Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-02
LOCAL COMMENT.
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] LOCAL COMMENT. 81
The sight OF several hundred eager
spectators following an auctioneer
over a. neighboring field while unim-
proved lots are knocked down to the
highest bidder is one that MARSHALL
town has not seen for many years. The
scene resembled the boom days of
twenty years ago when men went wild
in their scramble for town lots in many
q western city. II the good times and
easy money market are improved now
to improve the property the entire west
end of town will have been benefited.
The county board Of supervisors
should go ahead with their lighting
plant. If they can figure that the plant.
will pay for itself In four or five years
the voters and taxpayers of Marshall.
county are too good business men to
object to the Investment. The expert
sence OF several business firms with in
dependent plants has been so SUCCESS
full that the plan has ceased to be an
experiment..
IL the business men and property
owners on West Main street We're alive
to their opportunities they would have
seen that the county made a bid for To-
eating the postofiice In the court house.
Such a location Is central, fair to all
and since the government building. IL
we get 1t, can not be ready for two or
three years yet, the matter Is worth the
attention OF all business interests on
West Main street. June 4 is the date
set for receiving bids. Get move on
you, boys, and telegraph.
It was made very evident at Thurs
day nights council meeting that the
sewage problem is not settled yet.
When bids range all the way from $25,-
600 to $1460o0sit would appear that some
one Is cropping in the dark. The sug-
gestion to erect trial plant is not a
good one either, for the city can not
afford to experiment and the business
at stake Gun not afford to wait. II
there are any successful plants in op-
Grafton anywhere in the world those
should be investigated and one built
probably be made best by the engineer
work. 80 that all the city OF Marshall
town need do Is to require a contract
guaranteeing that the plant Will do the
work when built. Cities that bore wells
for water no longer have to take the re-
sponsibility and risk, but have no trou-
bic in finding contractors who will
md
Let the engineers do the same on the
sewage plant Professor Marston has
analyzed the sewage to be disposed OF
and with this as a working basis the
engineers who do the work are better
prepared to know whether their plant
will take care OF 1t than are the mem
bers Of the city council. Twenty
thousand dollars ought to build plant
that will do the work successfully and
the man who gets it ought to guaran-
tee success in return.
The communication from Mr.. Cation
| In another column calls attention to an
Important matter In connection with the
water problem, the location of the new
wells. Mr.. Cation, Of course. is an in
terested party, having land to sell on the
east side OF the road. and the record OF
his previous negotiations with the city
Is such that he is entitled to very little
consideration at the hands of the pub
lie. The Times Republican or the citi-
zens of Marshalltown care very little
whether Mr. Cation sells his land or not.
but he does present arguments that are
worthy of public note. In the first place
Messrs. Benson and Fisher, OF the coun-
| ell water COMMITTEES, favor the location
of the new wells on the east side Of the
llevee road, for the reason that they
would then be nearer the old pumping
station and more could be saved in q
I.shorter pipe line than the difference in
THE price of the land. The council, how
ever, decided inScaucus to remain on the
west side for the reason that they are
at present getting a satisfactory water
supply there, and by running a line Of
wells 1000 feet north directly in the line
of the water shed they would have a
sure thing. whereas the sinking OF wells
at any new point, east or west. would
Ibe an experiment. The matter OF ex-
Ipense is unimportant, as the difference
Is very small 1t would seem that the
east side would be the proper location
ae It is in the center of a large cultivat-
/ gu ll3iu anu -IIuCIl NEARER lAlSs OlSl pump.
ing station, to which the water must be
piped and this View is supported by the
oplnion OF Messrs. Benson and Fisher
which, on water questions. is worth as
much as the rest of the council, for. In
Mr.. Benson's case, at least. there is not
a man in Marshalitown who has stud
led the problem longer or is better capa-
BILE of Judging. But neither MIR. Benson
Tor Mr.. Fisher claim to know It ali. and
have submitted gracefully to the major
lity OF the council. 1t would seem that
the proper way to begin this work
would be to buy the entire farm, 200 OF
300 acres at least. in order to guard
against any communicating causes locat-
ling In the vicinity In the future. The
farm would always pay for itself in
rentals. The wells are to be drive wells
six inches in diameter. ceiled so that
water can not enter them except thru q
strainer at the bottom In the gravel
/ he'd. hut II would be much safer 20 In