The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-02-26

> home and abroad about clean, at
, tractive town after 4 cleanup day
made possible by the cooperation O.
the city and citizens, but the fact ii
there is no cooperation, for thu
city did nothing and AL the cleaning
up that was done was by citizens
and with the example set by the city
1t is a wonder they did so much
i The law places upon citizens the
responsibility for keeping clean theiI
premises, the sidewalk, the plot be-
tween the sidewalk and curb and
half the street, but there is
much work than cannot be done by
citizens unless they had horse and
wagon. We understand that the
city has on its payroll at a regular
salary man whose duty is presum-
cd to be to remove trash, garbage and
in general keep the town clean.
| Where this man keeps himself is e
| mystery to us, as we have not seen
| him during our three months resi-
dence here. Once clean, it would
|
keep town the size of Punta Gorda
in slightly condition. Possibly this
man has so much other work to do
he has little time to devote to remov-
ing brush, weeds, grass, paper and
other material that litter our streets
and vacant lots. If this is the case
another man should be employed at
least part time to help citizens keep
the town clean. On the lot between
The Herald building and the build
| tngs facing Marian avenue there is
pile of material, most of which is of
la kind that cannot be burned, that
has been Their in plain sight of all
paCsers since our first day in the
town. For at least 6 month, Cross
street was obstructed by two plies of
brush; and the portion of this street
where the gutter should be is OBJ
structed by "pinery." Where else
in Florida will you find a town Of This
size where citizens have so little re-
gard for the laws OF the town and
plant gardens in the streets and OBJ
struct the cutters? Where is there
another town whose officials would
allow this? Although we have an
ordinance forbidding citizens to al
low weeds to grow on vacant lots,
many vacant lots within q few humid
red feet of the business part of town
are covered with a growth of weeds
headlight; rubbish filters vacant
lots; no rcceptacles into which waste
paper might be thrown are provided
and the paper blows all over the
town. These things all combine to
give the town the general appearance
of a frowsy-headed woman or
NANCY dog and indicate to the
stranger that something is wrong
! that there is want of authority It
| is no wonder citizens take but little
trouble to keep their premises clean.
One man said: I'VE will never
have clean town until our citizens
have more civic pride" Citizens of
Punta Gorda have just as much civic
pride as those of any other town, and
clean town until the city takes hold
of the matter and goes about it in a
systematic manner, assisting those
who are willing to keep things clean
and forcing those who are not will
ing.
We had been lead to believe that
the law is not sufficiently strong.
We believe it IS. Here it is. Cit !
liens may judge whether they are
complying with the law and our Of
ficials may decide whether or not
they are doing their duty, after read
ing it:
Revised and Codifed Laws and
Ordinances of the Town of Punta
Gorda."
Owners to Clean Streets, Side
walks and Cut Down Weeds on Lots
Whether Occupied or Unoccupied.
Section 1914. That it shall be |
the duty of all owners, lessees, or oc-
cupants of lots within the limits of
the Town of Punta Gorda to keep !
IhSiA 5luS"dlhS, SlIStlS, CUTTERS, al
leys, cesspools, and lots clean and |
neat; that they or either of them |
shall clean up the sidewalks from the |
inside line of the same to the center
of the cutters on the outside, and the
streets and alleys to the center of the
same, and all cesspools and privies
shall be cleaned once week.
Section 1876. That all persons
failing to perform the duties impos-
ed by sections one and two hereof
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor !
and upon conviction thereof, shall be !
punished by fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars, or by Imprisonment
lat labor on the streets or other pub |
lie works in the town not to exceed |
a term of sixty days of both such fine
and imprisonment in the discretion
of the mayor"
1t is all-important that we should
Keep our town clean. We can do
this with the cooperation of the city.
which should assist the willing ones
and force the unwilling ones. As
one man said: Two $50 fines would