Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-10
Looker-On In Iona

Iowa Falls, Jan. 10.-"Lest We for
get" Put it down in your diaries.
Paste it in your scrap books that in
the winter Of 1913 central Iowa was
without snow up to Jan. 4. Christ
mas was a May day and picnics, real
outdoor picnics. were the feature Of
the day at Marshalltown, on the Iowa
river At Eldora the boys played nine
innings of baseball, while tennis rack
cts were used all day. New Years
was almost as nice day and automo-
biies were running over dry dusty
roads. No snow had fallen. rubbers,
overshoes and heavy winter overcoats
were unknown wearing apparel. Ice
men We're getting nervous. altho the ice
was thick enough for skating, it was
too warm for comfort. Now add that
by JAN we had IL degrees below
zero. and California had the worst
freeze in her history How many
readers Of these well known facts will
be able to repeat this story a year
from now?
1t has taken Iowa fifty years to get
up sentiment in favor of good roads.
Equally slow in forming is state
wide sentiment giving power to our
railroad commissioners and compelling
them to exercise it. The Hartford,
Conn, Courant recently printed under
the headline Public Utilities Decision"
that decision in favor of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
Company has been announced by the
public utilities commission on the pc
tition of the company for permission
to remove the bridge guards or tell
tales from the overhead bridges be-
tween New Haven and Glenbrook. 1t
was shown that their removal was
necessary to prevent the grounding of
electricity thru accidental contact
when the electrfication Of the road is
completed. AS the railroad employees
are forbidden to ride on the top of
the cars in the electrified zone, the
commission ordered that these tell
tales be removed. Now there's moth
ing particularly interesting in the
above excepting this. The railroad
companies Of New England do nothing
even so simple a thing as removing
"telltales" without permission. Here
in Iowa our commissioners devote their
time and talent to big things and big
questions. Little things like the con-
tinued wireless depot at Abbott Cross
ing have no attention on their part.
Only Il few weeks ago the writer
counted seventy three passengers get
off the NJ. & ST. L. railroad train to
take the c., r. I. & P. railroad train.
and this crowd of people were out on a
prairie, without a chance Of getting
anything to eat and no way of finding
out when another passenger train
would arrive.
Stephen Whited of Eldora is enjoy
ing his saith year. Is justice of the
peace. comes to his office every day,
rain or shine, eats three meals day.
sleeps like school boy, hasn't had
doctor to attend to his case for over
forty years, never has used tobacco, tea
or coffee. or liquors in any form and
apparently is good for years enough to
see another republican president elect
ed. Even his democratic friends admit
that.
The ~ & ST. l. railroad has got
the habit and mighty good one too.
Of printing hand bills and leaving up
in the cars and depots to the effect "a
change of time will occur in this road
." Now If they and other rail-
roads will add to this feature one more
it will be greatly appreciated by the
travelling public When a change OF
time is 10 occur week ahead send
such notice to all weekly and daily
papers on the line Of their railroad.
Even If il has to beb paid for as an
I'D it vii, be good none" wei! spent.
So would the printing .. the regular
time table Of all trains carrying pas
sengers.
Not to criticise the action Of the
Marshall county authorities in the pur-
chase of the bloodhound puppies, it can
be said the use of bloodhounds in the
attempted detection of criminals is by
no means favored by a number OF
people in and out Of Marshall county.
People have read of these bloodhounds
following a scent TO the doors of in
rocent parties and say TO such stigma
should be attached TO any family. Some
crime committing tramp may sleep IN
any ones woo6shed or barn and it's not
very pleasant for a respectable family
TO have the mute evidence OF blood
hound locating some one on such prem
Uses as connected with CRIME. Again
suc., bloodhound evidence will not he
taken even as circum stantial evidence
BY any Iowa jury as has been shown IN
two or more trails recently. 1t can be
admitted as scarce crows they Will pay
for their keep but just the same it Will
suit the majority if that is the only
use they are put to by our sheriifs ano
other officials.
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