Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-17
+ LOOKER.ON in IOWA


Gearing, Dec. lin a lumber yard
at Grundy Center there is a pile of ce-
ment fence posts, that excited the curl
osity of the writer. A few questions
brought nut the fact that they are sold
for the same price as cedar posts, l.. er
when of same length, and diameter.
Each post is reinforced" with three
wires. the size of the wire the same
as ordinary telegraph wire. They are
warranted to be n~on-breakable with
the ordinary use a fence post Is sub
ject to, as well as to stand freezing
ground and weather.
The use of cement in Iowa has in
creased many hundred fold during the
past ten years. Nearly all dealers now
buy it by the carload that formerly
bought it in ten barrel lots. To say
nothing Of the use of cement blocks,
now so commonly used for buildings,
and foundation work, many farmers
have cement floors In their barns. Corn
cribs, chicken coops. and hog houses
made entirely of cement are so com
mon as to attract little attention.
There are literally thousands of miles
of cement sidewalks in Iowa. Road
makers all over the state are putting
in ~culverts and crossings of this ma
terial. Railroads use it instead OF
stone for bridge supports. 1t is the &C.
ment age, being substituted in a hun
dred ways for lumber and stone.
During the recent money panic the
Wright county bankers pursued the
even tenor of their way. Checks and
deposittors were paid as usual But
the Farmers Exchange Bank of BOWS
had a panicky spell or rather its time
lock went on a strike during the first
week of the none stringency and kept
every cent it had on and for twenty
four hours, till forced to open up by
the bank lock expert summoned by
telegraph. The bank obtained money
by express and transacted business as
usual. Five days afterWard his same
time lock had another bad spell, again
refusing to shell 0 ut. Again the ex-
pert was sent for, again money was
brought by express, and no n failed
to get their money or was asked to cal
again. Certain philosophers have a
theory that inanimate things have souls
minds, a thinker if you prefer. The
double performance of this banks time
lock, just at that time, would seem to
be proof Of the theory. Still there is
quite a general opinion over the state
that the country banks allowed the city
banks ito use them" That the country
banks in many cases put "on the lid
when there was little possibility of the
kettle boiling over.
Talking with G. w. Berry, telephone
manager at Beaman, he mentioned q
case of wireless telegraphing, that oc-
Cured in his office, long before wire
less telegraphy was perfected. One
morning after a big storm when the
ground was covered with now q
wire was broken and patrons on
rural line We're all unable to COM
municate with each other or the cen
trail office. Mr.. Berry had occasion
to call up a nan on another line thai
was working and was surprised tt
have some n "butt in" whose voice
he recognized as being a patron or
the disabled line. To make sure, he
asked him who n where he was. He
answered., at home. But your line
is broken, and you can't talk to me-
said Berry. well, I am talking, anc
l am at home, and you are in youl
office" was the reply. And the the
farmer went u and found~ his line
was broken, but Berry's talk hat
jumped from the working line clear
across a field of snow to the broker
wire lying in a snow drift, Of course
disbelievers and scoffers assert tina
Berry's voice is so penetrating. sc
clear and distinct. that it is no tricl
for it to jump a mile or two. any time
but the scientific fact remains tina
Mr.. Berry did talk with a farmer three
or four miles from Beaman with only
the beautiful snow to carry the con-
I yersation from one wire to another
the wireless distance being anywhere
from a quarter to half a mile.
cold tines We're suggested in ar
Iowa town not long ago, while the
church bell tolled for the dead. Three
taps for q man. two for woman, anc
one for a child" Then a pause and
then the wears We're counted out, each
bv one sound of the church bell. II
was a long walt. 1t takes a long tim
to strike sixty-nine. And then ring
out the old, ring in the new. Hardl!
had the church bell old the villagers
! that it was a woman, sixty-nine years