The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-10-27

ization has done so (sometimes
against tremendous odds) then an
organization that reached out still
more strongly with each member
interested in some one thing. would
render every desirable thing posi-
BILE to this city. Your needed hos
pital and its grounds, your broad
er park plans, your enforcement Z
sanitary and other ordinances, the
question of improving yosr existing
accommodations for travelers-all
these become easy of accompany
lment by men pulling together for
Owosso-first. last and all the time.
AS I indicated earlier, none will
work for Owosso, except they are
Of Owosso. You are a dot on the
map in the eye of other cities. They
are dots in your eye. But to each
dweller in each dot, his dot is not a
dot, but the place of his home, his
hearth. his enthusiasm, his service
and his asnirations.
| Points Out UnfavOrable Features
In order to emphasize this mat
ter of locality service I shall point
out some things that impress a
: stranger unfavorably. do not pre-
tend to- have covered YOUR entire
citv hut have a. verv strong i'm
nression that the use of sewers is
not compulsory. I wish that
could have met your women's orga-
nizations. for I might have found
much being done in the direction of
that which I now point out.
Need of River Improvement
1.-THE Shiawassee:-You are not
showing proper regard for your riv-
er. It is to be hoped you will get
around to II soon for you have in
that river an asset of beauty and
serenity even as Stratford has in the
Avon where 1t fwers by the grave
of Shakespeare. If I am unjust in
the remarks that follow, then credit
it to my short acquaintance with
Owosso. If I am just, then act on
the criticism for it is intended in
spirit of genuine helpfulness.
Dump At Foot Bridge.
Suppose we start with the foot
bridge on South Oak street. One
Ashley, assistant of the president
or something, has sign up warn
ing against trespass, but the works
there are dumping cinders along
side and into the river. They tres
pass upon that which is not theirs. |
Along Jerome. towards the Washing |
ton street bridge, right near sta
BILE, this river is invaded with great
heap of organic waste, probably
street sweepings.. West of the same |
bridge 1 was greatly pleased with
the river wall and the ornamented /
Fuel Co.. only to find that the sta
In hA 10 oh al fv,Sr fhrl
river bank, with stable waste end !,
ashes. The same condition prevails
in lesser degree behind the Detroit
creamery Before turning east on
the bridge that crosses east and west.
I note that the City Steam Laundry
Is creating a great invasion of ash
is another general dump of every
the only word to describe 1t.
River Banks Defiled.
NOW Owosso has undoubtedly
that you can never work out a park
ing along the river banks like Up
silanti is planning to do with the
Huron, and it should be an easy,
very easy matter, to save the banks
from tin cans and rubbish. In these
I make no reference to your
using the Shiawassee as the outlet
for all your sewers. That may be
unavoidable in the present state of
local opinion, yet the very gentle
grade of the river, ought to make 1t
a comparatively easy matter to build
an intercepting sewer so that all dis
hn ho
improved limits of the city. This
you must do If you are ever to secure
the full beauty and pleasure value Of
a fine stream running through the
city.
'It has reached my ears that a
dam removable in winter) may
some time serve to make a boating
pool of the river, for a mile or two.
Purity Of the stream would be essen
tial to carrying out such a splendid
plan. Such use would be common in
in fact much smaller
streams are used there for pleasure
purposes.
Bad Alley Conditions.
"Owosso alleys:-There seems 70
be some break in your alley system.
Some blocks are supplied; some are
blind. The most neglected alley I
have ever seen, runs blind, north
from Jerome towards a garage near
Saginaw and Comstock. The out
houses have in several cases all con-
tents fully exposed. Dwellers on
Oliver would hardly believe such a
condition possible. In places, this
alley is more than foot deep in
stable manure, ashes and rubbish.
The down town alleys or back en-
frances need prompt oersight in the
business district. Look, for instance,
at the alley going south from nearly
opposite the postoffice; or the back
entrance to the block between Elk
change and Mason on the west side
OF Washington. Owosso may very
properly receive the suggestion that
while such conditions continue, she
has only cleaned the outside of the
cup by her good paving and boule-
ward plans. While speaking of the
alleys, may be allowed to refer to
some streets needing scraping or
grading and inexpensive surfacing.
Such a one would be the east end Of |