Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-04
MANY ARE SIGNING
FOR THE |NIERURBAN
Between 400 and 500 Names
on Petition Up to Noon
Today
1nE DENIIIDEn
TOTAL OF 7e5 is REQUIRED
Twenty -four Committees, With 1872 Pc
titions, Out Today canvassins for
Names Of Freeholders-UsuaI obsta-
cIes Are Met, But at the Same Time
Encouragement is Shown.

petitions, are out today canvassing for
the signatures Of freeholders in order
that the council may be petitioned to
call a special election to vote 3 per
cent tax to aid the ,Marshalltown in
terurban. Up to noon between 400
and 500 names were on the various Pc
titions, which, when completed, will be
made into one petition.
The tax books show a total of 1859
freeholders in the city of Marshalltown,
so that it will be necessary, in order
to have majority of at least l, to
have a petition bearing 795 sigma
lures. The committee is not going TO
stop with 795, or just bare majority.
but will prosecute the work of OBJ
tanning signatures just so long as there
is hope of securing the names, thus
making as good "a showing as possible.
Meet Usual Obstacles.
The usual obstacles in canvassing
for signatures for similar enterprises
are being met by the different commit
tees in charge of petitions. There are
the usual number who oppose an in
terurban, and others who have no
property interests at all, and whose
names could not be used If given, who
are not content unless they are talking
against the interurban. While these
obstacles are being met the committee
finds many things that lend encourage
ment. For instance A. A. Moore, chair
man of the general committee, in a
short trip from the council chamber
headquarters, met twenty-five men and
obtained twenty three signatures.
Hawley Knows What lnterurban Means
P. A. Hawley, of the postoffice, was
one of the first men to place his name
on q petition. He didn't ask a question
and made remark to the effect that he
would sign the entire 1872 petitions if
Hawley's ardor was explained later in
the committee headquarters.
Sells Property at Big Gain.
I Several years ago, before coming to
Marshalltown, P. A. Hawley lived at
South Bend, Ind. He bought piece of
property there, for which he paid $500.
He wanted to come to Marshalltown,
and couldn't sell his property. He held
1t eight years after coming here, re-
fusing to sell at a sacrifice, and hoping
that land values would rise. A few
years ago South Bend became the CEN
ter Of a system of interurban railways.
Two years ago Mr.. Hawley sold his
$500 piece of property for $4,000. He
invested the money here. buying more
property. He says:
eft is pure selfishness with me,
these interurbans, and I'll sign an in
terurban petition every day in the week
If have the opportunity"
Talking Steam Road.
ONE of the chief obstacles met by the
committee is the talk by those opposing
the project Of a steam road. Those
fear that the interurban promoters are
going to aalse Main street for steam
railroad They argue that Marshall
town doesn't want Its streets used for
but electric lines.
All THAT the committee can do In
this argument is to offer I'M
evidence the contract and tax petition,
which clearly specify that after the
first year of its operation the road is
to be run as an electric line. It is fool
ish for any one to believe that the city
council, or the people Of Marsf1alltown
in voting an extension Of the franchise
to the new company, would consent to
the opera tion of a steam road thru the
heart Of the business section of Mar
No franchise has as yet been grant
ed to any company to operate a steam
on any street in Marshall
town and no one intends to ask for
one.
Publicity Helps Petition.
The publicity given the tax aid petit
ton and contracts, and a careful expla-
nation of the situation to date, as CIV
en- by the T.-R. Monday evening, has
helped the committee in its work to-
day. Heretofore people have not quite
understood the status OF the interurban
Many, Monday afternoon,
when presented with a petition, said:
II will wait until I CAIN read about 1t
tonight and if satisfied will sign to-
Signatures, as a result of the
publicity, came much more easily to-
day.
THE FISHER FUNERAL.