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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1902)
THE COURIER bour. Leota Powell. Catherine Lee. The club officers are. president. Miss Blos som Wilson: secretary and treasurer. ..Miss Ethel Burkett. The club will meet next Friday with Miss Burkett and will probably Rive a hallowe'en party. - The literature department of the Woman's club met yesterday after noon. Mrs. George Elmen gave an ad dress on Browning's "Ring and the Book." The Fortnightly club met on Tues day with Mrs. E. L. HInman. Mrs. E. B. Andrews read a very fine" paper on "Congress at Vienna 1S14. Fall of Napoleon." Mrs. John Tuttle was elect ed a member of the club. The Candlelight club met for a din ner at half after six o'clock Monday evening at the LIndell hotel. After the dinner. Mr. James Manahan led in a discussion of "Strikes.' The following Interesting paper, writ ten by Mrs. Ida V. Tilden, chairman of the city improvement committee of the Omaha Woman's club, was read by her at the meeting of the Nebraska federation of women's clubs at Colum bus last week. The Plngree plan of farming vacant lots certainly proved a success in our neighboring city, and might be tried to advantage elsewhere: Perhaps you wonder how my topic, "Vacant Lot Cultivation." or "Pingree Gardens" as the work is often called, is connected with city lmprovent. 1 will state the connection as our Omaha city Improvement committee saw it , last spring. The city of Omaha is well called, from Its situation, the Gate City, but extending, as it does, with a popu lation of about 130,000, over as many square miles as, it is said, are em braced within the city limits of Paris, with her millions of people, you will realize that it might also be as appro priately called the "City of Vacant Lots." This unimproved property is, largely, in the hands of agents, who feel little responsibility for its appear ance, consequently we have each year, with our extremely fertile soil, a boun tiful crop of weeds which are allowed to grow to maturity and which rival our famous Nebraska corn In height. These always grow, no matter whether we have rain or drought. Our city charter Is such that the council has not the power to have the weeds cut and assess the cost against the property, so the only relief we have is the small amount of work that is done by the city and county prisoners, except where the owners do feel a pride.in ..the. . appearance of their ground. This was the condition con fronting the committee lost spring, as regarded the vacant lots. Owing to the severity of the winter and the scar city of work, there were many needy and unemployed, who'were willing and anxious to do something to help them selves and families. We decided that these two conditions could be utilized to improve the appearance of our city and to aid the worthy poor, and that it was certainly within the province of city improvement work to Improve vacant lots by having well cultivated gardens take the place of worthless weeds, thereby materially assisting many. We called on a number of citizens whom we knew to be public spirited, and received hearty endorsement of our plans and the promise of financial support. The first one we appealed to for funds gave us $100. and as soon as the plan of work was mentioned in the newspapers, a check for $25 came, un solicited and therefore the more highly appreciated, from a member of the Omaha Woman's club. The county commissioners gave us $75 for seed po tatoes. Only fifty bushels could be purchased as they cost $1.50 per bushel. We secured ground, mostly In one neighborhood, so the superintendent could have dally supervision over the several garden plots Into which It was divided. There were twenty-four of these plots, about forty by one hundred feet each. A number of these were given to men and women who had been obliged to have, aid from the county the winter before, but who ex pressed themselves as ready and will ing to properly care for a garden. We had the ground plowed and harrowed and furnished one bushel of potatoes for each plot of ground. The other seeds we secured from the department of agriculture through the kindness of Senator Millard and our representative In congress, David H. Mercer. These were given freely to any one who ap plied, giving out about twenty-five hundred packages, and when we closed the distributing room, which had been placed at our disposal by the city offi cials. In, the city hall, we turned over to the county commissioners one and one half mall sacks of seeds. Eleven lots were secured In different parts of the city for persons who could do their own plowing, and who would not need the aid of a superintendent, and we furnished each of them with potatoes and seeds, also giving from one peck to two bushels of potatoes to twenty six other families who could secure their own ground. Each of these promised to return a quantity of po tatoes equal to that furnished them. Of the twenty-four gardens we had under our special care, eight were given to women who could cultlate them with the assistance of their children. Two of these were colored washerwomen. One plot was given to a young man, who unfortunately had lost a leg, two to a man who could get but little em ployment on account of failing eye sight, and one to a German who was feeble and very hard of hearing. The work was not done In the most scien tific manner, nor were all the weeds kept down, for while the wet season was very favorable to the growth of potatoes the weeds also flourished re markably. The gardens were laid out uniformly, and an effort was made to have the planting and cultivating done in the most approved fashion, but we had many peculiarities to contend with. Some of the gardeners insisted that.cer taln seeds must be planted In the "dark of the moon," even if it made their crop late and doubtful. Some believed that whole potatoes planted close together would yield much better than small pieces with plenty of space between the hills. We could not have many inflexible rules the first year, as we were experimenting to some extent ourselves. The gardeners could not or did not give equal time and care to their ground, consequently some were able to raise a much larger quantity of vegetables than others. The only re turn asked for what we furnished them was one row of potatoes. The yield has varied from one to three bushels per row in the same ground from the same seed, showing the difference in culti vation. Those who have returned the potatoes have appeared very grateful, and In many cases stated that without our assistance they would not have been able to have planted any as the price of seed was so high. Some of them will have all they need for the winter, and besides the potatoes have raised other vegetables for their summer and winter use. We know that we have been able to bring pleasure and com fort out of some vacant lots at least. The committee also had about fifteen bushels of potatoes planted and culti vated by the superintendent. The yield of these will be placed at the disposal of the mayor and county commission ers for the benefit of the needy this winter. We hope to have several hun dred bushels for this purpose. One lot, which adjoins the public li brary, has been improved in another way. It was rough and untidy, hav ing huge bill boards as ornaments, and always covered with rubbish and weeds. With the assistance of the superintendent of city parks and of lo cal florists, this has been changed into a flower garden, laid out In beds, with sodded borders and filled with orna mental and flowering plants. The Western Fence Company built an or namental fence around the lot, and the members of the fire department, locat ed directly across the street, have seen that It never lacked for water. This Improvement has been a source of pleasure to all who visit the library and shows what may be done at small cost In changing unsightly vacant lots into small and well kept parks, so, while not reaping material benefit from this as from the others, it may be In the end the most profitable of all, for, as Victor Hugo says, "the beautiful Is useful," and we will feel well repaid If this effot stimulates an Interest In beautifying our city Our expenses have been about $325, and we have met with such hearty co-operation and en couragement In our work this summer that we feel sure that it can be car ried on with even greater Buccess an other year. We think the experiment has been satisfactory and accomplished much good in different ways. I Jb f BV m ftuSa4 UC. In every town and village may be had, the Mica Axle Grease that makes your horses glad. Lincoln's Progressive Store A Beautiful China Display JUST OPE.NE.D-AN ELEGANT LINE OF Rich Cut Glass and Fancy China for Gift "Giving, Etc. f Rich American Cut Glass. So suitable for wedding and Christmas gifts. Deeply cut and rich In brilliancy. Berry bowls, 7 Inch $3.50 and $3.95 Berry bowls, 8 inch $3.93, $4.93, to 15.00 Celery trays $3.95, $4.95. $6.50, 10.00 Water bottles $2.05, $3.95, 4.95 Tumblers, each 350,500, .75 Spoon or olive tray. $2.75, $3.73, 4.95 Vinegar cruet SI JO, $1.75, 2.75 Handled olives 1.75 Sugar and cream, pair. $1.95, 7.75 Finger bowls $2.00, Lead blown linger bowls, cut star in bottom Lead blown finger bowls, cut star on side Salts and peppers, heavy sterling silver tops,cach,25c,35c,60c,75c,85c,$1.00 63 3.00 .25 .75 1. Japanese china sugar and cream $1.50 Japanese sugar and cream .15c Others 50c, 73c, Sl.OO, $1.25, to 5.00 Others 13c, 25c Fine French china, 7 inch plate, mk similar to cut vie m Others... 23?, 50c, to C7 JO Fancy creamer. 23c China fern dish, with lining. $0.96 Others 75c, $L25 to 5.00 Decorated china salad sets, large dish and 6 sauce dishes $1.00 Others 75c, $L23, $1 JO, 3.00 KUi1 r.-ccierjar. Ct.M jmers , uc, l.w Fancydeco rated Carlsbad plate, dessert size.. .15c Others. .10,12,25c,to $1.50 Fancy saladjor cabaret for fruit, etc., $1 JO decorated china, salad bowls, 8. Inch, as cut $1.00 Others ...25c, 35c, 50c, 75c; to 5.00 . fz "pa l) Japanese china salad $1.23 iT C- sVjfiBsf a?-,T.r??rg2&g.ry Z Fancy china coffee cups and saucers, gold band and flowers 15c Decorated china dresser sets, as Moustache cup and sau- cut $1.00 cer 23c Others 4L25, $1 JO, to 3.00 Others....33c,50c,to$3.00 China vase. Bohemian 25c glassTase,25c Celery tray. Iron candelabra, complete as cut JOc 73c gM2pr Goldbandcnlnacupsand ' $f saucers, I2c; doz.,$L36 jXjf c J Hr Fine Japanese china tea cup and saucer. 50c t- t-J - "jifs Pint china milk raff. ChlnachocolateDOt.SlJO Fine Austrian china China mustard pot,50c 25c Others 50c o 5X0 cupandsaucer...25c This JyT- wine vSSffiV et, aW II $1J0 fcBf M ph if
