Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1915 — MERCHANTS ACTIVE FOR CITY WELFARE [ARTICLE]

MERCHANTS ACTIVE FOR CITY WELFARE

Association Confers j With Council and Takes Initial Step For Several Good Things. - I . The Merchants’ Association of Renssedaer held a meeting Monday night and Mayor Spitler and the members of the city council were present and the merchants were informed that the city is unable owing to financial conditions to longer provide for the collection of the garbage from the business district. The merchants proposed to undertake to provide the money .necessary foi this purpose pnd also to take over the proposition of street sprinkling and to give aid to matters of sanitation and beautification of the city. The method the Merchants’ Association proposes to employ is to go to each of the 143 business and professional men of the city and ask them to subscribe to the fund for street sprinkling and garbage collection. It is believed that every business and professional man will be willing to pay more than the cost of sprinkling alone by a considerabe margin, thus making it possible to have adequate garbage collection over the business section. It is probable that many who are not engaged in business but who are interested in the health and appearance of the city will also subscribe to the fund, which will make.it possible to keep the city fire team at all times within a block or two of the fire engine house, thus affording much better fire protection to the entire city. The money collected will be turned, over to the city and disbursed by them for the purpose of street sprinkling and garbage collection. If persons desire that ash piles and garbage be collection from their residences they can arrange to have this done by the garbage team by paying for same at a nominal cost. The counci land the merchants came to a fair understanding and the plan should work out excellently and have the full endorsement of all.