Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-07
Looker-On In Iona

Ackley. Jan. much has been said
in years pas, concerning the harness
ing of Iowa river. We have been told
there was power enough going TO waste
every day to light all of the towns and
some Of the farms near this uncertain
stream. And we have had expert opln-
ions and some wise non-expert scisn-
lists who proved conciusively there
wasn't power enough to pay for the
harness. But while this discussion was
going on there has been some action.
Today the Iowa River Light and Power
Company controls the stock in three
subsidiary companies. and own coliec-
lively the mill and dam at Iowa FAILS,
the dam at Eagle City. the dam al
Steamboat Rock. and the dam ana
power house at Eldora. They also con-
troll the lighting plant at Iowa Fa'is
the original electric light plant at Ell
dora and the gas plant at Union. They
now own franchises a, Iowa Falls. Ell
dora, Union. Steamboat Rock. Hubbard
and New Providence; and do or will
soon furnish light and power at all Of
these places.
Furthermore many farmers are in
vesting $500 in the stock Of some OF
th:se companies. and getting light and
power. SO that the Iowa river evident
- has been "broken in" has got used
20 the "harnesS'' and is furnishing
Juice" to all of these towns and farms.
So much for facts. Now fer some sur
misses. Where the reports come from
no one seems to know. bit they will
have it, that behind all Of the above
mentioned conpaniss is a great big
concern that owns the plants at Boone
Nevada. Marshalltown, Te,na. Toledo
and Cedar Rapids. and still further in
hepz the Heokuls Dam Company. that
virtually owns the whole business
Many believe il bat can not bring for
ward a single bit Of evidence.
TIE story comes to the writer from
IN eye witness. There's moral 10 it.
1t seems that a man had some prop
erty and business in which he had an
equity Of say $500. He was such a
crank and made himself SO generally
d!sagreeahie that his business vas
losing venture. where others had made
money, SO that when a professional
trader offered him another business
200 miles away, said business carrying
a $4,000 mortgage, ne closed the deal.
But the trader had unloaded bad
trade, and inside Of year the crank
gave it up and left town without a
dollar. The trader bid in the mort
gage and now has two places OF
business running at loss both mort
gagged for all they will stand" Some
Of us watching things wonder whether
the bitter got bit and really hasn't TAX
en- two bites bigger than he can chew.
One half the world knows nothing
Of how the other half gets a living,
somebody has said. With the number
Of hardware stores handling steel
ranges to say nothing of the mail or
der houses making such sales lead
ing feature. it hardly seems possible
that twenty -four men and their fam
tiles would find q seasons work in
sling steel ranges to farmers in Ma
haska county. But the writer is told
that number of men worked ont Of New
Sharon the past summer, peddling steel
ranges, on exactly the same lines for
merly practiced by sewing machine
agents. Sold steel ranges as the buggy
men ie, travellers" formerly sold
buggies. These men with pair OF
horses and a wagon made for business
loaded up two or three ranges, started
out among the farmers and came back
with empty wagons. They traded foi
horses cattle and cows, they sold fol