PARK AND CEMETERY 
352 
Annual I'cports or extracts from them, historical sketches, 
descriptive circulars, photographs of improvements or dis- 
tinctive features are requested for use m this department. 
Mr. Lester C. Griffith, of Cornell University, has been en- 
gaged by the Chautauqua Village Improvement Association, 
as landscape architect to advise and assist in beautifying 
public and private grounds at Chautauqua, N. Y. Mr. Grif- 
fith is also to give a course of practical talks on various phases 
of landscape gardening during the season. 
* * 
The Village Improvement Ass’n of Bar Harbor, Me., gives 
an interesting resume of the work it has accomplished since 
its organization. Among other things it has laid out, cleared, 
marked, extended, and maintains, a system of more than 
sixty miles of forest paths and mountain trails, without which 
the most beautiful parts of the Island would be practically in- 
accessible to visitors. Owing to the growth of bushes, etc., 
and to the felling and falling of trees, continual vigilance and 
no small outlay are required to keep these paths open. 
* * ^ 
The Juvenile School of Horticulture has had a very pros- 
perous season with its gardens for school children, estab- 
lished by the Civic Improvement League, of St. Louis, three 
years ago. The school has five acres of rich ground at 
Tower Grove and Shaw Avenues and is under the direction 
■of W. J. Stevens, principal of the Eugene Field School of 
that city. Two hundred and thirty enthusiastic young gar- 
deners have been working during the summer and have had 
very encouraging results with their vegetables and plants. 
They are allowed to sell their produce to the neighbors and 
supply their own families. 
^ ^ ^ 
The Village Improvement Society, of Templeton, Mass., 
has the distinction of being the only one thus far reported 
that runs a hotel. The fine inn there was erected by Moses 
W. Richardson in igco, and the next year -was given to the 
village improvement society. For the first few years it was 
not a profitable undertaking, but for the past two years, 
under the management of Percival Blodgett, who is also 
president of the trustees of the Village Improvement So- 
ciety, the hotel has made some, mony. Now' Mr. Richard- 
son is to spend $75,000 more in making a four-story addition 
on the west wing of the Templeton Inn. Work will be be- 
gun this month'. 
55S sic 
In South Bend, Indiana, a newly created city health de- 
partment is urging legislation by the city council for the 
elimination of weeds. The department proposes an ordi- 
nance which shall require a property owner to remove 
weeds from his premises and that if he does not do so it 
shall be done by the street commissioner, the expense be 
charged to the property ow'ner and made a lien against his 
property. The South Bend Tribune says: 
“The campaign against w'eeds has been waged in South 
Bend for years. Every summer the subject presents itself 
to the embarrassment of the health department, which dis- 
likes to require the arrest and punishment of those who 
disobey the law. The great growth of the city and the re- 
fusal of so many property owners to obey the law has, there- 
fore, prompted the health department to prepare a meritori- 
ous measure which should be a solution of the vexatious 
problem.” 
* * * 
The Intervale Improvement Society, N. Conway, Mass., 
has during the year built a temporary footbridge across the 
Saco river. Metal barrels for rubbish have been painted 
and placed in the pine woods, and a man employed to empty 
them once a week. Notices were printed and put up in the 
woods and on the highways, regarding leaving of rubbish 
about, barking birch trees, and the building of fires in the 
woods. The society is considering the building of a perma- 
nent foot bridge. An engineer has been consulted and ad- 
vised a floating bridge which could be built at a probable 
cost of $300. This bridge would be fastened by wire cable 
to one shore and allowed, in time of high water, to swing 
loose from the other bank. A committee was appointed to 
take charge of a contribution for this purpose. The follow- 
ing officers have been chosen : President, Rev. Daniel Mer- 
riman ; Treasurer, Mr. Wm. M. Wyman; Secretary. Miss 
M. C. Worcester. 
5{« * * 
The Village Improvement Society of Norfolk, Conn., has 
issued a pamphlet entitled “What’s in a Name?” which con- 
tains much valuable information about that summer resort 
town and its environs. .\ map shows the location of every 
summer residence, every drive, every body of 'W'ater, every 
trout and other stream, the railroad and the highest points 
with altitudes, etc. There also appear in the attractive book- 
let the names of streets and roads in the town, a list of 
some residences and estates which have received particular 
designations, approximate altitudes, approximate distances 
and some old names. The officers of this enterprising as- 
sociation are H. H. Bridgman, president; R. T. Crissey, vice- 
president; Dr. J. C. Kendall, secretary and treasurer. The 
association has built and keeps the village sidewalks in re- 
pair, has placed enameled signs on the streets, and keeps 
them in repair, looks after refuse cans which it has placed 
in the village green and at the railroad station, and holds a 
village festival every September, when instructive addresses 
are made by well-known public men. 
* • * * 
The mayor of Denver, Colo., desires to secure the co-opera- 
tion of the citizens in an endeavor to beautify and clean up 
the city, and has issued a direct appeal to them, contain- 
ing many suggestions of general application. Among these 
The Municipal Journal mentions the following: If your 
store front, residence or fence is dull or dingy, order it 
painted; if your awning is old, torn or faded, get a new 
one; if your sidewalk, fence or gate needs repairing, fix it; 
destroy the young weeds that are starting on your prop- 
erty, and on your neighbor’s property; if your advertising 
sign is old or faded, take it down and paint it ; resolve 
never to throw paper in the streets ; take all dandelions out 
of your lawn, they spoil its beauty; burn all the rubbish 
possible, allow no one to throw it on the streets, alleys or 
vacant lots ; promise not to spit on the sidewalks ; organize 
a block improvement society, and allow no weeds to grow 
on sidewalk area or vacant property in your block; ask 
your milkmen, grocerymen and expressmen to have their 
wagons painted ; irrespective of the size of your house, make 
your lawn the finest; illuminate the front of your store in 
the business section. Every effort put forth, or a dollar 
spent to improve our city’s appearance, will be returned 
twofold. It is claimed that these suggestions have been 
cordially carried out by the people, and that they are de- 
lighted with the results. 
