South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-23


The Chamber OF Commerce has
undertaken cleanup paint-up"
campaign on much broader lines than
has even been attempted in South
Bend. Civic pride must not make as
overlook the fact That South Bend
actually needs such campaign.
There are streets and alleys and back
yards and even front yards which are
Uttered with trash, ashes refuse and
waste. There may be found here and
there over the city heaps Of ashes,
and ashes and garbage that have ac-
Cumulated during the winter old tin
cans. boxer paper, excelsior, straw,
feathers, manure, dead leaves, dead
rats and dead cats form the deco
rative scheme Of some OF our alleys.
Add 10 the accumulated trash the
hundreds Of insanitary outh Ouses and
the many barns and their accompany
ing manure piles. Consider what il
means to have at least 200 cows kept
within the city limits, many OF them
under conditions so filthy that one
wonders how the neigh bOrhood can
endure them. We have seen rotten
foul-smelling excelsior piled high in a
back yard the accumulated bedding
for the winter for the COW kept on
the place. Any one who is interested
may find out for himself that insani-
tary conditions do exist in South Bend
and he Will not need 10 travel more
than a mile from the court house to
convince himself Of the need of a
cleanup.
But If it is possible to actually
clean up the city during the first week
in May the advantage gained will
only be temporary unless the lesson
of the campaign is learned. a
cleanup, keep clean" spirit must
be created. The city must keep clean
at all times and eventually cleanup
campaigns Will be absolutely Unneces-
sary.
Another fact must be understood.
Trash, waste, dirt and rubbish accu-
mulate in great quantities because
here and there over the city certain
individuals have been careless and
negligent-in other words, the re-
spOnsibility Of the individual must be
recognized. Individual neglect when
multiplied becomes public neglect or
community neglect.
Community Spirit Manifest.
More and more the community
spirit Is manifesting itself Neigh
bors now gather in the school houses
TO discuss community affairs and to
plan community improvements. The
removal OF Nth and waste is a com
munity affair. Every mans yard is
related TO his neighbours yards. If
one careless householder suffers his
yard and premises to become foul,
he endangers his neighbOrhood.
Hence, the cleanup spirit should be
fOsteTed as community interest.
Cleaning up and identifying ones
premises not only benefits the indi-
vidUal and his family but 1t improves
and benefits the neighbOrhOOd. Dirty,
neglected yards are bad spots: the
refuse they contain may constitute a
fire menace; it certainly is unsightly
and surely insanitary. And while it
has been necessary 10 speak of the
waste and refuse which is visible TO
the passerby il is also important to
mention that which has been per-
United 10 accumulate in attics and
cellars, unseen by the public and gene
orally useless and often dangerous to
The occupants OF the houses where
such waste is found. Last spring the
sanitary Inspector found in one base
ment six old rotten mattresses, abso-
tutely beyond repair and Of no pos
sible use. They were foul smelling,
damp and dangerous and were de-
strOyed.
a campaign OF this sort does not
concern all OF the people It is true
Many have by this time cleaned up
many do not need this campaign to
leach them. But. the cleanest family
IA any neighborhOod is endangered
by their careless and Indifferent
neighbors. Hence, those who are
Fortunate enough 20 realize the ad-
Vantage OF the "clean-up-stay-clea
policy should be interested and seek