest form of expression. There
they pay relatively more attention t.
their streets, their alleys, their gut
ters and the weeds than in any Other
town. AS a policy it seems to pay.
Fairfax, we CLEAN from our inter,
view, is growing and thriving will
} almost the energy Of real boom
J town. The residence sections ar,
beautiful and are being added to con
stantly by new. modern homes. Grea
expenditures are being made in Fair
fax this year for new business build
lngs, one being garage that cover
half a block. Property values ther,
have scared. some of the choice bust
ness sites without Improvements beini
actually bought for from $4,000 t
$1,000 for single lots.
r