Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-05
.LOOKER-ON IN IOWA
20aw9v19e9w3.as..x:
For the Times Republican

Williams, July 5.--There are some
curious ideas of business and business
men. The story is told the writer of
one thriving Iowa town where a bust
ness mems association was formed ito
push things, to get new concerns to
come to our town" 1t was generally
admitted that the town needed new
hotel, and a man was found who, for a
bonus of $4,000, was to build $4,000
hotel property The business men took
hold and subscriptions to the amount
of 5000 were made when it was found
out that as Il part of the hotel building
there would be ne new store room for
rent. Then and there the project fell
thru. I'VE don't want any more stores
in this town. Now, sometimes more
business houses in the same line in
creases the business of town. The
following illustrates it, The town of X
had one lumber yard. The records of
the one railroad In town showed during
the last year of its single existence the
receipt of forty-four cars of lumber.
The following year another yard was
established and the receipts Of lumber
for both yards were 40 cars.
How news travels these days was ILL
ustrated last week in the case of King
Edwards sudden sickness and the nee
essary surgical operation. Tuesday in
England was the date, and on Wednes-
day morning, less than twenty-fGur
hours after, an Iowa Falls farmer, lfv-
ing on rural delivery route, read in
the T.-R. a full account of the whole
business at s O'Clock in the morning.
This farmer actually came to town and
told the news to an Iowa Falls mer-
chant, who depends on Chicago daily
for the news. We take all this as a
matter of course, these days. but when
one thinks of system of telegraphing.
of printing of car and mail service. and
of the number of men who one and all
must attend strictly to business to
make such result possible, 1T is one of
the wonders of the age.
Down in Indiana Uncle Sans rural
delivery has brought out many peculiar
things At one point on q crossroads
a number of farmers, in order to make
it convenient for themselves. as we'll as
the mail carrier, have rugged up a con-
triyance which is decidedly novel. Here
sixteen farmers are served, and each
wagon wheel, which has been set on
top of post. The sixteen boxes lie
around the edge of the wheel. and when
the carrier comes he simply has to get
out of his wagon and give the wheel a
turn to make the boxes which he wants
come before him. 1t is q miniature
postotIice out of doors.
III is strange how many towns tamely
submit to postoffice regulations and
how other towns favored. fail to real
ize favors shown by postpasters This
is not SAYING but what Toledo people
do appreciate the fact that the post
office is kept open there till $50 y. M,
or was the last time Looker-on WAS in
that thriving town. Now this postmas
ter ..don't have to" keep open till 8 80 p.
M but there is mail arriving at 8 p.
M. and this postmaster keeps open to
accommodate the patrons of the office.
And Just as true is it. the postmaster at
Iowa Falls, don't have to" open the
office at a. m., but he does, much to
the appreciation OF townspeople and
transient visitors. On the contrary
many travelling men, in many towns,
have to leave loMi Oh WY IfelSltS il
z a. M. and have their mail forwarded.
said mail arriving during the night.
but 1.-The posto1tice does not open till 8
a. M" The writer understands as we'll
as ANYBODY, that the postmasters in
these towns don't have to work nights
and Sunday" and that from a. m. to
S .. M, is a good long day, but this is
all mentioned here to suggest that one
of the deputies can come down early
and get off so much earlier. That am
other can stay so much later and thus
lie abed so much longer the next morn
ing. All the public asks is for one of
the force to be there early and late. OF
course in the smaller towns where one
or two persons constitute the force
such a request is unreasonable, but in