Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-29
LOOKER.ON IN IOWA +

fLOOkER.ON IN IOWA +
i Iowa Falls, July 2s.-The reported
action of the G. r., & P. railroad in
| deciding to give the public an hourly
fax, as we'll as between Iowa City and
| Cedar Rapids, this with regular
steam car train in opposition to an
electric car trolley line. offering the
same quick transit is fair statement
of the intention of one big trunk line,
not to allow parallel trolley line a
monopoly of the business. 1t is also
a reminder to the many would be,
Observation-Disclosures electric lines. now
talked of all over Iowa, that if they
go into the parallel business they may
expect just such strong opposition.
4 Here in Iowa, with a railroad mile
age in excess of any state. consider
ing population and distance, there
| seemed to be little probability of many
electric lines being built, and equipped.
| this for a number of years to come.
So the trunk lines Of Iowa have been
slow to realize the possibility of cleo
trio lines being operated. In the east.
notably Connecticut, the New York
and New Haven railroad is openly buy
ing all of the electric trolley lines as
fast as possible, using them as feed
ers" to their regular steam Alotorea
passenger trains. They are arranging
for a trolley line service on the same
rails that carry their irregular freight
and passenger trains. They also use
third-rail electric service between
New Britain and Hartford, running
single cars every half hour. In.New
York state the New York Central
Railway Company has appropriated
s13,00O,Oo0 to buy electric car lines. and
also to equip some of their short
branch roads with an electric trolley
service.
And here is what interests us here in
Iowa also--the statement that one of
the big railroad lines crossing Iowa 8
building sixteen gasolene cars, big
s0-footers, combination baggage and
combination coaches these for expert
mental work on branch lines of the
railroad in Iowa. It Is safe to assume
that this road proposes to meet cleo
trio car line competition by running
these gasolene cars on hourly and
half hourly time tables, II necessary.
between points where the electric lines
would cut into their passenger traf-
fic This information comes to the
writer from one claiming to know, and
one claiming great superiority Tor
these gasolene cars over electricity as
motive power. Each car being inde-
pendent, carrying Its own motive pow
er. can be run at any time or in any
number desired. Two men constitute
the crew, and 1t requires no prophesy
tn assert that If financially they are
successful we are on the eve of an en-
tirely new service in passenger traffic
in Iowa.
There comes to this scribe a story
of very unwiee evangelist and a very
foolish business man, all this in a lit
tle town. and one not reported by our
special correspondent. The re-
yiyalist, big six footer. be-
ing physically powerful and very
positive ways in his reform work
He felt that for the success of his
meetings all of the stores Of the little
town should close at .. m. All did SO
but one, and he was "a slim Jim" OF
five feet four, that seemed tending on
audacitv to refuse the request OF the
Goliath like evangelist. Both were board
ers at the town hotel. The preacher
in the presence of the other boarders
at the breakfast table took the busi-
ness man to task for his stubbornness
and hard heart. This not producing
results, he proceeded to roast him from
the pulpit during the evening meetings,
all of which was very unpleasant for
the business man. The first step to-
ward the climax was when the BUSH
ness man told the preacher not to
speak to him in the dining room or to
refer to him again in the pulpit. But
the preacher felt it his duty to keep
on talkin'' Finally one day both at
breakfast, the preacher opened up
again on the business man who
wouldn't close his store. Up jumped
the slim Jim with hickory club, lay
ing him out insensib1e. Arrest and trial
followed Jury disagreed and no new
trial had occurred when the writer
dropped into town. Both the business
man and preacher were still boar ling
at the hotel. The revival was going
on, the store was not closed evenings.
but breakfast table talk and pulpit
roasts had ceased. There seemed to
be a sentiment, in that community that
both of the participants in this little
affair were right and both wrong.
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