Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-12
TELEPHONE h[N MEET
Association ofIndependentLines Of
Holding a Convention at Des
Moines.
The Bell Companies Said to Be
Entering Rural Field For
Business.
Iowa City Fire Causes Dismay
at the State House.-The
Army Post.
u to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican,.
Des Moines, March PA convention
of the independent telephone men Of the
state of Iowa is being held in Des
Noines today. The attendance is not as
large as had been expected, but the men
who are here are the Representatives of
the independent and nurual systems OF
the state. They will effect an organiza-
ton ard continue their work of main
tanning independent existence. A SER
ious menace to the independent tele-
phone system has arisen in the savowed
intention of the Bell companies to enter
the field for rural business. The inde-
pendent lines have had this all to them
selves in the past because it was be-
lieved there was no profit in rural
phones. Now ii has been demonstrated
that the farmers are The very ones who
can make best use of the Telephone
idea. The rural lines have been grow
iEg with wonderful rapidity in recent
Years. They are TO be found nov in al
most every part Of the state. Efforts
have recently been made TO have some
consolidation which would ultimately
lead to absorption of the lines, bus thus
far the men who have built and operat-
ed the independent lines have resisted
all temptation TO go into the combine.
These and other matters Will BE- dis
cussed at the meeting mere.
The burning of the two buildings at
the Icwa State University on Sunday
last caused disnlay at the state house
when the news was received. A. once
the question presented itself Of ar,ang
ing temporarily for the accommodation
of the classes. When he fire occurred
in December at Anes the trustees { t the
state college asked for as large 3 part
Of the 4providential fund N the hands Of
the state executive council a $ ii would
be possible 10 secure. The council RE-
fused TO appropriate for temporary
| buildings at Ames more than s1s.500 of
/ the amount. The pruposal that a per-
rnansnt building should be erected was
turned down. The council reasoned that
Fit had no authority TO build pslina-
nent building at Ames. but could do
nothing more than arrange for the
/ pressing needs of the college This rol-
icy is likely TO be pursued with regard
10 tbs needs of !he state unil- rsity.
There are $3.50 IN the providsngial
fund. Insview of the fact that the fine
new building in course of construction
lat iowa City Will be ready for use BY
/ lSeptsm Der ii will not be difficult d pro-
vide temporary quarters for the univer-
lSsity. One Of the buildings burned was
I,
been erected by provision OF an act of
amount appropriated at that time WAS
but $4,000, but the trustees the next
year used $4,000 more and got into
/ trouble fer 50 doing. but ii was finally
Iagresd that the 81, 900 should bs consid-
ered raid out of the fund from the sale
| OF saline lands. The other building got
| $4,000 from the legislature N 1852 and
$4,000 later. The old south hal, the
olGer building. has narrowly escaped
being torn down by the regents and it's
/ days of usefulness We're about ended
anyway. The members of the execu-
tive council are disposed TO be as lib
/ eral With the university as with the
4 state college.
1oWans who returned from Washing
Iton this week bring the information
/ that ar effort is being made TO have the
loftlce of collector Of internal revenue
flor the southern district removed from
1 Burlington to Des Mpines. The office
has been in Burlington n long time ard
was kept there largely pg the personal
Influence Of Senator Gear during his
lifetime But it is recognized that Des
Mcines would be a better place for the
main office. and federal officials and
uthers have started 3 movement to ef-
i fec. the change.
/ The Des Moiiies army post matter is
3attracting a great dea, OF attention heie
just noN. Efforts % have ordered the
constructnn OF a fine viaduct over the
railroads in the central part of the city
with d view to aflprding an easy vout'
Ito The post have thus far proved una
lvailing. But it is announced tina; in .
few weeks a large force of men Will be
put TO Work en- the site of the post fous
lmiies south, and that if possible the
100000 appyopriated for preliminary
work will be used before the close OF ths
fiscal year Then the $4,000 appropri-
I ated will be available. This year the
4 pos. willbe prepared for the reception
slof battalion Of cavalry. or one-thir,i
of a cavalry regiment. and in due time
lit will be made sufficient 10 acommo-
date an entire cavalry regiment. Des
Moines people have lively anticipa,ions
of an increase in business because OF
1.-THE large expenditure of money here
during the next few years.
When Capt Hull reaches home today
there will be much inquiry as to what
he intends doing in the matter of candi-
dates for governor. There have beer
many contradictory rumors as to his
plans and purposes. but nobody seems
to know what is in his mind. Perhaps
he, least of all. knows just what he vii
1 do. A good deal of the Conger talk is
Iregarded as emanating from persons
who are friendly with Hull and it is
supposed Hull knows more nearly thar
any one else what Conger will do when
i he reaches home. But among those who
conferred with Hull in Washington the
past week was DIR. Schooler. postmaster
at Des Moines, and he says he does no
know anything about Hulls intentions
4 He did predict. however, on his own re
lsponsibility alone, and not because h,