Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-26

LOCAL COMMENT.
The horrible crime committed by
tramps in the killing Of two brakemen
this week brings to mind the curse upon
our city that this element constitutes.
One who Is compelled to pass along any
of the streets In the vicinity of the rail-
road station late at night is struck with
the thought OF what a dangerous place
that part of the town is with so many
vicious men standing idly around, ap-
parently having nothing to do but to
waylay some helpless pedestrian. Even
in the day time the prevalence Of dam
gerous looking characters idling around
the saloons near the depots makes one
shudder and wonder why such brutes
are allowed to run at large. Hold-ups,
fights, thefts and rows OF all kinds have
kept the public busy this summer. most
OF which has been laid to the floating
classes employed in the railroad con-
struction work being done on both sides
OF town, and the miscreants have been
made to feel the full force Of the law,
but often the laws are not stringent
enough to prevent these crimes. The
laws do not act until the crimes are
committed and then the harm Is done,
In view OF these facts public sentiment
in this community Is fast forming in
favor Of the most rigid kind of vagran-
cy laws. with plenty of work attach
ments. that the city council can devise.
When the glucose company will pay 81
a night for coal beavers and the rail-
road contractors have to keep men out
securing the country for laborers II
ought to be made work house offense
good for q long sentence to be caught
kloafing persistently around those places.
sss
There is degree Of similarity be-
tween the Hart murder and that OF the
two railway men, In that the officers
are compelled to conduct search for
the murderers without knowing whom
they are seeking. This makes the cap
l.ture Of the fends almost an impossible
| ity, and there Is about one chance in a
thousand that they will be captured, or
that their identity will ever be known.
1t was through Sheriff Mills failure to
| capture the slayer Of Andrew Hart that
he was so severely condemned by the
democratic opposition and one OF the
chief instruments that encompassed
his defeat for a reelection. Yet Sheriff
Mills did all that any man could to ferret
out the perpetrator of this foul crime,
just as Sheriff Mcpherson is doing at
the present time. The first was criti-
cized severely for his failure. while the
latter has no better prospects of sue
cess than did Capt. Mills.
/ sss
In connection with the resignation OF
Col. Martin, persistent rumors have
been set afloat to the. effect that the
Chicago. Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad
i was negotiating for the purchase of the
Iowa Central road, which have beer
virtually admitted to be facts by Col
Martin himself. in his newspaper inter.
Views. The story has caused consid.
i cradle comment around town, some
business men even suggesting that 8
a committee should visit the Milwaukee
people and urge the purchase in TIL.
hopes that it would bring the Milwau.
kee main line into this city. 1t would
be wise to go cautiously in this matter
for the first proposition that strikes
most business men Is what would be-
come of that part of the Iowa Contra
which,we prize so highly, the offices and
the shops. During recent years tbs
Iowa Central caldron has been boiling
with similar stew and the citizen.
have been outspoken in their denunci.
alton of its flavor. A brakeman cam
change his residence now on account o.
a change In his run without raising {
"roar" from some we'll meaning mer
chant Before pushing this matter Of
the Milwaukee purchase it would bt
we'll to consider whether 1t isn't better
for Marshalltown to have the head
quarters of the Iowa Central than Il
be made way station on branch Of
the c., NJ. G. ST. p.
A visitor to the city whose first OBJ
servations did not extend beyond view
OF gaudy colors might be impressed
with the idea that the town is decorat
Ing for some holiday event The color.
are only the trimmings to the an
nouncements that the elephants ar,
coming to town.
The third of the routes for free deliv
cry of mail In the rural districts is sool
to be established In this county. Tn,
system is working admirably on tn
two routes recently established TIL
third will be known as the Green Noun
tain route, and the service will be in
augurated Sept. 5. Barton j. Nichols
has been appointed as the regular car
rier, and John N. Crum as substitute
The population to be served is 41A
Some day the entire county will be thu
3 served.
So Francis Murphy is coming to low;
!. and probably to Marshalltown to assis
4 Superintendent Abrams and the Anti
!. Saloon League in vigorous temper
a ance campaign to be conducted thi
a fall. Murphy has probably done a
much for true temperance In his day a
9 all the prohibitory laws placed upon tn
a statutes. Unless he has changed hi
] views in recent years he is not pro
hibitionist. as he once went on recor
9 as believing there We're better and NOR
: lasting methods of combating tn
0 drink curse than laws that were onl
!. half enforced.
So prevalent have picnic and camp
n ing parties become that even the COW
i that roam the pastures and the wood
n have taken a liking to picnic dinner