Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-21
,LOOKER-ON in IOWA.
For the Times Republican.

GlOOISOGIOOSSOYO0 OSSOSSxsyOSxSGIsIs1
| For the Times Republican.
| Vail, Jan. 20.-There's some curious
ideas of funin this world. On New
Years day the writer was in an Iowa
town and just before night took the
train to to go to an adjoining town. He
had for fellow passengers in the smoker
a half dozen young men who were cele-
brating. They brought into the car a
quart bottle of whisky to keep UP the
fun till they got home. The other pas
sengers We're obliged to listen to the
vilest. most vulgar language as part
OF the fun. Then twoeof them got into
row during which they smashed the
window blind. For this fun the conduc-
tor wanted pay, and upon their refusing
ted them he would have them arrested
at the next station. So just as the train
relied into the yard, past the switch
light. one of them jumped off to escape
the proposed arrest When the train
backed to where he lay it was found that
he had struck against tie, and actually
lad knocked one cheek off, it hanging
only by shred of skin and flesh. This
funny business continued all night, and
the next morning he was still uncon-
scious. Whether he is still alive or not
matters little and this is only mentioned
here to illustrate the amount of possible
fun there is In quart of Iowa whisky.
Some of the boys who sell trust goods
and trust the merchants thirty and six
ty days don't like hotel trust. In one
OF our best Iowa towns they built a
great, big, nice hotel, where heretofore
they had had only railway accommodate
tons. The millennium had come. We
were all to be happy forever on the q
Central. And 1.-The new hotel was all
Fight" So was the landlord. But the
old hotel still did business. SO the new
proprietor leased the old house and put
In man to manage It, Behold the
change! Whereas they once had men at
the depot to take the grips. now nice
bus, "25 cents trip was put on. the
hotel not three. blocks away. Rooms
with bath, $3.50 day." and the unlucky
wight who thought he was clean enough
had to so way up and lie down in the
third story. Good beds to be sure. but
the steam heat was somehow stronger
on the second floor. where they had
rooms with bath" which cost $1.25 for
lodging and breakfast. Then the boys
had been accustomed to find the daily
papers around any old place. Now the
hotel ran news stand. You could buy
any OF the daily papers for cents,
which was quite an accommodation.
Ard such Is the perversity of the travel
Ing mans heart that he began to find
fault with the meals. Swore they We're
not as good as when old Ballsey ran the
cd house. And so unreasoning are these
travelling men, so obtuse to the benefits
OF "a combine, that now they are figuring
10 stay over night in the towns on each
side OF the hotel trust town. You can't
suit some people" Now all this Is a
hundred miles from where this is writ
ten, so don't try and hunt up this trust
full condition in this part of the state.
Down this way, It's everybody for HIM
self and the devil take the hindmost"
One would think that with experience
would come wisdom, but 1t doesn't ice
wise. There's a great big fear now that
eve won't get good ice to fill the
houses" Instead of being ready with
teams and sawdust along the goth of
December when ice was twelve to six
teen inches thick all over Iowa, these ice
packers waited It'll after the first of
January" Now with almost month
CT nice weather the ice in many places
has become rotten and honeycombed.
and the regular yearly howl the writer
has heard for thirty years ever winter in
Iowa is now in evidence. Don't worry.
gentlemen. The writer will insure six
teen-inch ice and plenty Of 1t anywhere
n Iowa north on the c., B. & Q. railroad.
this between now and Feb To- Hicks
may have monopoly of the weather
business, but the writer will insure the
ice crop Of Iowa.
Business men in the wet" counties.
doing business in the wet" towns, are
beginning to do some figuring along pro-
Eibition lines. Some men who believe
that a saloon helps a town, l. e., helps
TIC draw trade are saying town can
have too much of a good thing. One man
said to the writer recently in a town in
northwestern Iowa, I'VE have seven sa-
looms in this town. They pay s75 a
month mulct tax We get 5000 year d.
from what is paid into the county treas
ury. It's nice; 1t lessons our taxes,
builds crossings and town halls. but It's
hurting trade. These seven saloons must
take in S140 day or say $4,000 month
or $4,000 year. Now, i Know that
much of that would come to me in the
way of regular trade II we had less
number of saloons. Other business men
here tell me their trade will amount to
less this year u. e.. 1901 than in 1900.
NV idea is if we had two saloons paying
|. 500 year each the town would be bet