Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-15
OKER-O ON IN IOWA

Observation-Disclosures
Ii LOCKER ON IN IOWA 81
sSs00psSss0ossDac0s0DDssSSl
For the Tlmes.Republican.
Sutherland, Sept. Ia Other crops be-
eide corn are enrlching the Iowa farmer
this year. Near Havelock one hears OF !
2 farmer that received 32OS as the re-
suit OF eight acres sowed In fax. And |
at Rolfe they tell of man who raised |
fifty acres OF flax; the yield was forty
bushels to the acre, and he sold 1t for
sl1S per bushel. The price has since adj
vancedsto 91.25 per bushel. and both
OF these flax raisers are dtsgusted be- |
cause they sold too soon. Forty bushels
of flax to the acre is some fax.
Travelling men are like blackbirds in
one respect, they seem to be In Aocks.
One night last week the writer was the
solitary guest in u hotel in . town OF IL
900 Inhabitants The next night in an Il
adjoining town fourteen knights OF the
grip flied the hotel to overtlowing.
Sometimes 1t seems as tho the whole
fraternity were working the c., r. 1. &
p, and the next week they are nll up
on the Illinois Central And the Bryan
lite, seeing 20 few travelling men at the
hotel, Immediately announces as a cad
and solemn fact that the trusts have
driven $4,000 travelling men of tho
road! ess
The sharp advance in the prices Of
lumber and building materials at the
beginning of the present good times,
and the continued advance in lumber.
has very much checked the building OF
farm houses, barns and other improves
ments on northwest Iowa farms Lum-
bermen report a very dull summers
trade and wonder at 1T ALI the more
because never was the Iowa farmer In
better financial condition. Talking with
the travelling agent of a big lumber
concern. he claimed that the advance
on an average on all kinds in a lumber
yard would not exceed overS1O per cent,
this comparing prices with 1896 and 1900.
| In other words. an ordinary farm house
would not cost s25 more now than fouryI
years ago. This is referring only to the
lumber bill. But when 1t comes TO the
supplies from the hardware store and
the price of a days labor % to IS per
cent advance is nearer the figure But,
said the travelling man. the farmer is
getting 50 much more for his products
THAT he can afford to build more than
flour years ago.
So many stories OF of the meanest
man in Iowa" get into the papers that
| tits a relief to hear Of those of the
l.other kind OF humanity. Here's ones:
/ In certain town in Iowa there lived
young mansWho acquired the drink hab-S
/ y to such an extent that finally he lost
money. friends and health and perhaps
before this Is in type he has Joined the
majority. During his days OF prosper.
lity he took out an insurance policy for
i $1,000. friend of his knowing this
was all his family would have after his
funeral expenses We're paid. without
4 saying anything to the drunkard or his
Wife, kept up the payments as they be-
.lcame due, and now his Wife, owing to;
the friends foresight and generosity,
will have $1,000 handed her thirty days
after her helpmeet rests in the Gene
Slstery II by chance she should read this
item. she would not recognize the actors
lsin this little drama, SO quietly has the
good work been carried on.
\ $50 sg6s
4 And here's another. where names and
i time ago at Ida Grove occurred an epi-
\ demic OF typhoid fever at the principal
4 hotel, brought about by impure drink
ling water and defective drainage. One
lof the victims was young woman OF
10 who was boarding at the hotel and
I working in dry goods store. She had
4 but little money when her sickness be-
.Egan, and when she died the citizens Of
frth ykc.S1 49, oil
. the expenses Of sickness and funeral
. They did more. This young woman's
Il mother lived in another state Money
was sent her to come to Ida Grove and
( after her daughters deathsan additional
4 $3.50 was raised and given her to return
4 home. All this was done by the gener-
/. GUS citizens OF Ida Grove for compare
a tive strangers, the young woman only
having lived in Ida Grove few
A months. Maybe the church attendance
in Ida Grove is not as large as in some
lotl1er place.. but there seems to be
quite a chunk Of real Christianity in
J, that burg.
The writer intended getting names,
!. dates ard other figures before publish
!. ing this item, and has neglected 1t, but
here goes for the main facts. Some
years ago there came to New Sharon.
one who ir now the happy father Of sew
|enteen children, all by one wife, and at
IL the time the Looker-On received the
! item all were alive and well. One Of his
sons Is the father OF eight children and
they are all in proud Mahaska alive and
kicking. Another con has q family Of
here the train whistled and the
], writer went up to Grlnnell. where there
Z liz q family Of father, mother and twelve
. children all engaged In the manufac-
= Iture OF buggy tops. It ID reported they
y can undersell any arm in the United
]. states because they Ill work, and do all
) LOT the work themselves. These items
have been held back - self-explanatory
OF the census increase.