PARK AND CEMETERY 
430 
Annual reports or extracts from theniy historical sketches, 
descriptive circulars, photographs of improvements or dis- 
tinctive featzires are requested for use in this department. 
The Fairhaven Improvement Society, Fairhaven, Mass., 
is raising funds for the improvement and remodeling of their 
htiilding, which they propose to make a center of village 
activity. About $1,200 is on hand and an effort will be made 
to raise $4,000. 
= 1 : ^ * 
The public spirited and progressive little town of Brook- 
line, Mass., recently celebrated the 200th anniversary of its 
incorporation. The interesting exercises included the unveil- 
ing of a memorial tablet on tbe village square, a parade of 
over 1,800 school children and public addresses by promi- 
nent citizens. 
* * * 
The Riverside Improvement Society, Riverside, R. 1 ., has, 
through its cemetery committee, made extensive improvement 
in Little Neck Cemetery. The work included the grading of 
the approach, and the general clearing up of the grounds. 
The society is also endeavoring to improve the town’s street 
■car service. 
* * * 
The Melrose Improvement Society, Melrose, Mass., has 
changed its name to the Melrose Horticultural and Im- 
provement Society and proposes to broaden its line of work. 
It is the purpose of the society to secure a systematic super- 
vision of the street trees, the removal of unsightly trees and 
the replacing of poor ones wherever necessary. A committee 
has been appointed to devise means for securing the services 
of a Tree Warden. 
^ ^ 
At the meeting of the Massachusetts Conference for Town 
and Village Betterment, reported in our last issue, the follow- 
ing resolutions against billboards were passed ; 
1. Billboard advertising is a blight upon real estate values. 
2. It is an injustice to individuals by its encroachment 
upon homes and private property. 
3. It is an imposition upon the public which has shown its 
appreciation of betterments by voluntary taxation for the 
beautifying of streets, parks and public property, adjoining 
which all billboards are obnoxious. 
4. Billboard advertising is in reality a robbery of rights 
of individuals and communities by damage to property which 
it adjoins in violation of the underlying principle of law of the 
greatest good to the greatest number. 
Billboard advertising is in no degree essential to the estab- 
lishment and extension of business, having been largely rele- 
gated to liquors, patent medicines and nostrums. 
We urge property owners to refrain from granting loca- 
tions for billboards because of the damage and offence to 
disregard which would appear to be lack of good citizenship. 
The prejudice against billboard advertising requires not only 
individual protest but the withholding of patronage from 
those who place advertising in this objectionable manner. 
We urge upon all advertisers the importance of co-operation 
by refraining from this obnoxious form of advertising, the 
value of which is entirely over-balanced by the prejudice and 
blighting effect which result wherever it is placed. 
* * 
At last there seems a prospect of some effective action for 
the rescue of Niagara, says Collier’s Weekly. The Interna- 
tional Waterways Commission recently adopted a resolution 
urging that no further grants for the diversion of water be 
made until the completion of its report upon the effects of 
such diversion. On November ii a delegation of the Amer- 
ican Civic Association called upon President Roosevelt and 
received from him an assurance that he would use all his 
influence with Congress and with the people to save the Falls. 
The Civic Association delegates told the President that ten 
companies already had authority to use Niagara water to the 
extent -of 1,339,500 horse power, that five were already using 
this power, and the rest were preparing to do so, and that in 
the judgment of competent engineers this depletion would 
destroy the American Falls. Thus it will not be enough to 
fight on such raids as were attempted in New York and 
Ontario last winter. Some way must be found of recover- 
ing some of the franchises recklessly given away in the past. 
Thus far the control of Niagara Falls has been left to the 
State and Province adjoining. Although the regulation of 
navigable rivers is recognized as a national matter, and the 
Niagara River is indisputably navigable above and below the 
Falls, the fact that the boating is poor on a little section in 
the middle of its course has been held to take that section out 
of the national jurisdiction. But it would seem as if the in- 
ternational character of the Niagara, involving the danger of 
friction between two nations if the local authorities on each 
side are allowed to do as they please, ought to give the Fed- 
eral Government an undoubted right to take measures for its 
security. Moreover, the American Civic Association holds 
that the national control of the river was legally guaranteed 
by the Ordinance of 1787, by which the United States would 
be fully warranted in taking action to recover the privileges 
thrown away by the New York Legislature. 
The State of California re-ceded the Yosemite Valley to 
the United States. To prevent any legal dispute, the State 
of New York could cede any rights it might have in the 
Niagara River. Most of the franchises thus far granted for 
the use of Niagara po<\ver remain undeveloped, and even 
if legally valid they could probably be recovered under con- 
demnation proceedings for a moderate price. With Presi- 
dent Roosevelt’s energy behind it, congressional apathy may 
be overcome. 
KILLING TREE ROOTS IN SEWERS. 
In response to requests for the formula for the weed killing 
solution used by W. N. Rudd for killing tree roots in sewers 
as noted in our last issue, we reprint the formula which 
appeared in these columns last year : 
20 lbs. common arsenic, 15 gallons water; boil 15 minutes; 
35 gallons cold water to be then added ; 40 lbs. caustic soda ; 
boil till clear. For use dilute with 4 parts water to i part 
stock solution and apply after a rain or at least after the 
drives have been well sprinkled, as it does not penetrate to 
the roots well when the roadway is dry. Materials should 
be purchased in quantity from wholesale druggists. The last 
lot bought here was at the rate of 2 cents per lb. for 60 per 
cent caustic soda and 4^4 cents for arsenic, thus making the 
cost of material less than 7-10 cent per gallon. 
