Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-21
Local Comment

0SO OSOOSSOSSV0
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Marshalltown has come back. Team
work did it and with team work Mar
shalltown can do anything. Ninety
thousand dollars given by her people
in one week for a new Y. NJ. c. A.
building and nearly $4,000 more
pledged for a new hospital the next
day is merely an expression Of what
Marshalltown can do when everybody
pulls together. It was certainly a
glorious week for the old town and
everybody is SO highly pleased with
the performance that he wants to stop
on the street corner and talk about 1t.
So much for the town collectively
but what was done by the town was
made up Of sacrifices by individuals.
Many of those subscriptions of $lOO
and even more came from people OF
salaried income who must extract the
money from their living expenses and
every dollar Of their gift represents
sacrifice on their part. Among the
larger gifts it was notable to ma SO
many men who are not church mem
bers giving huge sums to Y. NJ. Z. "A.
and working as tho it were their own
institution while on the other hand II
was equally as remarkable to lind that
in the aggregate people associated with
the congregational church alone con
tributed nearly $4,000 of the grand
total in spite Of the fact that they are
at this very moment straining under
load of $50, 900 for the building of their
own new church. They probably con-
tributed at least $1,000 more to the
hospital fund. And then there were
the manufacturers and jcbbers OF the
city contributing over $4,000 OF the
grand total toward the two funds;
such is the evidence of the value OF
factories to a town and such Is the
generous rebate a town can receive II
it will but do what 1t can to aid It's
manufacturers and jobbers to prosper
Z
Among individuals there were ex-
traordinary incidents. AS usual 1t was
the modest, unassuming and unosten-
tatious George Whitton who started
the local subscriptions at figure
which meant success. Before the
committees had left their headquarters
Mr.. Whittons message to the effect
that he would give $4,000 if few
others would do the same was re-
ported 1t was he who started the
former Y. NJ. c. A. fund with an Of
fer of $1,000 If few others would.
and today he adds $500 to the hospital
fund after he had been overlooked by
the committees because everybody
thought that he had done one
mans share already. Mr.. Whit
toms offer was promptly matched
by similar pledges from D. w. Norris.
Jr., r. w. McCreery. A. Higgin and G.
II. Ruth, with another for $3.50 from
r. w. Scott. In the case of McCreery.
a salaried manager and a young man.
this subscription was an act Of heroism
because it was done in order to make
the campaign succeed. The Higgin
subscription was no less notable as 1t
was pure public spirit unauthorized
in the university, well past any use
was not a church man. His big and
generous heart prompted him to DO
something for other mems boys and
when he moved it was $4,000 plus one
whole week Of unceasing toi! at the
of Scott his boys were not girls nor his
girls all boys for Scott. unfortunately.
is fast becoming an "old batch" but he
was there for a public building like
Y. NJ c. A. In the case of Norris and
Ruth there was public spirit too. but
there were also two boys in each fam
lily Of Y. NJ. C. A age and there was the
personal determination never to see
AZ
ever undertake to put over.
This constituted the flying squadron
which raised nearly half OF the 1und
and in large amounts. In response 10
their explanation Of the needs OF the
hour many other notable Things nap
pened. When w. G. Stricken planked
down $1,000 nobody knew OF any boys
of his who could use Y. NJ Z. A.
swimming pool. His gift was pure
altruisn, likewise that Of G. r. kirby
for $1,000, the Denmead boys, A. r.
Bratt. and T. l. WATSON for $4,000 each.
The thing which seemed to move all
men was best expressed by Mr. kirby.
He had not been convinced OF the
wisdom of moving the Y NJ. c. A. up
town 1t seemed to him to be bette!
located for serving railroad men Whefe
Il vas and vet in spite OF his doubc
as to the wisdom Of the change ne
put in $1,000 with the remark that III
II owe an obligation to the public for
opportunity which l have found in this
town I want to pay it," That is the
way Mr.. Bratt felt altho his money mad
been made in land outside OF town.
The Denmead boys felt the same way
altho all were yung men with no chill
dren of their own to give them self
interest in Y. NJ c. A. Likewise
with Mr.. WATSON whose family had
been reared to- maturity. The
Williams boys and c. A. Durham
had the children but the mag
nificent size of their subscriptions rep
resented public spirit. They had once
been mechanics limited to their days
| wage and prosperity had come to them
generously for which they wanted to
| be duly thankful. This was what was
| In David Lennox's mind when be
named his subscription Of $1,000. The
Mrs. Stewart subscription was born
of truly christian spirit OF giving IN
christian woman who, with her hus-
band when he was living. gave to the
church and to all Of its works as part
Of their religion. The same can %
L N.