Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-13
LOCAL COMMENT
With $50 automobile, reported in the

With $50 automobiles reported in the
garages in one day, $50 actually tick
eted thru the gates at the fair and a
conservative estimate of 900 cars
parked along the curbs all over town
it appears that by close count there
were not less than LOO automobiles in
town in one day. AT an average load
of five persons to the car, including
children, half of one big days at
tendance at the fair arrived by auto.
a million dollars worth Of gasolene We
hicles were in evidence at the one
sat!lering. Here is a demonstration
of the change that has come over the
country IN ten years and should hold
UP to view to merchant and farmer
alike why we need main roads in this
country paved in the centers. Two of
the solicitors employed by the T.-R.
for ten years to drive among farmer
subscriber the year around. have CIV
en- It as their conservative opinion tina,
half of the farmers whom they call up
on now own automobiles. This con-
firms the accuracy OF the record of one
days attendance q. the fair, when one
half the full attendance either did or
could have come to the fair by auto. It
means that the population of this
country is already provided with its
own rolling stock for intcrurban SER
vice and all thar Is lacking now for UNI.
interrupted traffic is the track. Two
thirds OF the states in the union are
Tow building hard surfaced roads with
bend issues and ii must come IN Iowa.
One OF Marshall county's Co!umbi-
ara county sons of Ohio visited the old
home in the Buckeye state this sum-
mer and found the farmers there wild
with enthusiasm over their pike roads.
A pike road III Columbiana county Is
a .nacadanlized strip about ten feet
wide along one side Of the center of the
road grade with the other side Of the
usual dirt road. At bridge and cuiverts
the stone track draws m toward the
center and then diverses to one side
OF the center again SO that the team
traffic can take 10 the softer dirt road
in cry weather and have the stone
road for vet weather travel. Pike roads
are built III Ohio with county bond is
sues and the owners Of much poorer
soil than Iowa farms vie with one an
otaea 20 get the pixies TO come By their
farms. They admit that they once OPP
posed the bond issues but now the
struggle is to see who is going &c get
the reads.
Another county fair has come and
gone and it was big success. because
in many ways it was an Improvement
over all former fairs. So long as things
are made better the fair will prosper.
The merchants exhibit hall last year
was a new attraction of interest and
the new one this year proved Of even
greater interest than the one before.
And vet this newspaper urged the plan
for years before anyone would make a
move. This year, as always before. the
crowd had completely filled the amphi-
theater a full hour before the after
noon performance and three-fourths Of
the attendance was left unable to see
the events. In other words OF those
who pay to get into the fair only a
small percent can actually see the pro-
gram of events simply because there
are not seats enough and the ground
around the track fence has not been
graded up. 1t is time that the man
agement quit short changing the crowd
in this way. That is an ugly word to
use and i, must not be inferred that the
fair board intends to do anything OF
the kind for the board has been making
just az fast as its money
would permit. but the fact remains that
people should be provided with place
from which to see the amusements
when they pay their gate money and
when they are unable to see because
there are only seats for few, they
have been given only part Of the show.
Let's get to this increased seat room
and grade up around outside the track
fence so people standing can be ele-
waited on an inclined stadium from
which they can see over those in front.
II Is time that more stock in the coun-
~ fair association were sold thruout
the county TO make these improve
mems Receipts Of nearly $4,000 from
the anlphitheater also indicate that
there would he money in bigger build
ing as we'll as service.
The evening show at the fair is be-
one Of the big events and
should be encouraged. 1t fills the public
demand for street carnival with
something Of wholesome class. The
fireworks this year were magnificent,
the vaudeville good and the crowds
better pleased than ever before.
Permanent equipment for the evening
show should be included in plans for
future bettermen-
The city councils plan to provide for
Official garbage service is to pc com
,1erded ynara,2r the 6;SpOSa1 OF