The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-06-03
AT UNIVERSITY PARK
Location of Business Center of Town
Is Unsettled.

The selection OF location for the
business center of the town is the only
obstacle checking the immediate cree
ition of store, postofiice and town nal
lat University Park, And, pending ne
Quotations for LOT on which TO place
the building, Contractor B. F. Grubt
with the construction Of
lportions of the store building so thai
all shop work will be competed and
ready to put together when the exca
walton has been done. 1t will be a
hurry up job and in all probability the
two buildings will be under construc
Ition an perhaps completed before the
adjournment OF the national camp
meeting June IA. p
The Store and Postoffice.
A combination OF, circumstances has
eliminated in necessitating the imme
date erection of some kind of bust
ness building. Hitherto the CONNER
|eial interests of the town were con,
fined to the university buildings where
lin connection with the kitchen supply
house, a grocery store was conducted
Supplying hundreds of dollars worth
|of provisions to the nearby residents
of the place weekly. This arrange.
|ment was convenient, satisfactory and
profitable, as the dining hall at the
dormitory consumes enough groceries
to warrant the Wholesale purchase OF
stores and from the supply thus main
tanned it was an easy matter to ac-
commodate other purchasers, and SO
the retail business was started. No
attempt was made to corner the trade
put out in the town. In an endeavor to
get the business which has been going
to Oskaloosa merchants. A complete
line OF goods was not carried and no
delivery service was maintained, so
that such a course would not have
been practicable had it been deemed
advisable. Grocerymen from this city
nave from the start conducted house
toulouse canvasses of the residences
for the solicitation of patronage and
one Oskaloosa store in particular has
enjoyed the bulk of the grocery trade.
The recent incorporation of the COM
as separate town has placed
the situation in a different light, how
ever. A postoffice has been ordered
established by congress, and l.. A. Lit
sey has been appointed postmaster.
The future development of the town
is certain and the establishment of a
business center is imperative to meet
the demands Of the residents and to
provide for future conveniences for
the town. The territory is no longer
tributary to Oskaloosa and it will
soon be divorced entirely from this
city, commercially as well as legally,
IL the plans of its promoters are sue
cessful. A general store is to be es-
tablished at once by the Central Holt
ness university, conducted rerarately
from TIE kitchen store house, and ?
complete stock will be maintained and
reasonable prices emphasized. 1t is
understood that the store will be
placed IN charge of Postmaster Litsey
and in 1t will be located the govern
ment postotfice. 1t is also understood
that the building will be erected and
owned by George Ramsay of Oska-
loosa, who is now taking a couple OF
vacation in Wisconsin, and
he has given President Ayres author
ity to act for him in completing nego-
10 70 hn % l.
location and the erection of a building.
IN carrying out Mr.. Ramsay's sugges-
tions, 1t is understood that President
Ayres has purchased the Brookes lot,
beyond the first bend in the car line
on Ninth avenue extension. Some
question, however, has since arisen as
to the best location for the store. A
different location for the new town
nall has been selected and it has been
suggested that it would be advisable
to place the two buildings near each
other so as to form a nucleus for the
future business center OF the town.
The Town Hall.
The erection of town building, of
OUAfU
feet, was authorized by the town coun.
Gil OF University Park a couple of
weeks ago, the university promising
to donate lot on which to build it,
1t Is the plan to make it primarily
place for the council meetings and
headquarters for the municipal admin
istration, but room will also be fitted
up to accommodate fire fighting appa-
ratus and one cell for calaboose, the
latter provision being the last essential
on account OF the close proximity to
the county jail. A site had been
chosen for this building on the north
side OF the car line at the intersec-
tion of Nineteenth street, or just about
three hundred feet before reaching the
first turn in the street car track on
going into the town. Brick, sand and
other materials for the building of the
walls had been placed there
by the contractor and work would have
been started before this time had not
the desirability OF the location been
called in question. The lot selected
Is large one. having a 70-foot front
ON ha nar linn md IA0 Foot f.o..k - =.