Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-07
WILL INVESTIGATE.
Rousing Meeting Of Ottumwa Bust
ness Men Held Saturday Night.
MUST PROVIDE HOUSES TO RENT
Reported ImpossibiIity of Milwaukee
Railroad Men to Secure Homes in
Ottumwa Causes Quick Action to Be
Taken-A Committee Appointed.
From Mondays Daily.

! 81
From Mondays Daily.
A meeting of business men was held
at the library room at the court house
Saturday evening for the purpose of
taking some action with reference to
the reported desire on the part of en-
ployeS of the Milwaukee road to re-
move to this city from Chillicothe, Mo-,
and the difficulties which they are find
ing in securing suitable residences.
The result of the meeting was the ap-
poiDtment of a strong committee of
three to take the matter in hand,
thoroly investigate the situation, find
out what is wanted by the railroad
men and report at another meeting to
be called by the committee. This COM
mlttee consists of l. N. Mast, chair
man, ]. w. Neasham and F. w. Sim
mons. One of the duties assigned this
committee is to prepare compilation
OF all the houses in Ottumwa that are
for rent or for sale. Parties having
property of this kind should at once
communicate with any member of this
committee, giving location and descrip-
ton of the property and the rental or
sale price. Such compilation is alb
solutely an essential in order that the
committee may have the necessary in
formation to give to the railroad men
with whom they will get in correspond
ence at once.
The meeting on Saturday evening
as called to order by J. w. Neasham
and w. B. Bonnifeld was named as
chairman and A. w. Lee, secretary.
Mr.. Neasham stated that he was re-
liably informed that the recent change
In the division point of the Milwaukee
road would cause from IT'S to $50 men,
the majority of whom had families, to
remove from Chillicothe, Mo. Ottum-
wa being the middle division point, it
would be much more convenient for
these men to live here than at the ter
minus of the line, but that owing to the
reported impossibility of securing resi-
dences in this city, many of these men
were reported to be planning to remove
to Coberg, a suburb of Kansas City.
Senator Waterman stated that it was
positively settled that OttuRwa is to
be full division point of the Milwau-
kee road henceforth, and that Chilli
cothe has been abandoned. He re-
garded the accession of this large ad-
d1tlon to Ottumwa's population as one
OF the most important matters that
has come before the people of Ottum-
wa for a long time. 1t was not to be
expected that we could get all of these
people,bu If we got half or one-third
OF them even, it would be more i'm
portant matter to Ottumwa than the
X securing of large new factory He
did not know just what could be done,
s but was firmly convinced that some
thing should be done at once. A rail
road is permanent fixture and these
people once secured as residents OF
Ottumwa, would in all probability re-
main here all their life. He had talk
ed with Superintendent Wright of the
Milwaukee who had confirmed the above
statements and had said that the kind
or houses needed were such as would
rent from SIS to $40 per month and
some even as high as $25. The shops
at Chlllicothe, Mo-, are to be moved to
THIS city. At present they are not ex-
tenslve, but are bound to grow and be-
come an important matter in the fut-
ure.
F. w. Simmons stated that for sew
eral weeks he had felt the Importance
of this matter without really knowing
what the plans of the railroad COM
pany were. 1t is now officially set
tied that Ottumwa is to be the divi-
sion point and Assistant Superintend-
ent Tucker had stated to the speaker.
that the people of Ottumwa did not
yet realize what this means to this
city. If action along the right line is
taken by our citizens. it would mean
an increase in the population of at
least 1000. There are $50 heads of
families that ought to live in Ottum-
wa and will do so if accommodations
can be secured for them.
In. Mast said that generally speak
ing, the building of houses for rent
follows along an increase in all kinds
of business. If the demand for houses
exist, they will be built and he
thought the sensible thing for this
meeting to do, would be to appoint a
committee to thoroly investigate the
probable demand over and above ex-
listing available houses and let these
facts be made known. Necessary hous-
Ses will certainly be forthcoming If
there is offered to builders and capt.
talists reasonably profitable invest
ment. He believed it was true that
most of the desirable vacant houses
in this city were now rented, but there
are number of what is known as sec.
ond class houses vacant, and many OF
these could be put in first class condi.
ton. He thought anything looking
toward a forced demand or a boom
beyond the actual and legitimate de.
mand should be carefully avoided, but
the legitimate demand should be
known and it will then be met. Fur.
Their remarks were made by J. w. Nea,
sham, S. H. Harper and J. T. Hack
worth. On motion of s. H Harper, a
committee of three as above named
was appointed to take the matter in
hand and thoroly investigate the same
and report at future meeting to be
called by the committee The consen.
sus of opinion was that Ottumwa
stood ready to do anything and every
thing that could legitimately be done
SHOE BARGAINS.
E6Sass