Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-04

UP by a practical common sense propo-
sition, and interest you in this affair
that will be of so much Importance to
Marshalltown. / would advise that
corporation be formed along lines OF
franchises obtained from the city on
most liberal basis. and after that that
the corporation proceed to consult Win
parties looking for that kind OF an IN
vestment. 1t would also be wise 10
make preliminary surveys, ana get IL
on paper. We want to feel. however,
that Marshalltown must control 1T, ana
not play second fiddle. l believe we
can do it If we take the matter up In
the right spirit Its advantages, hope,
are apparent to you all, and 1T Is GER
tanly practical"
Col. j. NJ. Parker was the next to
speak on the interurban line. He said
that the steam railroads We're fixed. and
nothing short of a miracle could change
them but the centers to be built up
and reinforced were by the lnterurDans.
He reiterated the Importance of Mr.
Kirby's reference to operating and con-
trolling the line in Marshalltown. The
interurban railway, he said, have their
roads did twenty-five years ago, and
they will solve them. and solve them
cheaply. Golden opportunities. he con-
sidered, came to a man or community
but once in a lifetime, and IL they wer.
gone. they We're gone forever. He
thought this golden opportunity and
that it should be embraced.
County Attorney F. e. Northup
thought 1t automatic and self
evident that the railway systems are
to the continental service what the in
terurban railways are to local condi-
tons and local trade. He cited the
Story City branch of the Iowa Central
as an example of what the tapping of
rural territory meant. He thought that
we could not expect any sympathy
from the smaller towns, because the
reaching Of the rural committees meant
the taking away of trade from the
smaller towns. He thought Mr. kirby's
ideas most excellent, and suggested
that in connection with the interurban
road the city take advantage of the
state law and levy tax for maintain
ing good roads for distance of fVe
miles in each direction from the city.
"The interurban railway is proper
thing to promote, and it is also proper
to see that the people from the rural
communities, after they get here, have
a place to stop, are well treated when
here. Accomplishing this, you have
done much toward success.
Superintendent William I. Crane.
Of the city schools, was the last speak
err OF the evening. and his remarks
very cleverly put left the assembly
in the best possible humor. Mr.. Crane
remarked that he was an afterthought
on the program, but that woman was
an afterthought in the mind of the AL
mighty, and she was not bad after
thought. He was laboring under ditt1-
culties, he thought, to be placed on the
program after such distinguished
speakers, and especially could his au-
ditors realize the truth of his state
ment when he confided in them that
nearly every speaker of the evening
had been to him beforehand and asked
him to prepare their speeches After
he had Accommodated them, and laid
aside an hour Cor his own preparation.
Mr.. Van Law and Mr.. Boardman had
come back and asked to hear them re-
hearse. Anyone who had ever heard
him speak, he thought, could recognize
in the talks of the evening, many of
his favorite phrases. He felt out of
place in the discussion of financial
subjects after Mr.. Kirby. Col. Parker.
and Mr.. Northrup had spoken, and
anyway ne was not an after dinner
speaker. He had heard of speakers
with whom all that was necessary was
to drop q dinner in the slot and
comes a speech, but with him, his
listeners would realize before he was
thru, that it was drop a speech int.
the slot and up comes the dinner. II
made him feel like man who, when
he got up to speak, was introduced,
and had swallowed three or four
times, he said that when he arose
there were only two who knew what
he was going to say-him and God.
Now only God knew.
Mr.. Crane referred to what he per-
sonally knew of the value of interur-
ban lines, for, in Dayton, Ohio, where
he lived before coming, here, there
were seven splendid systems. Their
value to the commercial interests OF
the city, was apparent o neyery hand.