Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-23
STRENGTHENING OF OLD RAIL.
WAY LINE HAS ITS SORROWS
AND CONGREGATIONS.
MANY FARMERS RECEIVE LARGE
SUMS FOR SMALL TRACTS
Other. Havs Ttsir Folds and Even
Front Yards and Farm Buildings
lntsrfsrsd With - Mi'~aukes's
Changes in Vicinity Of Rhodes Will
sons Rural Observations.
Special to Times Republican.

= ls 70
lust now being made in the work OF
out the crooked places In
a railroad running thru the south part
of this county. Every one knows OF
course in a general sort of way what
that means. A visit or two OF the
right of-way man, perhaps a lawsuit
OF Two IN the neignDoriloou, Inc COM
ing in of a small army Of jaboring men
who establish their camps. and after
awhile a lot Of new grades, cuts and
bridges, q station building standing
half q mile from the line in a field.
town on the opposite side Of the road
from what it had been before and an
old road bed ready for pasture ground
To the land owners along the line
where the change occurs there Is an
additional significance. One man loses
a little more than three acres of his
farm, strip adjacent to the old line
with no improvements on it except
two apple trees, and willingly accepts
the $1,7O0 or so that is offered him,
saying that he would like to sell the
whole farm at such figures. OF an
other man 1t Is told that he bought
tract of fifty-one acres four years ago
and parted with a fifteen acre frag-
ment few days ago, receiving as COM
pensation a sum larger than the cost
of the entire original purchase. He
would likn to repeat the performance
every four years as long as he lives.
Another man coded long. narrow
strip taken in such a manner that the
only Objectionable feature OF the deal
was the lessening of the size OF ms
farm, and was paid at the rate or s2oo
per acre, that being great deal nlsner
price than the farm would sell for on
the market
Then there are others who regard the
big Improvement scheme as a personal
calamity. One man must move ms
barn to prevent q corner of the build
ing being cut off to make room for
the right of way fence. This is the
busiest of times on the farm and ne
doesn't relish the idea Of moving out
buildings and recognizing his farm
ward fences 50 late in the spring-time
Another farm is left under the new
Arrangement with long, narrow strip
way out In the center shaped very
much like fish hook. The owner
will never raise another ear OF corn
on that part Of the farm-such GOOD
corn land, too.
The man hardest hit In this locality.
however, liz C. o. johnson. whose farm
adiotns the town of Rhodes. 1t is an
old farm and the original buildings
were erected before there was a rail-
road within good many miles OF the
place. When one was built it swept
past the buildings, leaving them on the
inside OF a bold curve with the barn
about five rods from the line and the
house considerably farther. The pres
cnt owner bought the place several
wears ago and like most Of the farm
ers in this part Of the country has
prospered. Last fall the railroad COM
pany laid new steel on this part Of
their line and repaired the overhead
bridge nearby at considerable expense.
There had been occasional rumors OF
an eventual change OF road bed but
these recent activities seemed to mean
that nothing of the kind was contem-
plated. at least in the near future, and
the farmer built an elegant new resi-
dence where the old one had stood. He
has a home of which any man might be
proud. A beautiful, modern dwelling
with spacious lawn, good view OF
the town to the north and east, fertile
fields to the south and the green woods
to the west. Anybody would like to
live in such place. This railroad
curve, however, is one Of the objec-
tionable eatures Of the road and If any
part needs Strengthening this does. At
ter this summer the trains will run on
the north side Of the Johnson house In
stead of the south and much closer,
too. Cuts and fills will mar the view
in the direction Of the town. A deep
cut will have to be made to the west
near the house and another overhead
bridge to the northwest. A splendid
piece Of farm land will be divided off
into i'll shaped fields by the change.
The adjuster has offered seemingly
large sum for the privilege of making
these changes. In fact 1t ought to be
said that he has the respect and good
will Of practically every man along
the line, There 10 apparently no feel
ing against the railroad company In
this locality but that doesn't alter the
fact that while q great: and needed i'm
provement is about to be made in g.
line the plans and hopes of
good many farmers are being sadly in
terfered with as the work goes on.
One thing may be positively stated
at this early date In regard to crop
acreage for next .year-there will not
be so much winter wheat sowed next
fall as was last year Many who have
ventured out a little in that line say
they have had enough already. Some
are blowing up the fields which are
with deal spots, others are
leaving their high priced fields to pro-
duce half crop or less and still others
are hesitating, uncertain as to what
ought to be done. One farmer, who