Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-18
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES!
LOCAL COMMENT.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The T.-R. is glad to see so much in
terest taken in the good roads matter
by the residents of Marshall county.
To be sure, there is an object in view
in desiring good roads at the present
time, but as usual thing there must
be some sort of prize hung up in or
der to spur up the citizens. Marshall
county's prize for reaching a state of
perfection in public highways is COM
plate rural mail service-a prize that
but one county in the state, Hardin, has
so far captured. The government made
an experiment in Hardin county when
free delivery for farmers was COM
paratiyely new The experiment has
been successful, and the time will
come, and many of us will live to see
it, when every county in Iowa will
have the same complete service. To
insure this, however, good roads must
be Forthcoming. They must be pledged
beforehand, and this the township
trustees of Marshall county are going to
do. Country roads can not be too
good, and the more work done on them
to make them of high standard, the
more every one will be benefited. Mar
shall county is given an opportunity
to show what her people can do in the
way of good roads, and she intends set
ting an example.
1t was a very nice piece of work
on the part of those having charge
of the quieting of the title to a portion
of the new postoffice site in securing
a quit claim deed from the only man
who stood in the way of giving to the
government q clear title 1t was no
boys play to accomplish this delicate
matter, for after the man was found it
was a question whether he would HIM
self take enough interest to even accept
the money that was held out to him.
For years it had been supposed that
William Beckwith was dead. His moth
er and sister, his only near relatives
living, had mourned him so, yet. when
1t came to establishing proof of death
it could not be done. Notwithstanding
the fact that the mothers affidavit was
to that effect. The government would
not accept any proof but a positive one.
and it became absolutely necessary to
ascertain, beyond the shadow of a
doubt, that William Beckwith was dead.
He was found to be very much alive
and, finally. after much correspondence,
was induced to accept free transporta-
ton to Marshalltown to get his money.
All that is lacking before the more ac-
tive preparations for the new govern
ment building are commenced, is the
approving of the title by United States
District Attorney Miles, who is ex-
pected in the city next week.
There seems to be quite a little in
terest manifested in old Company IL
circles looking toward securing for
Marshalltown again place in the ma
tional guard. This city lost her posi-
ton in the Fifty third because of the
lack of armory facilities. At that time
there We're not suitable quarters avail
able in the city, and there was nothing
for the adjutant general to do but To
order the company mustered out oil
service. AS there are already vacan-
cies in the guard, and others likely
to occur, it is thought MarshaHtown
will be reinstated. Those who are in
teresting themselves think that the
former armory, the rooms occupied by
the public library, used when the COM
pany entered active military service