Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-15
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L00KER=0N In IOWA
Observation-Disclosures

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Harlan, Dee. 14.-There's some pref
ty fine work going on these days be-
tween the railroad agents, operators,
helpers and the different railroad COM
panies The boys have won out in
the matter of a schedule of prices for
wages. overtime. etc, but the railroad
companies are readjusting matters not
entirely 10 the satisfaction of the EN-
ployes, but as sit is all in the bond"
no kick can be made Baggagemen now
are doing the station work at night in
some cases. Operators are let out or
transferred. and helpers take their
places. In some of the very small
towns. the telegraph operators are re-
moved 10 other points. and the tele-
phone aud postoffice are the only cham
nels of communication with the outer
world. All this work on the part of
the railroads companies is in the line
of economy, !. e., TO make for the adj
vance in the wages paid to the operat-
ors by the new schedule. SO that it
can be assured that while the opera
tors at work viii get more pay. there
viii be a less number of operators at
work
one can hardly blame the railroads
for watching the corners. For in
stance, an operator as Well as a depot
agent, stationed in a new town. on
new line OF railroad told the writer
that after the road had built a nice
big depot in the new town, put in
stock yard. switches. water tank. etc,
sent him there as agent at $40 per
month. the receipts of the depot for
the last month in that town. which had
~ operator and agent We're Sl.31, and
whsn he was checked out by the tray
cling auditor that was the exact
amour; turned over to the company.
of stock shipped out that month. And
we all think our business has the worst
competition on earth. but the railroads
have troubles of their own. Every
new line or railroad built in Iowa
means at least a temporary loss of in
come to some other railroad. one
agent said to the Looker-on. cot course
that new railroad cuts in on our busi-
ness. Why the KY railroad got elev-
en- cars of stock last month that natur
ally belongs to US. Those shippers that
we have favored for years. as soon as
the new road was finished, tumbled
over one another 10 ship ON the new
road. Merchants whose freight bills
| have carried for thirty days, ordered
their goods sent over the new road on
the first way freight that came to town.
Worse than all the xYZ has put In
passenger that runs east ten to tWen-
ty minutes ahead of our train. and so
picks up lots of our local passenger
traffic, but just wait until our new card
comes out next Sunday. We will not
only run our day trains east ahead or
them, but will make connections with
main line at ABC and land passen-
ers in Chicago. two hours quicker than
they can possibly get there.
And in the same vein was the travel
ing mans complaint. He represented
a house in the general hardware line.
And he told the Looker-pn that for
ty-one men in his line visited the trade
every three or four weeks, this in every
town on his territory. Why, I've got
so when book an order for half doz-
en- rocket knives, and at the same time
one-uuarter dozen of curling irons, l
call 1t a good day. Here in this hotel
now are four of US, all in the same line,
and If all of us together sell $500 worth
of goods, it will be more than expect.
There's one thing sure there won't be
forty-one hardware men make this lit
tie town of 800 inhabitants every
month. much longer. Somebody's got
to quit
And the fierce competition in bust-
ness in many of the smaller towns. be-
gins to show In some vacant stores.
Stores of the better class are in many
cases now offered at one-half or two
thirds the rent asked three to five years
ago. This more generally true in the
smaller than larger towns. New rail-
roads were built into these smaller
towns. and apparently forgetting that
the population of the county or town
shin was but little more last year than
the year before new stores We're bullt'
and new big stocks put in. Every little
new and older town improved this
way, and so when the influx OF money
caused by the railroad building mad
ceased, and when 100 farmers bought
no more store goods out of five stores
than the former three. trade, was les
sened so much for each store, and
somebody had to quit" And the Dig
store is killing the little store in the
country town, as we'll as the city. The
department store in a town of 900 peo-
ple does the business. Gradually but
surely the small store, where the mer-
chant lives in the back end of his
building, where the wife Is the clerk.
and the neishbors wait on them
selves" is disappearing. Survival OF
the fittest? Perhaps so.
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