Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-09-06

- = :
Mrs I Q Huff. OF Mondamin, was in
the city this morning enroute home
from Red Oak, where she has been for
several days past guest of relatives.
Mrs j Sullivan is entertaining Mrs
Q M Boutwell, and Mrs A b Balcuu.
of Omaha.
J Dunn, of the Her Grande hotel of
Omaha, was the Sunday guest of &C
quaintances in Missouri Valley.
Honesty The Best Policy.
The census reports of 1900, so far as
reported, show very decided slump
in population in many of the large cit
les and towns, especially lnthe west.
1t shows conclusively that such towns
and cities list of population was pad
ded for "boom," or speculation, and
now when more strict and honest
count is being made, it must be very
humiliating to the people of such cities
and towns to be compelled to admit
false count or decided falling off in
population during the last ten years.
This state of facts demonstrates an
other thing, and that is, that these fic-
tlcious "boom" values are always to
the disadvantage of any town or city
IN the long run. They create an un-
healthy growth, creates undue excite
ment, and is always attended with loss
to some one,andathat one generally the
least able to stand the loss-for the
Spectator always manages to get out
of the deal before the crash comes.
We have in our mind, some western
cities that spread out over miles of
wild prairie, with sign "lots to SELL"
which if each lot was occupied by q
family, such city would have contain
ed population of 100000, but has so
diminished in Importance, in some ca
ses, that it would require surveyor
with chain to find its locality, and In
Others the sign of "lots to sell" has Civ
en- way to the growing crop, and the
proprietor who beheld, Tin his eye) the
magnificent city ION paper) is now so
reduced in finance that lin some cases)
he is glad to make his dollar per day
raising corn on the old town site. It
was poor man indeed, in an early day.
who did not own q town! And like
the man from the east who came west
and fell into the hands of 9 sharper
who sold him farm on which was
spendid mill site with dam. but no
water only just after hard rain. In
time, the purchaser sent his son west
to inspect his purchase and mill site
and to report. The son came and ex-
amined the premices and wrote his
father as follows: II have found the
dam by mill site. but no mill by
dam SITE" just SO with many new
speculative towns of the early days.
When boom town stops it is very
hard to start again; 1T is like heavy
loaded team when half way up hill
and stop forest, it is very hard to start
agan. So with town, when once on
"boom" it must not stop to rest, If It
does, the next sign that meets your
eye will be: House to Rent"
Our little city of Missouri Valley
has never had q boom; it has had
healthy growth from the first days sale
OF lots, and today 1T would be hard to
find house to rent From an open
lprairle and corn field, it has grown
into NICE little city of from four to five
Thousand citizens, and continues to i'm
prove, both in numbers and business.
1t has good city government; fine
water system, good class Of firemen,
splendid fire team and wagon, and q
neat liremen's room we'll furnished; q
city council room with furniture; an
electric fire bell alarm system; hot wa
ter heating plant; electric lights; tele-
hone and telegraph service; very fine
fair ground and track just in the out
skirts of the city; nice streets, fine and
large church edilices; opera house, and
three school buildings; hotels, restau-
rants, stores and beautiful homes; all
this without "boom."
We can also "point with pride" to
our business men, as class; to our In
creasing trade; and to the very large
and growing railroad business of the
Valley. Being at the junction of the
G. u N. W; the s. &. & p; and the F.
e. & M. ", and in near proximity to
the l. G. Railroad, makes Missouri
Valley the coming city of the Missouri
Slope.
Here we also have one of the largest
and most complete Merchant Mill in
the west; railroad shops, round house;
with railroad services equal to the
best. All Hail, Missouri Valley. We
don't want Boom" that kills.