Promoting Municipal Beauty
Louis E. Van Norman of St.
Louis in The Chaulauquan
I Iul wan a big, dirty, overgrown
1 tnnn TihIiiv after t he fnlr r.Bitn.-
tlon anil the work of the Civic
Improvement league, we are bo-
glnnlng to have a real civic conselousneRs
ami to aspire to be clean morally and
physically." In these words Mr. Pierre
Chouteau, one of St. Louis' most prominent
rltlzens, a son of one of the mont notable
figures In the history of the city and the
entire Iouiluna purchase, sums up the
Impetus given to the munlclpnl life of the
Missouri metropolis by the developments
of the past two years.
St. Iiula Is rapidly finding h-rsclf. A bin,
leisurely southern town, with all th"chnr
rt eristics of such a town-buildings of an
obsolescent architecture; streets a sea of
mud or a cloud of dust, according to the
season, and always littered with rubbish;
no pnrks worth the name, hoite'rles of the
ante-bellum type and a railroad stitlon
which was nn architectural monstrosity a
few years have witnessed the birth of a
civic consciousness and pride which are
row evident tr even the casual visitor, and
which are giving to the city line, new, mod
ern buildings, clean streets, goo J hotels
and one of the most commodious and hand
some railroad stations In the country.
Bt. Iouls now realizes that she Is the
center of the great south we :t; that Bhe
stands leader, with nil the privileges anl
responsibilities of leadership, of the entire
IxHilsluna purchase, nnd that there is no
center of population, from S.in Fr.inclso
to Pittsburg, and from New Orleans to
Chicago, to dispute this leadership.
The world l.i, moreover. chiiiIiik to cnll.
Bt. Louis understands that she must clean
house. If the Louisiana Purchase exposi
tion should prove a complete tln.mclal fail
ure It would still have Justified Its exist
ence by the Impulse given to municipal
pride and to the public beauty Idea In St.
Louis. President Francis believes that the
exposition will be characterize!!, in far
greater degree than has any other, by Its
attention to educational and upllrt ideas.
This uplift sentiment, crystallaed In the
Model City, will be one of the distinguish
ing features of the fair, he declared to the
writer. It Is hoped that this model city, us
suggested and worked out by Mr. Albert
Kelsey of Philadelphia, will fitly represent
the "Improvement" sentiment bo wide
spread throughout the country and so
trong in St. Louis Itself.
The exhibit will be located near one of
the main entrances to the grounds, and a
number of the permanent features of tho
exposition, as the tire department and the
hospital, will be located and operated In
close connection with the Model City. Tha
whole exhibit wilt be operated under ths
direction of the department of social
economy, of which Mr. Howard J. Rogers
Is chief. The entire exposition manage
ment ure most cordial In their Interest In
the exhibit.
During the past month the final arrange
Dents were muuc by the World's fair
authorities for this municipal Improvement
exhibit, or Model' City, at it Is popularly
known. Mr. Kelsey, who is now at work
upon the working drawings, reports that
the site is one of the best on the grounds,
being within 100 yards of the main entrance
and the main axis of the exhibition, which
is 0t) feet wide, and directly opposite one
and of the Intramural railroad, iLs
principal exhibit.
A town hall, municipal hospital, public
balli house, railroad station, restaurant,
model drug store, etc., are among thu
principal. The outdoor features will In
clude collections of street fixtures uud
units In park equipment, while negotiations
are at present under way for thu im
portation of a large portion of the Dresden
municipal exhibit, which opened on May
it, and is the drat purely municipal ex
hibit ever held.
As a stimulus to municipal activity tha
Model City will no doubt have a wide in
fluence. IVIays and other discouragements
have shaped and strengthened the design,
so th.it the start already made promises
better reaulta than could have been ob
ta.ned had one of the former schemes been
carried out. It Is to be an object lesson In
municipal administration and city equip
ment. Many mechanical devices will be
Shown, and the commercial side will be
exemplitled.
The conception of development rather
than finished result is the prime idea of the
exposition. In tho phrase of the director
of exhibit, the fair is to he "an
encyclopedia of society." It will show
processes rather than products, and color
and motion rather than still life and
finished states. It will not pay so much
attention to the big machines and great
array of figures as to advance In living
conditions. St. I-ouia wants to show her
self an example of such advance.
The necessity for "brushing up" is, in the
Opinion of many prominent St. Loulsans.
tha great benefit which the city will derive
from the fair. "I would much prefer to
give outright the sum I would spend at the
fair and snore," said F. M. Crunden. su
perintendent -of the Public library, to the
writer, "but the activity and setting In
order necessitated by the coming exposition
has been of much greater benefit. We had
( spend either moaey or effort. I am glad
WO war forced to spend tho offset."
The fair agitation furnished splendid Foil
for the formation, a little over a year ago,
of the Civic Improvement league of St.
Louis. Citizens realized that something
must be done, and that nt once, to make
the city presentable. Resides, the Improve
ment Idea was in the t"ir. A number of
choice spirits, already awakened to the Im
provement agitation, several of them con
nected with the American League or Civic
Improvement, brought about the formation
of the helpful local organization.
Tho woik of tha Civic Improvement
league hos already been described mors
than once In the j nge of The Ch isitauquan.
It In a business organisation, doing Its
work purely on a business but-ls, with a
paid secretary and solicitor, and appealing
successfully for support to the wealth and
Influence of the city. Ry the accomplish
ments of Its comparatively short life It has
taught the St. Louis business men that
rlcunllness and public beauty pay dividends.
It hos taken the work of Improvement In all
Its details completely In hand. So thor
oughly hits it made good Its claim to be
working for the benefit of the whole city
that It is now a matter of pride with all
citizens to wear Its neat button of mem
bership. The personnel of Us officiary and
general membership shows most of the well
known and Influential people of the city.
The World s fair ofllcluls are In full accord
with Its work.
Among (be distinct accomplishments of
the Civic Improvement league during the
first year of its history, which closed on
March 4. VM), arc:
1. Assistance to the cltzons' movement
which secured for the exposition site the
Carnegie library.
2. Almost complete enforcement of the
ordinance for wide tires of vehicles, nnd
against billboards and overhanRlng signs.
3. Persuading street railroads to adopt
the "I'-shaped" or grooved rails on all
pavetl streets.
-4. Tho providing of neat, serviceable rub
bish boxes on the streets.
5. The establishment of six public play
grounds and a number of children's gar
dens In the crowded sections.
6. A series of popular educational lec
tures on public beauty and sanitary sub
jects by such authorities as Prof. Charles
Zueb'ln of the 1'nlveraity of Chicago. Mr.
Albert Kelsey, superintendent of the pub
Take a Look
iil niri hiuw teetn are nui
iM pretty must take herself to the
A I ,i..,,iui for cbnracter Is to be
road In the teeth, and not only
character, but personal traits.
The reading of character by the teeth
was u task undertaken by a palmist of
London, who had turned his attention
toothward. "If the character can be told
by the pHlm, it can also be read In the
teeth," he declared. And at once by a
reading of the teeth of those in the draw
ing ronm at the time he demonstrated the
fact that it was possible to tell not only
character, but tendencies and traits, cul
tivated and Inherited.
"Teeth that point inward," said he, "are
teeth that remind you of a fish's teeth.
They are usually short, rather sharp and
the Inward curve Is very pronounced.
"Such teeth belong to the selfish woman.
They denote some personal vanity, but
siieclally great selfishness. If you know
a woman whose teeth point Inwardly bc-
ware, for she Is a woman who looks out
for herself first and for yon afterward.
Smh people are usually inordinately fond
of good thiags to cat, and they will go to
great lengths to get that which they
want.
"The best teeth are those that are
even and not too small, but rather regular
and of a creamy whiteness. Blue-white
teeth denote weuk mental powers, and
teeth that are very dark usually tell of ft
poor state of physical health. But the
cream-white teeth, of medium Biie. set
regularly In the mouth In a nice, even
row. are the best toeth of all to have.
"Teeth that are s. parated by large, open
spaces gijierally lielong to a vicious dis
position. The man whose teeth are sep
arated is cruel in his nature and the
woman whose teeth are not pushed to
gether, but that grow apart so as to
have big spaces between, is the woman
whose fits of temper have gotten her into
trouble many a time and oft.
"Very large teeth that show prominently
and seem to come out to a point in front
denote much animal spirit. Women who
have such tetth as these are Inclined to
laugh a great deal and to enjoy life.
Wlitn you find such a eet of teeth you will
find a good disposition, ar.d the teeth, if
well cared for. are a positive beauty In
th good-natured face.
"Teeth set In a narrow Jaw Indicate re
finement. No mutter how large they be
or how irregular, they show that the
owner has refined tastes and quick, natural
sympathies.
"Very short, very stubby teeth denote
obstinacy, and, where tho teeth aro very
blunt, as though ther had been sawed off.
, tho worn as who Is biassed with, sue
lic Improvement exhlhits nt the fair; Mr.
J. Horace McFarland of HarrtsDorg, Pa.,
president of the American Icngue for
Civic Improvement; these supplemented
by Illustrated lectures on local conditions
by Mr. D. M. llaslett of St. Louis.
7. The appointment and maintenance of
women sanitary Inspectors; two appointed
by the league and three appointed by the
city on the recommendation of the league,
to see to the proper removal of garbage,
particularly In the congested districts. The
chairman of the sanitary committee has
taken up the matter of appointing a tene
ment house comlsslon, a project In which
the mayor Is very much Interested.
8. The Junior civic work among the chil
dren In co-operation with the Hoard of
Kducatlon. ,
9. The appointment of the King's High
way commission.
After a year's activity had convinced St.
Louis that the improvement league was In
the field to stay, and that It was doing a
thorough and much needed work, the city
authorities were persuaded at the sugges
tion of the league officials that the sys
tematic Improvement of tho King's high
way as the backbone of the city park sys
tem was a much needed reform. This re
sulted In the apolntment by the mayor and
municipal assembly of a commission known
as the King's Highway commission, which
has recently issued a full report. The pur
pose Is to develop the old colonial road
known as the King's Highway (which, in
tho old days, divided the domain of the
French king from that of tho municipal
ity), to tie together u 1 1 the parks of the
city In one system. The road crosses all
the boulevards and fine uvenues of com
munication, and will unite Carondelet,
Forest and O'Fal'on parks and Rellcfon
talne and Calvary cemeteries, making a
very extensive park system. After organ
izing, the commission employed a landscape
architect. The report of this architect
shows a fine plan for the widening of the
thoroughfare, the erection of bridges, via
ducts, statutes and rest rooms, and sys
tematic "side planting." This report Is
now before the municipal assembly.
A unique and significant development of
the work of the league has been Its en
listing the children of St. Louis in an en
thusiastic campaign to keep the city clean.
The general outline of this plan was given
In The Chautauquan for Juno. A booklet
at Your Teeth
teeth can be relied upon to hold her own
in an argument, whether she be right or
wrong. She will neither give up nor In
to anybody.
"Teeth that project are hideous, but they
denote generosity. Women with projecting
teeth are usually pious, generous, good
souled and free from the affectations of
womankind. Such teeth belong to the best
people In the world, those who can be re
lied upon In time of trouble as they say.
"There la another style of teeth, the treth
that are very uneven and crowded In tho
Jaw. Where such teeth are of different
sizes and of different colors, as is often
the case, they denote an erratic disposition.
"Very talented people have uneven teeth,
all Blxes, all shapes uud gathered together,
apparently at haphazard by Mother
Nature. The precocious girl and the pre
cocious boy will show such teeth as this,
and you will not Infrequently find such a
row of teeth in the mouth of a man or of a
woman who hus done something in tho
' wo.iu.
F - In these days of cosmetic dentistry the
8 nape or me teetn may be altered, put not
sufficiently to entirely obliterate the nat
ural traces.
Teeth can be bleached by perfectly harm
less antiseptic chemicals and kept bleached
by a good tooth powder, paste or soap.
There are so many good dentifrices on the
market that there is no need of having the
yellowed tooth unless the cause comes from
within.
The best dentists advise the use of pow
dered pumice In very small quantities about
once a month. The tiniest sprinkle of it on
the brush will act as a polisher upon the
teeth, but it must not be usi-d In any quan
tity nor frequently, or it will certainly re
move the enamel. The teeth should be ex
amined after the pumice has been used to
see if it has a tendency to scratch the
enamel.
The teeth require a certain amount of
hard food. The back teeth are powerful
and they need a certain amount of exercise.
Soft foods will not supply this, and the
teeth will suffer unless given something
hard to chew.
Dyspeptics should endeavor not to allow
food to remain In the mouth, tor it sours
from the acidity of the stomach nnd decays
the teeth. Those who take medicines should
rinse the mouth well after eating. This Is
always s nice habit, but It Is one that
should certainly never, by any chance, be
neglected by tho woman whose digeetlon
Is not at all as it ought to be.
"Never neglect anything that can add to
your attractions." is the motto of the pro
fessional beauty. And it is mi that tha
saodost bom woman of average goud looks
should tako unto taorself. Brooklyn Kalo.
giving all the city ordinances relating to
Improvement and e'earrtng of streets has
been Issued as "A Manual of the Junior
Civic League." The little people have taken
a strong hold, and are even finding It an
Interesting part of their school course. Mr.
N. J. Stevens, one of the principals, has
succeeded In having the Idea worked out
into a Junior civics program for the public
schools. The Kngelman Botanical club,
with the Shaw Garden to reinforce it, has
Joined in offering prizes and Issuing help
ful and suggestive literature.
This Kngelman Botanical club and tho
Shaw Botanical Garden, founded by tha
late Henry Shaw, are a feature of St.
Louis life which makes for betterment in
a peculiarly effective way. The Kngelman
club was founded to demonstrate that "one
of tho first duties of every citizen of a
large city ought to consist in counteracting
the city Influence, and to aid in bringing
as much us can be brought of the fields
and woods Into the city." The gardens
themselves are among the finest in tha
country, and Dr. Trelease, the director, has
made many contributions to landscape and
formal gardening. But it is the publia
spirit of the association which is most
notable. lectures are given weekly on
nature Btudy and public art, and prised
offered to adults and children to stimulate
Interest In public beauty.
The active workers of the league are now
devoting their attention to the public play
ground enterprise, o:lginally undertaken in
co-operation with the Vacation Playgrounds
association, and the children's gardens.
The owners of vacant lots have generally
been quite willing to let the league workers
clean up their idle property and make it
Into breathing and play spots for the chil
dren of the slum districts.
Three playgrounds have already been
opened, with swings, benches and other ap
paratus, and three more are planned for
the coming year. Last season about $1,L0J
were spent on these grounds and an equal
amount was donated to the playground
committee, under the chairmanship of
Dwight F. Davis, In material and labor.
Tho average attendance was SO0 a day.
Shower baths, which proved very popu'ar,
were established In connection, and, for
next season, circulating libraries aro
planned. Miniature library buildings will
be erected, and the Engelman Botanical
club has agreed to plant vines and trees
about these structures. Tho labor unions of
tho city also have promised co-operation.
The gardens have been opened principally
under the direction of the sanitary com
mittee of the league, with the purpose of
demonstrating to the people of the locality
the possibilities of making their own homes
more attractive, and also as recreation
spots for the children. Much Interest is
manifested by the pedple themselves. Tho
writer saw three women and a number of
children' busily engaged In raking and
sweeping a much littered lot, the women
having left their families for a whole day
out of pure goodwill to help the neigh
borhood. Besides the projects already mentioned,
the league is actively Interested at present
in the agitation to secure the depression of
the tracks of the Wabash and Rock Island
railroads, as they enter the city from tho
west, so that the "concession tract" of ths
fair, which Is a beautiful section naturally,
will not be spoiled for the visitors.
The signs of better things are evident
everywhere in St. Louis. For nearly a cen
tury It was a straggling town, with no
principal street. Now It is developing a real
thoroughfare in Olive street. Many beauti
ful residences are rising in the park rec
tloiu,, and, with their natural settings, Van
deventer Place, Westmoreland Place, Hor
ton Terrace and Portland Place are con
spicuous for their appropriate and elegant
appearance. All over tho city streets aro
being Improved.
Right by the side of the venerable court
house, from the steps of which the slavo
girl of "The Crisis" was sold, new street
paving and modem office buildings aro
showing how the city has awakened. In
anticipation of the coming of the visitors
next year the shop fronts of tho business
streets are being remodeled and taking on
a permanent modern character. There Is
noticeable a more metropolitan air, with tho
well-dressed people on the business streets
and the Oklahoma farmer, the "plantation
nijrgcr" and the "government mule" no
longer form the predominating features of
the municipal landscape.
Already the town seems to be Interested
In making things better. The policemen aro
really seulous in aiding the campaign of tho
Improvement league; the Herman press Is
swinging the great Teutonic contingent In
favor of betterment; even the brewers aro
spending lavbhl-y to better living condi
tions. The courageous circuit attorney
keeps us his fusillade against the "boodler."
St. I.ouis now only needs a municipal art
society like those which have rendered such
splendid service In New Turk, Chicago and
Baltimore.
Before many years, under the influence of
the Impetus given by ths present swaken
ing. St. Louis may find itself a very
credits bt copy of the medet city which it
will show to ths world next year, and other
otUos cast do tho hubs.
