Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-30

! LoOKER.ON IN IOWA !

Milford, Dec. 29.-It will be news to
many that along the upper tiers of
counties in northwest Iowa the con-
dition of the husked corn is far from
satisfactory and dealers are not anx-
ious to handle it. While the corn rip
ened before frost touched it, it has not
dried out, and when shelled, is so full
of dampness, that it is risky business
to buy it. An elevator operator told
the writer that one load of shelled corn,
when placed on the dump in his ele-
vator was so wet it would not run out
Of the wagon. The writer was shown
circular letter from big line ele-
vator company, addressed to their
agents, giving explicit orders not to
buy this damp corn at over 25 to 26
cents, and if other buyers bid over
these figures "let them have it," Some
contracts at 80 to 81 cents have been
extended from December to January
delivery, the buyers insisting that the
corn be kept another month In the
farmers cribs, to dry out. Other
wise they will only pay 25 to 26 cents.
1t is no wonder our bank vaults are
being filled with the farmers money.
The marketing of this years product
of poultry lis all coming in a heap"
Ordinarily much Of this poultry is fat
tened till February, but this year the
chickens and ducks and geese are fat
now, and so are marketed. 1t is no UNI
common sight to see several thousand
ducks and geese penned up adjoining
these poultry packers establishments,
as it is claimed these ducks and geese
can be fed with profit after the ship
pers buy them from the farmers.
Again, the state is covered with horse
buyers In the hotels they are found
each evening, and one would think
from their conversation and prices they
are paying there must be big demand
somewhere. AS usual they are buying
the best ones and the blocky chunks"
weighing 1900 to 400 are bringing
prices all out of proportion to the or
binary 900 to 1900 horse of general
use. Some twenty head We're taken
out of this town and vicinity last
week, nearly all Of them big ones at
big prices"
The writer was recently told or one
Iowa town, where the local electric
light company in installing its plant,
proceeded to wire all the houses III
town. l. e., where the owners would
consent, this at no expense to the own
ers of the property Then the company
said to the citizen of the town-use our
light. AS little as much as you please,
all we ask is to pay us for what you
use. 1t can be assumed that the price
charged was very reasonable, for many
of these house owners, that offered no
announcement to the company to
wire the house." have discarded ker-
osene lamps, gasolene light in var
ious forms, and are now patrons of the
company In another town the writer
hears of an electric lighting company,
selling light to a hotel proprietor one
that had a private electric lighting
plant, at less figures that it would cost
to run the private plant. 1t would
seam as though many of our Iowa cleo
trio light plants are. standing in their
own light" when they complacently see
in all of our towns many
private concerns establishing and rum
ming their own plants. 1t being en-
tirely a matter Of dollars and cents it
stands to reason the same labor in the
plant can light 100
houses at the same price as that Of
seventy five houses.
-. ~ 69y a