Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-09
LOCAL COMMENT.

k11lREayNliS4aElIaH1m 1Ell1InuE1 B1RxaD
LOCAL COMMENT.
( In response to an item In these coll
.umns last week the property owners on
the west end Of Main street got
very much as tho the proposition they
made the government would bring the
postofhce back to West Main street.
The Times Republican is not person
ally interested party in the post Office
contest, and therefore favors neither
east nor west end locations but in fair
ness and Justice to all concerned and in
the interests OF harmony this paper
would like to have seen the post office
located In the basement of the court
house had that been possible. The mer-
chants OF both ends could much better
afford to pay the rent for some such
central location than to undergo the
trials of a post Office row. These points
should be kept in mind when short
time hence it will be necessary to choose
site for permanent building.
sss
The question OF east or west side will
come up in another form in the city
council next Monday evening when that
body will have to decide on which side
OF the levee road the wells for the city'si
water supply shall be sunk. 1t is to be
hoped that the council will act in a
fearless business like way. If the east
side Is the better location. as would seem
from all the arguments advanced, that
is the place to sink the wells, even IL the
land has to be condemned to get reason
liable terms. Just because the present
I3well is located on the west side of the
river IL no adequate argument for re-
naming there. The test wells already
sunk on the east side show that water
dan be obtained there in sufficient
quantities; in fact there is no question
about the supply of waterto be obtained
from the gravel beds!
The citizens Of Marshalltown are
greatly pleased now that their public
library has opened its doors again. If
there was any doubt about voting a tax
for It's support 1t has been destroyed
since the public has felt the deprivation
of closed library. Like many of our
greatest riches, We do not appreciate
| them until they are taken from US.
This column has been devoted largely
| to a presentation of facts and sugges-
.tions pertaining to the city's prosper
lily, but as the prosperity editor
gazes out Of his window across the
court house lawn during working hours
and sees every seat occupied by stall
Wart men he wonders howit is anG
why 1t Is that able bodied men are idle
| when there is such a demand for labor.
The peculiar part OF the scene is that
| 20 many faces are seen adjoining the
4 public square day after day until they
4 become quite familiar. and the wonder
is. how have these men solved the
problem OF living without work. Does
some pain racked woman slave at home
over u wash tub while these animals
4 bask in the sunshine, or do these men
with occupations unknown labor in the
dark hours of the night. when good
citizens are asleep and the police busy
roundino UP hobos. The study of the
unemployed, OF which we used to hear
SO much, may yet be pursued with
most interesting results. and We should
lperhaps thank our stars that every
man who wants to work can find job
without hunting for it.
Mention Of the court house lawn calls
to mind the interesting relic of the
spanish-American war which was pre-
scented to the city by Lieut.. Frank
Fletcher and turned over to the county
supervisors to be permanently estab-
lished on the county green. mounted
and suitably inscribed as BELTS reli
OF such rare value. Its9absence is very
noticeable and the official in charge OF
the piece OF property should hurry the
machinists along. a relic such as a sub.
marine mine used in Cuban harbor
4 during the Spanish-American war is
one thatswe would look upon as grea
curiosity II seen in some other town.
We would perhaps travel some dis
lance and incur quite an expense to see
what the thing looks like. but having
1t here in our own town we think moth
Ing OF 1t. Since we have so curious a
memento Of the nations last war let's
trot 1t out where 1t can be seen.
For sale.