Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-09
MERGING TOWNSHIP
Board OF Supervisors Comtem'
plates Consolidating Linn
With Marietta.
Will Give the Soldiers Home
a Voting Precinct OF
Its Own.
Think Change Will Be a Great
Benefit to Road Con.
diti0ns.


county is seriously considering the adj
Visibility of consolidating n portion OF
Linn township with Marietta. doing
away with one voting precinct lessen
ing the expense of the county in main
tanning township offices, and improving
the road service into Marshalltown
from the northwest
The portion of Linn township that
will likely be consolidated is that lying
west OF the city, known as west Linn.
original, as is we'll known, Marshal!-
town was in Linn township, but as the
lefty grew separate township was
made, thus splitting the original terri
tory in two in the middle. The western
area is very small, about three by four
miles, and, in the opinion of the board,
can be improved in every way to much
more advantage as part of Marietta
township. Marietta, at present, is
somewhat smaller than most of the
other townships, but with the addition
of west Linn it can be made OF a good
size and more nearly regular in shape.
While the board is figuring on reduce
ing the number of voting precincts of
the county by making the change. this
idea may be better explained by the
fact that the Soldiers Home, now in
Linn township, is DESTROYS of being
made voting precinct by itself. This
will be done any way, IL Linn and
Marietta are not consolidated. and that
would make one more voting place.
With the additional polling place at the
Home, and the curtailing of one with
the consolidation, the number will re-
main the same as at present.
The change is contemplated largely
with the idea of improving the road
conditions into the city from the
northwest. The present road system of
Linn township is not of the best. Mari
eta people having entered complaint
after complaint on the way the Linn
township roads are allowed to remain
in bad weather. With the present west
Linn a portion of Marietta the road
commissioners of the latter township
will have an object in view to maintain
these roads and give to the farmers of
both sections better thoroughfares into
the city.
The only objection that is expected to
arise in making the proposed change is
in regard to the voting. Residents of
what s Linn townships will b.
compelled to so farther to vote on cleo
ton days. as the polling place for Mari
eta township is at Hartland. The
board is of the opinion, however, that
when the advantages are considered
they will more than counterbalance this
objection on the part of the present
Linn township people. 1t will not make
very much difference with some of the
voters, and those who are compelled to
travel the farthest will not have to go
much over five miles.
The matter of consolidation of the
two townships has been thought of be-
fore by the board of supervisors, but il
has never attained such serious consid-
GRAFTON as at the present time. The re-
cent annexation of Linn township ter
litory to the city has brought the
question again to the mind of the board,
as the territory west is gradually
lily adapted for consolidation. The law
gives lHe pOdId lIiS PoNSl W NcA'oii7
date townships and all that is necessary
is a resolution to that effect in time
for a four weeks notice to voters before
an election.
1t is quite likely that before many
years the eastern half of Linn township
will also be consolidated, either with
Marion or Timber Creek, more proba-
bly, the latter. The eastern portion is
somewhat larger than the western.
The board will conclude the work OF
its three days session this evening.
The matter of the consolidation may
come up for final action before adjourn
ment is taken. but it will likely go over
until the next meeting. While the
board has jurisdiction in the proposed
change it wishes to satisfy the majority
and at the same time care for the best
interests of the community. In the lat
ter regard the supervisors think that
there is only one thing to do, and that
is to consolidate.