Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-28
EAsrERN MAN FORTY YEARS
AGO REFUSED TO Paw TAKES
ON IOWA LAND.
FARMS IN GAME LOCALITY
NOW SELLING At 3125 PER
New Farm Homes and Buildings Do.
ing Erected in Vicinity Of Alexander
Fifty New Structures Along Line
Of latimsr and Alexander Mail
Routss-WiIson's Observations.
oecia1 to Times-Republican

Special to Times-Republican.
Latimer, Feb. 2S.-1t Is told that one
day about forty years ago an eastern
man arrived In this locality. In his
pocket he had a deed to a tract Of
land situated a little way west OF the
spot where the town Of Latimer now
stands. After some observations he
succeeded in locating his Farm" Al
most all Of 1t was under water at the
time and as he surveyed the situation
the prospect did not brighten. He had
never seen the place before and was
The story goes that as
he stood on the spot that was not sub
merged a crawfish disappeared in a
hole at his feet and as he vanished the
disguised Spectator reached IN MS
pocket. pulled out the deed. rolled 1t
into a cylinder and stuck 1t into the
hole with the remark, "Mr. Crawfish.
you seem to be about the only kind OF
creature adapted to this country. and
here is tho deed to the place. I'll be
. If I'll ever pay another cent OF
taxes on such piece Of property as
this"
Some changes have occurred in the
locality since that time, however. The
last farm to be sold there having
changed hands at e125 per acre.
It Is perhaps true that more build
ing has been done on the farms In this
territory in the last twelve months
than in any other like area in north
central Iowa. From one spot north OF
no less than seven new
houses and barns may be seen to the
north and east Of town. It Is the same
in all directions and an estimate OF
nifty such buildings along the lines OF
the Latimer and Alexander mail routes
IL perhaps very near to the actual
They are all good ones. too
A big drsdge IL being built to put
ditch thru the low undrained part OK
the country and when this and the
thing that always follows such pro-
gress u completed the region VIII take
It's place as one OF the best farming
sections in the state.
One Of the finest Of tho new barns -
that Of A. q. Rathman. north OF Lat
inner. 1t Is q basement barn with
wall Of boulders collected from the
farm. One Of the features OF its equip
ment is the plan Of nllins the grain
bins. The loaded wagon IL driven Into
tho driveway, q huge box IL lowered
from short track" on the plan that
q hay fork 10 operated. tho team fur-
nishes the power to elevate ana chutes
provide for the taking OF che grain
In q crate on the streets Of Hampton
a few days ago was hog that attract
ed considerable attention while prep
arations were being made to take her
to the farm Of F. p. Menzie. the pur-
chaser Of the animal. It was an in
diyidual of the breed known IS Mule
foot and was bought Of breeder from
some point in Kansas. Instead Of two
toes on each foot there was only one.
The advantage Of this breed over the
moro common ones Is that the Mulefoot
Is claimed to be immune from the
dreaded cholera. But that evening in
town some men were talking
about the matter and one Of them adj
dressing the old stock buyer that OPP
crates in that locality said. tom, why
- It that q Mulefoot hog won't con-
tract cholera?" The old man without
looking up from his game OF solitaire In
the corner drawled out, Feet don't cut
no Ice" On the other hand an ex-
perienced farmer and stock raiser paid
4 good price for q herd foundation Of
the so-called immune variety and
charges OF ST on top OF
tho purchase price.
Mail Carrier sawtell. Of Latimer.
drives a horse that has certainly made
q record in number Of miles Travelled
while IN the service It Is . 'broncho"
Of course. and q gray one. Has been
driven over the route off ana on for
eight years and q reasonable accurate
estimate Of the distance covered 10
a. 900 miles and judging by present APP
pearances the end is not yet by sew
eral thousand miles more.
Supervisor John Larson is the first
man in this locality to drag the public
roads this year. Last Friday he went
round five and one-half mile stretch
with his drag and the next day that
was the best piece Of highway to travel
over In that part Of the country.
While tho crowd waited in the depot
for the train on the 'branch" which
was due at $50 p. m, but which did
not arrive until II, some Of the cheer
full (?) ones were relating she!r ex-
periences ana telling Of long walks be-
tween towns. An old man for many
years In business In An Iowa town but
Just now experimenting the erection Of
some buildings on Q farm he owns near
here told one that Quisted tho crowd 90
far ~ the narration Of feats Of pedes-
trianism was concerned He said. "A
good many years ego We were stalled
in tho snow O snort distance east OF
Mason City. Before morning We man.
a~AA a 80 >naaanoefa Aio,. nv alelRl In.