Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-29
Local Comment

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Real estate agents In this city all
agree that there should be a great many
new houses built in MarshalltoWn this
summer. As one agent puts it "There
seems to be an awful lot of people
coming into town." Agents who see to
the renting of houses explain that for
the past few years the houses built to
rent have nearly all been of the ST, 900
class commanding $25 per month or
better and that while there is still a
demand for this class of houses the
big demand is for smaller houses that
wage working people can rent for $40,
$12 and Sis per month. 1t is estimated
that 200 OF such houses could be rented
before they could be built,
The situation is attributable directly
to the development of the factories.
Here is the old Lennox Machine Com
pany reorganized and planning an i'm
mense expansion. The Western Grocer
Company's mills will startle the local
ity with its expansions before long.
The Durham Company is already
building factory large enough to
double its employment. The furnace
company is squaring itself around to
take on a steel range business which
VIII double its employment in a very
few years. All the other factories are
growing and expanding. The trowel
works will be the next to be heard
from and some provision must be made
TO house the new families to be en-
ployed. The Malshalltown Club should
give this house situation its immediate
attention. What we need is an addi-
uon to Marshalltown with street car
service and syndicate to build fully
200 new houses this summer
The farmers short course will be on
within week and should be receiving
the attention of every farmer in this
county. A retail merchant will travel
hundreds of miles and pay hotel bills
to attend a two days session of a con-
vention of his trade and come home
satisfied that it paid him to go. He win
not find half the beneficial suggestions
mat are offered to farmers in the aver
age short course program and vet
farmers nave to be drummed out to
attend. Ii is good business to go to
.hese things and farmers should get
in line to be better business men
Business men in Marshalltown can
no" take their visitors to a cafe for
lunch where there will be pardonable
PRIDE IN their town. The new Stoddart
cafe IN the Elks' building is distinct
puollc Improvement. Citizens showing
their friends the town will stem in there
as one OF the sights to be exhibited and
1he management has started out with
d service which justifies the place.
The several patients at the detention
hospital are loud in their praise of the
accommodations offered by the citv.
How is it out there?" Fine" saws
one. Elegant grub and clean place
Another remarked that if it wasn't for
the sacrifice of his business it would
almost be worth getting sick to find
such good place to stay.
The attorney employed over a wear
ago to defend and sustain the gas ordi-
nance passed by the city council ana
enJolned by the gas company gives as
his excuse for letting the case sleep
all this time that his next move could
be an order from court to bring the
BOOKS OF the company into review but
that it might cost the city something
10 hire an expert accountant. In view
OF me TACT that it cost the gas con-
rs last year over $4,000 to leave
the old rate in force more than the
proposed rate in the ordinance it would
seem that there must be some other
reason for inaction in this litigation. 1t
recalls some incidents of the Cedar
Rapids litigation. After the council
had passed its rate ordinance and turn
ed it over to Jim Good city attorney. to
defend, Big Business got busy with the
councilmen. When the bankers and
friends of the gas owners had failed to
induce Good to lie down they got to the
members of the council who had passed
the ordinance and cold feet became
epidemic. They were coaxing Good to
let the matter drop when he threatened
that il they went back on him then
after his case had been begun he would
go to the people with the facts in the
campaign. OF course they did not want
him to do that and 30 cent gas was
decreed by the district court and SUI
preme court of Iowa for Cedar Rapids.
The appeals are still pending in high
er courts for the purpose of delay but
the difference in rates involved is be-
ing deposited in a savings bank to the
consumers credit at per cent interest
to be returned to them when their vic
tory is made final The difference is
very largely in the kind of city attor-
ney altho it is probably true that the
attorneys here could try their case sue
cessfully if they We're working for an
administration which would tell them
to win or get out of the way for some
lawyer who could. Burlington and Wa
terloo gas companies have voluntarily
granted 81 gas to their patrons and
Jones & Hovey once offered to accept
s1.05 gas in 1914 so it ought not to
be very difficult to enforce the city's
81 gas ordinance with the company's
books in court. 1t would mean saw
ing of $4,000 per annum to our citizens
and is well worth hiring an expert ac-
countant. Why do they not want to do
it?