Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-17
LOCAL COMMENT

The fact that the state is going te
take q hand in the dam controversy
is important, and will undoubtedly
strengthen the city's case materially
The attorney general maintains that
ii the dam is removed, and the head
of water in the river lowered as con-
sequence, the state will be devoid OF
an ice supply and the lowlands about
the Home grounds will be rendered
Doggy, marshy and damp, and prove
detrimental to the health of the mem
bership of the institution. The state
claims that at the time it purchased
the Soldiers Home site, in 1885, it was
with the understanding that the water
level, maintained by the dam, woule
be permanent. 1t holds that irrepar-
able damage would result to the beau
tiful grounds, on which great deal oil
money has been spent, and on filing Its
petition of intervention prays that the
temporary injunction already granted
the city, be made permanent.
r
The city of Marshalltown owns pro-
perty approximating an investment OF
$425, 900, equal in magnitude almost to
the combined investment of the pack
ing house and three more OF our
largest factories. Its annual income
is something like $4,000 and there are
5000 or more taxpayers as stockhold-
ers. The city council constitutes the
board of directors elected by the
stockholders to manage the business
of the city. Are the stockholders ex-
hibiting sufficient interest in the Sc
lection of directors from each ward to
manage this business? If the Let's,
Fletcher wholesale grocery, the pack
ing house and the Shorthill bridge
works were combined under single
management and the stockholders were
to elect five members of board OF
directors every spring would there or
would there not be more interest In the
matter than there is now in city poll
tics with the city election only one
month away? Can this city ever COM
mand the interest and service OF its
strong business talent?
e
The completion Of the new post OF
flee should be an event of Importance
in Marshalltown. When it is consld-
cred that this city now has court
house, a post office, a library, hospl-
tai, & high school and Y. M. c. A.,
of the most permanent and magnificent
character, it would seem that there is
little left for us to seek in the way
of public improvements. The post Of
flee itself is intellectually one OF the
most beautiful buildings of its kind
ever erected by the government. 1t
might have been built higher from the
ground and some parking done but as
it is it stands very imposingly In full
view from the most frequented portion
of Main street A merchant located
at the extreme east end Of Main street
expressed the opinion this week that
there was not near so much fractional
strife between the business men on
Main street as there used to be few
years ago and the T.-R. firmly believes
that the location of this post Office
centrally between those factions has
done more to end this strife than any
event that could have happened. At
any rate Marshalltown is a Well-bullt
city in its public buildings. II nom
resident ownership of business proper
ty could only make way for men OF
enterprise we might see modern store
buildings in greater numbers. The
churches, too, should arouse them
selves. There is need for modern
structures to displace the ante-bellum