Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-11-07
TOWN AND TOWNSHIP
in A MERRY MIX.UP
Controversy Over an Old Sidewalk
Creating Strife and Con-
teution in Jewell.

The following, from the Jewell
Record, shows what a fuss can be
kicked up over trivial matter:
Webster City, Iowa, Oct. "a, 1911.
Mr.. M. J. Severson, Town Clerk,
Jewell, Iowa,
Dear Sir:-Enclosed I hand you
bill of the township trustees of
Lyon township, Hamilton county.
vs.. incorporated Town of Jewell,
Iowa, for $500.
This bill is self-explanatory, be-
Ing for old lumber taken from side
walk along Jewell cemetery, which
lumber, / understand, one of the
councilmen sold, and the money for
which the town received. under
stand this lumber belonged to the
township, and If that is the case.
the town will have to pay for same.
Please present this bill to the coun-
ell at the next regular meeting, and
then notify me what action said
council takes in the matter, and OBJ
lige, Yours respectfully.
l. j. sayrs.
Jewell, Iowa.. Oct. 23rd. 1911.
Incorporated Town of Jewell, Iowa,
Township trustees Of Loyn TWP,
Hamilton county, Iowa, debtor to
old lumber taken from sidewalk
along Jewell cemetery, $500.
The above account may be settled
by returning all of said lumber to
Jewell, Iowa, within ten days from
this date. said lumber to be in rs
good condition as when taken.
Signed by said trustees, F. H.
Buckholtz, John o. Larson, w
Grove.
The above constitutes the docu-
mentary features, to date, in a lit
tie warfare that has been instituted
between the town council of Jewell
andlt the trustees of Lyon township.
fne history Of the affair reads about
thusly.
Some weeks ago DR.. R. w. De la.
in his capacity as member Of the
streets and alleys committee Of the
town council, sold to Lewis Redling
for three dollars, a pile Of old side.
walk lumber that had been torn uD
In front of Evergreen cemetery.
There were about five loads Of lum-
Der in the pile which had lain there
rotting for nearly two years, appar-
entity not wanted by anybody. THE
ownership of the cemetery lodges in
Lyon township and accordingly the
trustees of the township, whose
names appear attached to the state
ment quoted above, became imbued
with the idea that the lumber from
the old wooden sidewalk in front of
township property must also be the
property of the township. Accord
ingly, Willard Grove, chairman OIL
the board of trustees, recently adj
vertised the pile of old lumber for
sale at public auction, and on Satur-
day, October 21st, the pile was sold
at auction to F. Harmon for the
sum OF s16.5o. At the time of the
sale only trifle over half of the
lumber was on the ground, Mr.. Red
ling having already hauled to his
farm southwest of town two loads
OF that he had bought from the
town. The sale, however, included
all of the lumber, that which had
been hauled away as we'll as That
which was on the ground. Mr.. Red
ling himself was one of the bidders
in the township sale, running the
bid to $16.25 in an effort to buy
again the lumber that he had all
ready once bought from the town
for three dollars and had paid for.
Mr. Harmon, however, was game,
and secured title to the old lum-
her from the township. The trus-
tees now want to deliver the goods
which they have sold, and are de-
that the town return the
lumber or pay for it. The bill and
letter from the trustees attorney
quoted above will be presented toI
the town council at the next meet |
ing. The next chapter in this IN
story will be written at
that time.
Tribute to the Memory Of J. D.