Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-02
Looker-On In Iona

Milford. Jan. 2.-Here'O time, q
small town Of 700 Inhabitants that ac-
tually 10 having n BOOM" this at q
time when % many small towns In
Iowa are going back" Its another
case of God made the country but
man makes the town." Prominent
among the improvements during the
past year was the erection Of the First
National Bank building at cost Of
over $4,000. It's two story pressed
brick and the inside finish il OF white
tile with large windows. making it
with the solid oak counters banking
room equal to anything In towns OF as
many thousand inhabitants as Milford
has hundreds.
Across the street ]. F. May is now
erecting a two story double front store
building 50x100, plate glass front. An
other improvement is $4,000 meat
market. and a rebuilt new hotel build
ing costing the same. For the past
few years as mall hospital building has
been much used and appreciated.
And last, by no means least and
something every citizen of Milford is
proud Of. is the just finished $4,000
school building. This in all Iowa town
Of 700 people. 1t has gymnasium rooms
complete, shower baths etc: also
rooms for manuel training. and what
few school houses have. a $500 vacuum
cleaner. All this is possible because
of a consolidated school district, some
sixty scholars coming to town every
morning in two-horse omnisbus outfits
especially built to carry the children in
cold as well as nice weather. The
70 oil nj l.
mosusly helped on this project as they
fully realize their children will have
the benefits of a high school course
here in town impossible under the old
way Of the country school house at
thee ross-roads corner.
The writer enjoys mentioning in this
column cases Of practical philanthropy
like the following: Mr. c. E. Leach. OF
Spencer. has donated the town a strip
of land on the banks of the Sioux
river. just across the bridge at the
south end of Main street, in space
covering fifteen to twenty acres It's
an ideal spot for which it is intended
a public park. The city of Spencer
will commence laying out the grounds
drives. fountains. shrubbery. etc. the
coming season. and in a short time 1t
will be show place for strangers and
g perpetual enjoyment to town dwell
ers. There are several men in Iowa
able to do this kind Of work. and
several towns in Iowa that can dupli-
cate this business. If one such man
could only be made to understand how
much such gifts are appreciated. he
will not wait till he Is dead and his
town needing 1t now. before he lets
go Of the thousands he has made right
here in the best state in the union.
The word mother was written a!
over her face. 1t needed not the six
children all under a dozen years OF
age that were in the depot with her
waiting for the train. to proclaim the
| fact Evidently she had been home to
visit grandpat during Christmas fcl
he came down to the depot too. "to
carry the baby" These children were
/ ali clean, we'll dressed. veil behaved
/ children The mother might nave been
dressed better. evidently it cost some
| thing to buy shoes and clothing fol
six little ones. But it was the baby
business that we all noticed. 1t was
self evident that she had a cradle a,
home that worked sideways for she
! sat in that hard seat in the depot
making a side cradle Of herself for q
! half hour without stopping once. That
} baby would not go to sleep. OF course
| 1t did not help things very mu h fol
! the other young ones to rush up every
! five minutes TO try TO hug and kiss
the baby. But the rocking wen. OF
1
ton. that woman has discovered 1t
And that train was fifteen minutes
late which included fifteen minute:
more Of the cradle motion. Luckily thai
train was only fifteen minutes late OF
this scribe would have had nervoN
prostration.
40 M~7~~>