Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-21
LOOKER-ON In IOWA.
Tor the Times-Republican.

Dumont and Dougherty both We're
nearly burned out last year, that is the
business part of each. Now q visitor
ses new brick buildings, plate glass
fronts and all of the latest modern inn
provements and fixtures in the new
tsores. Put it down as fact, you car
not kill an Iowa town by fire. When
it goes into the Phoenix act it is always
Il better town. And these other new
towns on this branch of the c. & N. w
railroad are all having a healthy
growth. Gainesville and Aredale. only
year old, now have every line of bust
ness represented, and are doing bust
ness on modern methods, simply be-
cause the business men had previous
experience in other towns in Iowa and
profit by such experience in these new
towns.
"a burnt child breads the fire." SC
does burned town In 1894 the town
of Belle PLANE was burned out in less
than two hours, not business house
left standing. One would hardly real
iZe it now, with their solid brick blocks
on both sides of the main street. The
other day the writer was in the town
when fire alarm was given. The
Looker-On heard the alarm over the
telephone before the fire bell was rung
In four minutes the hose cart was run
out on the street, and half a minute Ia
ter horses We're attached and down the
street on q dead run went the horses,
the gong ringing la Chicago. TWO
minutes later the steamer, drawn by
another pair of horses, also went by
the speed OF the chariot races in the
circus. This was followed by the hook
and ladder truck, not a half block be-
hind, horses also on the dead run
When the reader is informed that this
whole outfit is volunteer affair, that
the horses have to be harnessed, taken
to the city building, and that men have
to gather from shops, stores, ETC., II
will be admitted it was quick work
And supposing the fire was in small
dwelling house and was put out before
the department arrived, it shows thai
Belle Plaine is now ready to fight fire
And it occurred to the Looker-On, II
Belle PLANE had been as well fixed ir
'94 the big fire might have been stopped
and incidentally some business mems
bank accounts bigger than today. .
also struck the writer that there are III
Iowa today fully 1000 towns in the
same condition that Belle PLANE was II
'94. Also that after some of them have
had a ..burned OUT experience they
too, will brace up" as Belle Plaine
has. Water works and fire limits are
always to be found in towns after big
fire.
1t is to be hoped that this will meet
the eyes of several of our to be nexi
representatives and senators. The fol-
lowing is taken from recent issue OF
the Hartford. Conn. Courant. 1t shows
how they do things down east. The date
of the paper was May 9Th. so this no
tice is published month in advance:
CONVICTS WANT RELEASE.
Thirty eight Inmates of State Prison
Petition Board of Pardons.
"The state board of pardons will. al
its session to be held on Monday, June
2, in the supreme court room at the
capitol, consider the application OF
thirty eight conyicts who desire re-
lease for various causes. They are as
follows:
Hartford County.
"John Dynes, murder, second degree
sentenced for life, September %, 1873
He and another convict assaulted ane
robbed the station agent at Burnside
who died. Dynes has applied ten times
before"
And then follows column list OF
men who want to get out, each county
having a list by itself. And here is the
point (outside of the excellency Of the
board of pardons system itself, the
nublic has a knowledge of what is
going on, what is proposed. This is IN
strong contrast with the system OF ex-
Governor Shaw. who had secret par
ole and pardon action. Many a COM
munity in Iowa first learned OF par
ole by Governor Shaw when the con-
yict walked into town, with the COVER
nor's document in his pocket. The cit
liens of Kossuth county had such an
experience, after spending hundreds OF
dollars to convict the paroled objects
of Governor Shaw's clemency.
Eyes sir. the hotel is closed. The
landlady eloped last night with her own
husband" That's the way they broke
the news to the hungry travelling men.
The cold facts explained things. Some
six wears ago man and his wife sep
arated without any scandal-simply
agreed to disagree. For the last few
months they have met frequently,
made up their differences and, to avoid
the Inevitable neighborly 90 talk took
the night train to -- for a second
bridal trip. Thus was the scarehead
editor defrauded. Thus was the special
correspondent at space rates deprived
of good stuff"
ap moer14A<