Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-07
Looker-On In Iona

Spencer. Jan. THE man who en-
joys "a good old fashioned winter"
ought to be supremely happy these
days Not so the travelling public. The
late train" epidemic continues, up-
parently to become a continuous per-
Torrance one of our big trunk lines
one day this week eclipSeS all previous
records by having passenger train
twelve hours late. Branch trains are
blamed for much of this trouble. for
the reason, the old Worn out small en-
gines are sent the the branch to be
run just as long as they will make
steam and hold together. Not so long
ago one of these engines actually had
to be stopped twice between stations
for the engineer to make repairs to
some valve. in order to be able to get
water into the boiler. Meanwhile some
twenty passengers on cold winter
night waited in depot that had plenty
OF fresh air-the kind the thermometer
brands 10 degrees below-while these
repairs were being made. On at least
two of our first class railroads, the
engines the best and newest are in
bad shape owing TO the hard and con-
unuous work they have to do to move
the enormous freight traffic. Some
towns that are short of coal would
understand why it does not arrive if
the consgnees know how many times
the freight conductors have to re
duce.' on way freight train the other
day. the crew "set ont" five cars of
coal AT one station and three more at
the next station. because the engine
y1.,- r1,1'l a.
old PLAYED out dray horse. il was will
ing to do all it could, but those eight
cars OF coal broke the camel's back"
Add to this. the recent big fall of snow,
covering side tracks and switches, this
with the economical disposition Of some
railroads to have one or two section
men do all of the work on each division,
an! the wonder is the public at home,
and the travelling public that wish they
wera al home, are as we'll served, as
they are.
A travelling man told a story the
other day, giving some facts and flg-
ures that were worth hearing Incl
dentaliy it showed what woman can
! do II seems that in an Iowa town that
has hardly been holding its own. on
account of wet seasons and dry sea-
sons. on account of hail storms and
early frosts. on account of rural free
delivery and the mail orde, houses and
! a few little other things two men We're
strong competitors in the same line of
/ business. One of these were found at
/ the end of years hard work that he
actually had lost money, was worth
less than a year before and no pros
| pect of betterment. So he told his wife
just how things were Told her il
| things businesswise continued he would
have 70 quit business and go to work
for somebody else. Told her that il
was a question whether he or his COM
petitor could hold out the longest. and
1 that the survivor would then be a bic Il
make a little money. Would she help
cut down living expens-s Hare1 tc
j be mean. never N ten years of married
! life had asked her to do such thing
But here We're the books. she coul6
/ see for herself. He had worked hare
every day. rad not fooled away any
! money on slot machines, cigars or bill.
lizards, she knew that. 1t was up &c
her 10 do something; he wouldn't kici
If the food bill was less, any kind OF
economy she practiced would help. And
she commenced then and there with
out saying word. He had plenty tc
eat but no outside filings. The up
stairs Of that house after Jan. ] was
so cold every microbe was killed. Nc
furnace heat in three bed rooms. The
meat bill was one-quarter less than the
month before. The grocery bill two
thirds less and as for clothes, wei
they didn't have any new clothes, Their
one of the regular force of schoo
teachers was taken sick. got married
or resigned and she applied for ant
got the vacant position. meanwhile
getting up early to do the housework
letting him have a cold lunch at noon
and getting a hot supper for both at
ter school was out" and also savin