Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-26
L00ker-On In Iona

LOOKE|.OH III iowa
Allison April 26.-The Chicago Great
Western continues to run its motor car
between Clarion and Mason City, to
the great convenience Of the travelling
public. 1t has the motive power in
front-gasolene engine-then the bag
gage ROOM after that the smoking
apartment, then the opening for side
doors, toilet room and at the back end
of the car seats for others not occu-
plying the smoker. This car is oper-
ated by three men, engineer baggage
man. also brakeman and the con-
ductor 1t averages the same time as
regular passenger trains. and when
snow drifts come regular engine is
hitched on, making the double-header.
1t can make UP time" as was shown
last week when freight train laid
US OUT five minutes, which was easily
made up before the next station was
reached. Experts say this car pays
when on thru thrip, four passengers
are in the car. All thls ,s mentioned in
detail, it's nothing new. no longer an
experiment, In hopes the NJ. & st. L.
railroad will try at least,one car on the
Story City branch. The writer thinks
he is safe in claiming Il the company
wants a guarantee from the business
men Of Marshalltown ana the people on
this branch, to pay the possible de-
felt of a thirty days trial, 1t will be
forthcoming. If the NJ. & st. L. does
not own a motor car. 1t can easily hire
one on a thirty days trial, and buy
one or more II satisfactory and pay
ing investment. And the writer is in
a position to know, that If such mo-
tor car was run at a loss, 1t would
still pay the company to operate it,
The moral effect" OF this motor car
business is a big thing. on the bust
ness of the road. Stock men and farm
ers and travelling men all ship every
pound they can over the Chicago.
Great Western at competing points. In
one case mentioned to the writer a
man and wife purposely took the trip
to ST. Paul over the Great Western.
rather than another railroad, because
1.-The Great Western was trying to ac-
commodate the public and the other
road didn't care darn whether it took
US a week to go to the county seat
and back This Great Western sys-
TEN has somewhere in an office man
that is catering to the travelling pub
lie, as other businesses do and have
to. It's an exception to hear an un-
polite answer to even a fool question
from Great Western employee in the
depots or on the trains. They're hunt
ing for business and one way they get
it is TO run motor cars.
We are glad that the view Of the
public utilities commission regarding
the erection of a trolley waiting sta
ton at the head of State street coin
cides with the view Of THE Courant."
AS we have said before, we are of
opinion that the project was i'll con-
sidered, and that it would be a mis-
fortune to the city to have station
erected in this congested street.
Once more here is clipping from
the Hartford, Conn, Courant. From
the state where they have a public
utilities commission-that does things.
Not to discuss the merits or dement's
of the above referred to waiting sta
tons, what the writer wants to bring
out, is. that in Connecticut there is
power located in and used by a COM
mission, that acts and decide things.
A stock shipper in an Iowa town told
the writer that one day the railroad Of
ficials Of the only railroad in his town
stopped their car to look over things.
On the car was one Of our present rail-
road commissioners. The stock man
called the attention Of all present to
the need Of a cement walk or road in
one place in the stockyards so they
could drive stovk over it during mud
time. The railroad commissioner asked
the officials Can you give these people
this cement road?" Yes was the re-
ply. THAT was three years ago." said
the stock man, and not a thing has
been done. For at least five years the
railroad commissioners Of the state of
Iowa have knew of the Inconvenience
suffered by the travelling public at Alb
bolt Crossing. They know Of the sit
uation Have they done anything I'M
less 1t was to put in an express office
altho the travelling public has time and
time again called their attention to
the state Of affairs? We are soon to
have a state election. It's common
remark everywhere, "the railroad COM
missioners stand in with the railroads"
They even forget the big work done by
some Of the commissioners in the way
of rates on Interstate and local tar
IFS. The result is sure to be the in
corporation Of our railroad commission
into a public utilities commission,
where will be located power and used
to correct such permanent nuisances
as exist as Abbott Crossing. We're
! going to have some day commission
that will attend to the little things the
people need and demand.
a. na1-A