Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-07
LOOKER-ON in IOWA.
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For tho Times-Republican

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OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
For the Times Republican.
| Pocahontas, Jan. 6.-This is the town.
the last county seat in Iowa to get
railroad Not to be exact, but it is
only about two years since the regular
railroad train service commenced. And
strange to relate. the business men
can not get their eastern mail till some
or hours later now with railroad
than when it came over by stage from
Havelock.
| But in other respects they have had
a genuine boom. and s250.000 in i'm
provements are the proven facts for
| 1901 j. H. Allen has built a 100000
hotel building, with three stores on the
first floor besides the hotel office. The
| writer is told that each room will be
furnished with toilet facilities complete
hot and cold water and marble wash
stands. That of the 3S rooms for guests
there will be rooms with bath" every
few doors. In one of the stores under
meath, a drug store will be established,
that the fixtures involve an expenditure
| of $1,000. and in addition a $1,000
soda fountain. Pocahontas has four
drug stores now doing a good business;
has 3 big hardware stores, sound
banks, newspapers, three good ones,
and all receiving good support from
the citizens. Has 3 big lumber yards.
And now they are talking of having
the Northwestern railroad build thru
| there this year. line from Sac City
to Burt, Iowa. 1T never rains, but
lit pours." A visitor of five years ago
would hardly recognize the present
lPocahontas. And all this change comes
about because men with money have
faith in her future, and are willing to
invest their money as a proof of the
| faith that is in them.
The Indifferent public. who are so
| in favor of county care of the insane,
and the more intelligent citizen. who
has advocated that plan in private,
public and press. should carefully read
the board of controls report of the
conditions in some of the county poor
houses in 1901. In that year in Iowa,
| in some county poor houses no facil-
| tiles for bathing were provided. In
others one bath tub for both sexes. and
the use of the same water by several
| patients. In one county, both sexes
sleep on the same floor, crazy women
in charge of men keepers In another
| county poor house crazy women eat at
the same table with the same poor in
mates. No language can be too strong
to express the heartless and disgrace
| full manner in which some of the coun-
! ties of Iowa still continue to treat their
unfortunate insane. To this can be
added, not the least bit sensational, it
| is standing disgrace to the people of
Iowa the manner in which the county
poor are treated in some of our poor
houses. God men and women, minis
| tiers of the gospel, and others in charge
of charity associations, benevolent and
charitable men and women interest
themselves in. and work for, and raise
money to cure other evils of the body
polite, while 5 miles from where they
are holding public meeting to assist
some worthy charitable object, is a
county poor farm, where number os
their own citizens are living in man
ner dlsgraceful to the county and
state, and terrible blot on our boosted
civilization Of the goth century.
! Here's story illustrative of the
times we live in. Shows the opinion
some of our citizens have for the majes-
ty Of the law. 1t comes from an ex-
| justice of the peace, who was the lead
ing actor in the play. Out in the coun-
try, Jim Bludsoe had row with a
neighbor. During the fracus, Jim drew
knife and cut and slashed his OPP
ponent till 1t was question whether
the defeated lived or died. Some one
| filed an in formation and the constable
brought in Jim before the squire. Court
opens. and the squire reads the papers
and asks Jim If he is guilty. Wall
squire, If you mean I cut him up
some, did" was the reply. '"Then
III have to put you under $1,000 bonds
on an assault to KILL" said the Justice
"All right. Mr.. Blank. I'll tend to 1t in
few days" said Jim starting for the
door Hold on Bludsoe, you're under
arrest and will have to go to JAIL till the
grand jury sets, unless you can get
bondsmen," was the next information
to Jim. Wall. amt going to Jail. said
jim; guess I'm good for $1,000, I'll
| tend to it next week." Look here
Mr.. Rludsoe, said the now exasperated
squire, you are under arrest you are
in charge of the constable, and you'll
go to jail IL 1t takes the whole state
of Iowa to put you there. If you think
you can get bonds, the constable can
go with YOU" Cant 1 put up the
money myself" said Jim, beginning
to see a little of law in the proceeding.
| Yes" replied the justice. "Come over
| to the bank" said Jim to the con-
stable.
| We have some "nervy" stock men
in Iowa. The other day farmer had
a bunch of hogs ready for market In
vlted the stock buyers to come out and
make him an offer. Two of them rode
out to the farm. Offered him so much
a hundred pounds. mo, Sir, will take
so many hundred dollars for the lot"
Scratched their heads, the stock men
did. IF you'll throw out five and let
us add ten from another lot We'll do
It," Agreed" Now this trade took
a check of four figures to close, the
farmer was $128 out, and the stock
men s12s in. as representing the differ
ence between the offered price by the
hundred pounds and the lump price
offered by the farmer And all of the
time the stock men knew or guessed
the farmer had weighed them that
morning on his scales. Wonder how
| tho farmer managed to underestimate