Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-19

improved service connection was
made at Eldon by the alteration or
the then existing schedule and by this
means residents of Centerville and
reaching Ottumwa in the morning and
back to their homes by supper time
This was the most far reaching sue
cess that. attended the efforts for bet
ter service that had up to this time
been secured
The comfort of Ottumwans who
travel east over the Burlington lead
the committee on to still greater ac-
tivity in the addition Of Pullman
sleeper to train No. 2 at 1923 p m,
one-half the sleeper reserved entirety
for Ottumwa patrons.
The passenger service with the MIL
wa''ree has for years been sore Spot
in. eyes Of the merchants or TINS
city "a regards the southwest trains.
The passenger service committee mas
fabored early and late to secure IRON
the Milwaukee officials an improve
ment In the service in this territory,
going to Seymour where with the
Commercial association of that city the
matter was gone into with view to
secure their assistance in lettering
the service A special committee was
sent to Chicago to lay before the Mil
waukee officials the necessity Tor
better service on their line southwest
out of Ottumwa, and after mass OF
correspondence was exchanged be-
tween the road and the Commercial
association, Ottumwa merchants, pat
rons of the line of Blakesburg, Mystic,
Moravia and Seymour, a meeting was
finally had with the officials and
pledge secured from them that the
coming spring would witness new
service inaugurated, both north and
southwest which would more than full
fill the expectations of the association.
Press and Publicity.
One of the committees whose efforts
has been known to bear fruit Is that
Of the press and publicity, the chief
function of which was to bring the
name of Ottumwa and its advantages
before the readers Of the entire coun-
try. One Of the chief works Of this
committee was the securing of num-
lar monthly 1.-The World Today" with
out cost to the association, setting
forth in these ads the advantages en-
joyed by Ottumwa's manufacturers
and business men. Other advertising
was judiciously placed by this COM
mittee In the central and eastern news
papers which have brought great
many requests to the secretary for In
formation concerning Ottumwa during
the past year.
Public Buildings.
BY the use Of its influence to boost
the erection Of new structures in Of
tumwa, the association by the use OF
committees and through individual
boosters has lent its aid towards the
securing Of public buildings here. Most
notable among the structures going up
in Ottumwa at present Is the new fed
eral building which will cost about
OF yyae
handsome building during the summer
just past and this was largely through
the efforts of committee from this
association calling on the authorities
at Washington and bringing pressure
to bear In order to have an early start
made on the erection Of the building.
The new Jail for Wapello county Is the
next building Of moment that is OF
public nature and boost for the erec-
ton Of this structure was given heart
lily by this association.
Railroad Freight Rates.
The matter Of freight rates between
Ottumwa and eastern points In COM
parison with the rates charged to both
Mississippi and Missouri river points,
has long been in dispute by the ship
pers of Ottumwa and the railroads en-
tering the city or with whom the local
shippers had to deal. This finally cul-
minated in the freight rate committee
of this association taking the matter
before the inter state commerce COM
mission and securing a reduction Of
from per cent to Is, per cent on all
class rates, thus making a. saving OF
approximately $4,000 to $4,000 to the
shippers of this community.
This committee also sent delegates
to Chicago to attend the meeting called
by the Illinois Manufacturers associa-
ton to make protest against the
general advance Of freight rates as
promulgated by the western traffic
bureau about a year ago. The-action
with similar actions taken by the ship
pers' meetings at New York and Oma
ha caused the railroads to withdraw
their high schedules until the inter
state commerce commission could re-
view them and render it's decision on
their fairness. The money required to
prosecute this case before the inter
state commerce commission and other
necessary expense in connection there
with was secured by a subscription
among the shippers of Ottumwa, no
part of 1t bfing taken from the Com
mercial association funds.
Water Ways. ae
One of the achievements of this as
ISOLATION during 1910 was the part
played in organizing the Des Moines
River Improvement association, which
body took life in Ottumwa where the
original meeting was held and organ
ization effected. The far reaching eff
fects Of this meetine and resultant or
ganization placed this city in a posi-
ton of Importance in regard to river
traffic and the power possibilities that
may be developed. The fact Of her CEN
trail location, but more so because Of
the activity shown by the association,
has made Ottumwa the one place to be
reckoned with when navigation and
further utilization Of the water power
eventually comes. That 1t will come
and in the not far distant future we
have the reasonable assurance by the
statements made from time to time by
the government engineers, who. have
recently surveyed the river and have
secured the data necessary for the gov
eminent preparatory to making i'm
provement.
Census Committee.
While everyone would have been
pleased to have had the census de-
partment report $4,000 residents in
Ottumwa instead Of 22,012, still there
are none but are glad to see the excel
lent showing made by this city within
the. past decade. The gain Of 81
per cent is an average gain and
- Tho cubctoptial ordor and hoe