Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-05-13
80
D A REAL CLEAN UP

If there yer al a time when a proclamation for cleanup week
meant anything for Perth Amboy, this is the time We have hd O~
lesson. We know how essential it is to have a healthy city. We know
that filth breeds disease and disease brings on epidemic. Such hOr-
rors IS were passed through last fall can be largely eliminated II g
would guard more carefully the health of the city. And one Il ue
reoto safeUnards in the matter of health S. to keep clean.
This year cleanup week ought to mean more than ever before IL
onobt 10 he something more than an opportunity to get rid L the ruD
bhh that has accumulated during the past year and which the garp-
age men would not take away. Besides a genuine house and yard
cleaning there should be a cooperation on the part of the empty lot
swners in cleaning up the vacant places in the city so as not only ad
% the heaHhfulness of the neighborhood, but to add to the appearance
of the city as well.
The city officials, particularly the Board of Health, should exert
all the power that in them lies to see that the city a S a whole is cleaned
up. Let every individual property holder see that his own premises
are cleaned, but, in addition, every vacant lot and open neld shouuo e
cleared of rubbish. If the owner cannot be located or refuses to act
the city ought to act for him. Surely there ought to be authority
enough invested in the Board of Health to do this and the police au-
thorties ought to back up the health authorities to the limit
There is a great deal that can be done to increase the health and
comfort of the people of Perth Amboy. There are many applications
for street paving before the Board of Aldermen and the aldermen are
inclined to look with favor upon the applications. But before streets
are paved there are a great many that should be worked to a grade
with cutters so that the water can II off; sidewalks ought to be laid
and curbs placed. This is IN important feature in cleaning up the
city. Well graded streets with curbs and sidewalks are an attrac-
ton. They prevent the city looking as if the people were living In
alleys with gulles in front of their premises.
Paving can wait for a while until the streets re worked to a
grade. 1t is folly to lay pavements anyway until all the sewers are
down and water mains laid. Dirt streets are not so bad if they are
graded and curbed.
In addition to this grading and curling, the shade tree commis-
sion, of which little has been heard in recent years, ought to follow
up this work setting out trees and seeing that they are protected,
thereby relieving the barren appearance of a large section of the city.
Trees will grow in Perth Amboy if study is made of the soil and the
conditions here. There is nothing that adds more to the attractiveness
of a city than well shaded streets. In some sections of the city one can
walk for many blocks without seeing a tree.
BY all means let make cleanup week this year a real securing in
eyer ser~se ftsANx ogd~We know of nothing that would do more to
enhance the value of prornsrty and make the city a better place to
live in than a real cleaning up q empty lots and streets, with the lat
ter graded and curbed and with trees set out.
This is about the first thing to be done without a city plan. Clean
up the city and start out afresh with a real plan for growth and the
future of Perth Amboy is assured. There is no limit to the growth and
prosperity of the city if we would but go at the matter in a thorough
and systematic manner. |