Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-04-17
MAKING 1T NEAT AND CLEAN.

MAKING 1T NEAT AND CLEAN.
address given by Mrs. E. M. Carr
at open meeting of Manchester COM
mercial club in City Opera House, on
March 10, 1881
Our lawmakers provided for clean
Manchester. Section / of Chapter IS
of our city ordinances makes it Grim
inal offense for anyone to throw, place
or deposit or to permit any one in his
employ to throw, place or deposit any
filth or unwholesome material in the
streets or alleys of our city. Nor can
such materials be placed on private
grounds without the consent Of the
owner and the city council.
There are ten section in this Chap
ter IS, each of which affords legal
aids for cleanliness. These laws
have been violated so long that 1t
might seem hardship to enforce
them without first giving due notice
to the many offenders.
A few years ago, If remember cor
rectly, the Friday Afternoon club
and the Thirteen club, did much to-
ward having the streets and alleys
and private grounds of the city prop
erly cleaned. Every delinquent was
called upon and moral suasion used
Something Of that, nature might be
helpful this year and it might be we'll
for the Commercial club to inaugurate
a Cleanup Week, and have the sub
ject we'll written up in the local news
papers If these kindly measures fail
ed to produce the desired results in
every case then it would be the duty of
our public officials to enforce the
law.
\ A splendid start was made toward
the improvement of our river front
last year but the good work should
be followed UP and the new ground
made by the fill should be seeded and
otherwise improved and the lots on
the west side of Franklin street which
were so greatly improved by the re-
tanning wall built last year should
be kept free from everything of an un-
slightly character. This section Of the
river front has been for many years a
disgrace to our city. The stranger
who came to Manchester by way of
the Illinois Central Railway formed
his first impression of Manchester
while viewing this dumping ground
and it is safe to say that these first
banished from the minds
of many any thought Of ever making
this city their permanent home. The
little triangular tract at the north
west corner of the old wagon bridge
is also much in view and by no means
creditable. Could not this little plot
be parked and improved? There are
a hundred similar tracts in the city
of Washington, D. G., parked and
made pleasing pictures to the eye Of
the passerby.
Near the southeast corner of the
wagon bridge on Main street Is an
other unsightly spot and like those
have just mentioned it is much in
evidence. The traveller from the west
on the Hawkeye Highway gets his
first view of Manchester while cross
ing this bridge. Might not this place
be screened from the public view by a
continuation of the high board fence?
In making this suggestion, I do not
want to be understood as favoring bill
boards. I understand that bill boards
are now in the discard in most prog
ressive cities. They are considered
unsightly and are not tolerated except
where they screen something more
unsightly than themselves.
Now let me call your attention to
hat part OF Manchester north Of Union
street and west Of Franklin. Thrills
Pork lies east of the river and north
Of Union street. A highway only a
little over 100 rods in length would
connect Thrills Park with First
street in North Manchester. Some of
the owners Of the long lots on the
west side Of Franklin street have us
ed that portion of their lots adjacent
to the NJ. & O. Railway as dumping
grounds and like the other places
mentioned they are much in view of
those who come to Manchester over
the M. & o. Railway and the view
is not such so as to form favorable
impressions. If this proposed road
were established there would be no
dumping grounds. The street 'front.'
age would be too valuable to be used
for such purposes. Across the rail-
road to the westward from this pro-
posed road is most beautiful natural
park whose beauties and vistas can
not be enjoyed by the public because
of it's inaccessability. Here the wat
ers of the Maquoketa flow silently
and here they form broad lagoons and
picturesque islands with headlands
and wood covered hills to the west
ward for background.
When you talk of beautiful drives,
where could one be found less than a
half mile in length commencing at the
corner of Union and Franklin streets,
along the south side of Thrills park
to the Park station on the M. & o.
Railway and thence northward thru
the park and along this proposed
highway to First street in North Man
chester Would not the scenic view
along the way make every lover OF