Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-20
TILE A. o. T. MEETING.
[Iowa City Republican,

There was an interesting session last
evening in their hall, of Hand Out a
Lemon Lodge, No. 81, Ancient Order of
Tightwads. The subject was city i'm
provements. The chairman, who has
had considerable experience in fight
in the efforts of the city to- keep the
snow off the walks in front Of his
many adaptations, described as real
estate on the county records. spoke of
the good luck Of the members. He said
he had been property owner in Iowa
City for forty years and could not re-
member fall when it did not snow
till December. He said that there is
less and less snow each year, which
prevents the city officers from piling
up clearing off costs higher than the
original snow banks.
The subject of when to Paint
was entertainingly discussed by a mem
Der who had inherited two fortunes
from his wives and has man
aged to hang onto both of them, the
fortunes. not the wives. Il have
studied long and carefully the painting
business" he said, "and I have about
come to the conclusion that it is a
little cheaper to let the siding and
buildings go without paint. The Amana
society has kept records for fifty years,
and they have records back of that,
and they say that while paint pre-
serves the wood, it does not preserve
1t enough to make it profitable to paint
My own judgment, said the speaker, is
that siding without paint will last for
thirty years, and not over thirty five
years if kept painted. 1t is true that
lumber is advancing and paint is adj
vancing. i think the difference can
now be stated in terms representing
two decimals. This is not large saw
ing. but when a great number of
houses are represented it is important
The chairman said that he had a
building which he had owned for thir-
ty-seven years and it had never been
painted and he was sure he would not
have to put on a new siding for at
least three years.
"A new member who was taken in
recently on account of his heroic fight
against having sanitary sewers in his
part of town. arose and said: TT seems
to me that while it is we'll to figure
to the second and third decimals in
such matters, the interests of our ten
nants was not permitted
to finish. He was fined a dollar and
kind meant expulsion.
The break made by the new member
caused discussion as to the kinds of
tenants best to get and keep. First
they talked about the store tenants. Il
never rent to a man who advertises, -
said man who has a number of
stores in the business district They
are eternally wanting something.
have never violated the by laws of
this order by making any improve
ments for them, but 1t Is annoying to
have them asking. The only advan-
tage in having such men is their will
lingness to cut up the interior of a
building and making their own
changes. But I find that when they do
go out I am forced to tear out what
they have done before i can get an
other tenant. ] think the best tenant
is one who is willing to keep build
ing as he receives it, providing he has
goods enough to secure the rent"
Then following lamentations over
the amount of building being done in
the city, one speaker who has num-
Der Of residences which he has been
renting we'll, and which are in fair re-
pair, due to the fact that his present
wife's former husband was public
spirited man and has not been dead
very long, said tht he had been obliged
to reduce his rents to keep his tenants
He was fined so cents for this offense,
but when he explained that he had to
do so on threats of his wife to tage
things in her own hands, the fine was
rem fitted