Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-04
in this city as all Of our brick pave
ments are going fast into decrepitude

The principle that the public receives
q special benefit from street improve
ment is too patent for argument. a.
few years ago 1t was generally sup
posed that abutting property was re-
CURED by law to pay all of the cost OF
street paving and when a group of
property owners appealed from their
assessments for asphalt pavement most
people, the T.R included. believed that
they were merely trying to evade tax
but the successful conduct of their
cases disclosed different view as to
the law. They made it clear that abut-
! ting property should pay only the ac-
tual benefit 1t receives from the i'm
provement. From this standpoint the
average Judgment of all men would
hold that the public should pay for a
large part of resurfacing an old pave
ment because if property was en-
HANGED in value by the first pavement
it is very questionable whether it is
still further enhanced in value by an
other one. Likewise with corner lots
paved on two sides generally to the ex-
ent Of four times the frontage Of an
inside lot. it would scarcely be held b.
any person that corner lot has been
( street pavement. The city ought to
| pay part Of it but how much? That
is where a state law which apportions
street improvement, sewer and water
( extensions upon q percentage basis Of
! 25 to 40 per cent to tn. property bene-
/; flied and the rest OF the public would
assist in equalizing our burdens of
public Improvements.
However, the proceedings Of the dis
| trict court this week seem to have
settled one thing pretty clearly and
that is that gambling debt is uncol-
| lectible and that playing the board OF
| trade is gambling. Hereafter those who
| wish to play this game will probably
/ deal for cash.
| Marshalltown is promised depart
ment store. If it is big one worthy
| Of the size of the building it is to oc-
cupy and worthy of the opportunity it
has in this community 1t will be a
! benefit to the town commercially for it
will draw trade from long distances and
help all lines Of business here. Let.
hope that it proves to be a big one.
The idea of improving the river
| front while not new at this time IL
| worthy OF commentator for nothing
but taig has ever come Of 1t be-
FORE Eventually Marshalltown could
have a beautiful park and boulevard
system extending from the city park
along the river front past the water
| works and up to the soldiers home II
its public officials would so decide. The
possibilities are there at small expense
| q
Lost-An Injunction suit against Ger.
tain electric light and gas rate ordi-
nances. Loser believes that Messrs
Jones and Hovey have some knowledge
as to It's whereabouts but there Is 9
great reward in public gratitude await.
inC the official or attorney who viii
return this litigation to public view
with long hoped for results attached.
We are now being treated &c the an.
nual attack upon our country roads
which few road supervisors are bount
to make with their plows In the fall d
the year and In several places somt
passably good roads have besn almos
completely destroyed. The count.
should have an engineer o. surveyor
Why not ask good roads sssociat1oz
to cooperate with the bossd Of super
vasors in putting Up part Of the siaar,
, pssessary to employ = hish class rU1t
Ru43pg engineer Of sxpeFieHee M
Il technical treipipg tor this posit Ion ~
!. charge him with the duty Of in1pettin,
MI highway inprovemeu md 81 "
: rectiug the township work! i fal
road company Always employs sIof
man. and If a city park association ha
to have man Of that kind why woul,
it not be good business for q county I,
use one? A good salary would get one