The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-05-05
Missouri Matters.
The Growth Of Springfield. Elections and
Office-Seeking. The Agricultural Outlook.

Ofhce-Seeking The Agricultural Outlook.
Correspondence of The Journal
SPRINGFIELD, Mo-, April 80, 1910. The
weather for the past winter and the
spring to the present time has been de-
ightful. The fall months are uniformly
pleasant in this latitude. The winter
weather is often far from pleasant,
changing frequently from cool to warm,
with quite a percentage of cloudy and
rainy days. The spring weather is apt
to be tedious; warmer and cooler. The
past seasons, however, have been an ex-
ception. The winter months set in dry
and cool and so continued for an unusual
ly long period. Late in February the
weather began to-get warmer, and up to
the present writing we have had no seri-
GUS or sudden changes. All kinds of
fruit trees have been full of blossoms,
which fortunately have not been subject
to either freezing weather, or cold rains,
so that at the present time the prospects
for large fruit crop are excellent. Two
or three weeks ago, the blossoms on the
trees presented beautiful picture. One
of the most beautiful of the blossoms is
the peach, and one of the most fragrant
the crab apple. Very soon the roses will
be in blossom, and soon cfter we will be
eating strawberries from our own fields.
Springfield is growing quite rapidly.
During the last twenty years it has about
doubled its population, and the prospects
for further increase are brighter than
they have been during past years. The
new Frisco shop, the new State Normal
school, and the location of the new State
Pythian Home have impaired marked
impetus to the growth of the city. Sew
eral elections have recently been held i'll
the city. The vote for school bonds was
adverse; then came vote on the extern
sion of the city limits, which received
decided vote in the negative; then the
citizens were called upon to vote yea or
nay on proposition to pipe natural gas
into the city and furnish it to consumers
at the rate of IS cents per 1000 feet, and
the vote was almost unanimous in the
affirmative. Then another proposition
was made to extend the city limits on a
new basis. This vote was in the affirma-
tive by small majority.
The city election was held last Tuesday,
with results of very complex character
There has grown up in the city good
deal of dissatisfaction with the actions of
the city council. AS result a Civic
League was organized, and the two old
parties We're asked to name an earlier
date than the last possible moment for
the nomination of officers. The Demo-
Gratis acceded to the request and agreed
TO primary as the mode of nomination.
The Republicans refused to accede to any
request and forced through the nomina-
lions of such persons as they chose, quite
largely without much consultation with
the rank and file. The Civic League
nominated only three persons-one for
mayor and two for the school board.
The result of the election was Demo-
cratic mayor, city marshal, city attorney
and majority of the city council. The
Republicans elected the city collector,
treasurer, police judge, and as whole
the officers elected represent the good
elements of society The nominees for
mayor were all good men; and with some
exceptions the voters appear to have ex-
ercised their privileges wisely. The
scramble for the Offices has begun in
earnest. There are fifteen policemen to
be appointed, and already over 100 have
made application for positions on the
force. One OF the most lucrative Offices
in the gift of the mayor and council is
that of license inspector, and the appli-
cations for this Office are greatly in eX-
cess Of the need The city clerk has held
his Office, with the exception Of one term,
for long time, and being of the same
political faith as the newly elected mayor
it is likely that he will be re-appointed.
Street improvements are coming rapid
ly to the front. Already several of the
most prominent streets have been paved
with brick laid on concrete base Other
streets have been improved with what is
designated Hassam pavement; sort of
concrete pavement, which costs less than
brick, but it is too recent an experiment
to determine its value. The cost of
all these improvements, including side
walks, and curbing, is assessed against
the abutting property. The cost of the
street on Benton avenue on &c foot lot
was approximately $500.
Springfield is also to have quite an ex-
tension of it's street car facilities and ex-
tensive improvements in its water SER
vice. A new court house for the county
is in process of erection at central
point between the north and south sides
of the city, scarcely a block from the
Federal building and the City Hall. A
new ten-story Office building is also to be
erected near the square. A new Opera
House was recently erected; and two
new churches are in process of erection.
Three new banks have been established
within a few months, and all appear to