Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-25
LOCAL COMMENT.


) LOCAL COMMENT. :
The movement of a citizens commit
tee TO discover. if possible. the cause OF
the typhoid fever that has afflicted this
city, is to be commended, and should be
encouraged If undertaken with the right
The personnel u the commit
tee chosen by Mr.. Boardman is in
the main a competent ole, and II the
members themselves will assume the d.
rection of the committees work public
opinion should speed them in their ef-
forts, but there is at present a woeful
lack Of purpose on the part of the ind1-
viduals chosen. SO much so as to u
the average citizen to wonder who is
back of the movement and whether he
public welfare is what he Is really after.
In the work of protecting the public
health it is always the Guty of the city
council to make the first move and this
ii has done in securing two careful tests
Of the city water by a ARCHAEOLOGICAL
expert. 1t now purposes to follow the
suggestions contained in thisreport viz:
build a storage reservoir large
enough to maintain fire pressure for
twenty-four hours, If we should ever
have such a confiagration, and to cut
off completely all access for river
water to the mains, so that not only
would it be impossible for such water to
seer in, but nc engineer could turn river
water into the mains 70: flushing even
IL one should be so crininally disposed.
However, any body of citizens which is
not satisfied with the councils course,
has a perfect right to interest itself In
the matter and should be given every
liberty provided 1t does not needlessly
endanger the public health in It's ex-
periments. just what Mr.. Boardman's
committee intended to do the T-R tried
to ascertain. as being something the
people OF this city had Il tight to know,
hut Mr.. Boardman replied that he was
not asking for newspaper support and
therefore his committees; affairs We're
none of the public's business. When
the committee itself meets it will I'M
%doubtedly take the public into its con-
fidence, since many of the men chosen
as members can not be credited with
the professional motives which every
one believes to be %actuating the lawyer
In charge.
Marshalltown has. as always must be
expected under similar circumstances,
received a great amount of u%nenviable
notoriety as a result of the recent fever
cases. The T.-R. has tried to keep the
..l1s ..~.%1l -. tLo <,&,.n cSoN n ne N q
fairs, but one or two irresponsible
newspapers of the state, hearing a wild
rumor. so far removed from facts as
to be ridiculous, printed stories that
have been taken up by plate houses and
furnished smaller newspapers turnout
the tate. Strange to say the papers
that have sensationally featured" con-
ditions here, are located in towns where
the same experiences are being passed
thru at the present time. There seems
to be considerable solace to the news
papers in -exaggerating the conditions
of others, regardless of the facts.
The travelling men OF Marshalltown
have had it in their power to make
known in outside points the true condi-
ton of affairs. They are asked every
day about the facts, and some, from
reports received, have been about as
sensational as some of the newspapers.
A grocery salesman is reported to have
told a customer in a northern Iowa
town. that thirteen deaths had resulted
from the fever in m day. 1t would
not seem that any salesman, who had
the welfare of his fr maj heart, even
tho he had no interest in the town,
would draw upon his imagination to
such an extent, as to enlarge pon the
true conditions. Such a man is not
entitled to represent any responsible
business house, when the word of an
employee is taken for the truth because
of his Connection with q responsible
institution.
Marshalltown has enjoyed the dis
tinction this week of dedicating one of
the finest public library buildings in the
state, a building of which every citizen.
even to the boys and girls beginning
their school life, is proud. The inter-
est taken in the dedication was very
apparent, as there was not available
room for the crowds that wished to
attend. In the evening at the recep-
ton the same conditions prevailed, peo-
pie leaving by the hundreds rather than
to participate in the jam. Professor
Crunden's words concerning the library
in which he praised the building be-
cause of it's convenient arrangement,
can be taken as a great compliment,
as Mr.. Crunden has visited many Ii
braries, in all parts of the country. and
is a competent judge.
The action of the school board, In
agreeing on a general advance of 5 per
cent in teachers wages, has caused
considerable comment over the state
because of the fact that the subject is
SO timely at present. School boards
thruout the country are taking similar
action. Necessity requires 1T. Teach
ers are abandoning the field because
of thel lack of proper remuneration. and
the result is that there Is a scarcity
of the best material. Marshalltown
was threatened with the loss of several
! of its best teachers, sought by other