Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-22
viii Unite to Boom MARSHALL
town and Bring Crowds
Into the City
PLANS ARE BREWING
Rest Room Found Rather Expensive
But is Favored by Many-Refunding
of Railroad Fare considered-Plans
Being Formulated to Run Many Eek.
cursions Into MarshaIltown.

The merchants OF MarGnaHt0Wn are
going to get busy. That is the verdict
OF the delibera tons that have been III
retail man in town is to be given an
opportunity to cooperate with every
other retailer in one grand effort to
bring people into Marshalltown by the
thousands this fall. 1t has already
been determined that something large
and effective shall be done and a ban
quet Will be held in the rear future at
which definite plans Will be proposed to
{, company of retail merchants. AS yet
discussion OF various schemes is all
that has been done.
On Wednesday evening of this week
a dozen or more merchants from yari-
Gus lines were invited by w. II. Bur-
ROWS To meet and discuss schemes.
Eight responded. 1t was proposed to
ask 100 merchants TO contribute - per
month each for period of five years to
maintain d rest room al some central
location which would be fitted up with
rocking chairs, reading tables and lava
tories and kept in charge of attendants
for the accommodation OF women driv-
ing or travelling by train into Marshall
town 20 trade. 1t was the general opin-
lon tha; such an institution was needed.
The meeting adjourned FOR the purpose
of investigating more in detail.
1t was proposed to have the old house
now standing on the lot owned by the
Masons next TO the iail :emodeled with
a wide veranda, lavatories, etc. An
other plan proposed the leasing of the
Hunlong building now occupied by a
restaurant and still another the Nc
Nicely building next to the Times Re-
publican now occupied by a second
hand store. All buildings excepting the
Masons' house We're held on leases that
must be purchased and when the
schemers came together again on Fri
day evening 1t seemed that the rest
room. costing not less than $4,000 TO
maintain for five years, was too ex-
pensive for the good 1t would do.
Another scheme was then proposed,
that the merchants of Marshalltown
capitalize an association that would re-
fund railroad fare to people coming into
Marshalltown to buy goods, each mer-
chant issuing ticket certifying to the
amount of sales made by him and when
$50 had been spent in any one day
among any or all of the Malshalltown
stores the association cashier would re-
fund the amount of railroad fare for
certain distance and for a greater dis
This. too. was considered heavy I'M
dertaking, as only a few lines of trade
could expect sales sufficiently large to
rebate enough to make it an object. a
committee is engaged, however, in an
attempt to elaborate a working plan to
put the scheme into operation.
Still third plan was proposed that
would include everybody and was free
from serious obstacles and a special
committee is at work on details. 1t
provides for an association of all the
retail merchants in town who will pro-
npote and direct a special low rate ex-
cursion into this city from points not
more than fifty miles away every week
during the months of October. Novem-
Der and December. and thereafter if
successful. With special entertainment
provided and low rates and special
trains on the railroads thousands of
people WOulu come 10 MtISudlitONli "
picnic and could not help but leave
money in the town during the trip.
The various plans ara merely brew
ing. Nothing definite has been outlined
but will be within few days. Then
a banquet will be held for the purpose
OF getting the merchants together to
consider some proposition. Something
is bound to result. The merchants are
getting busy and Marshalltown is go
ing to appear on the map this fan in
taring red ink, granting of course that
the merchants all fall in when the bugle
call is sounded. ANY one having suS-
gestions to make should talk to Bur-
rows, or Ingledue, or Abbott, or George
Andrews. or Ike Forbes. or Marion
Gard, or Pete Densel. or Chamberlain.
or Lay or Whitehead. These men are
going to meet again AT the Times
Republican office Thursday evening and
every merchant in Marshalltown with
an idea to suggest is welcome to be
present.