Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-01
County Rest Room,
Is Big improvement

One of the real improvements made
/ by the county during the past few
years is the establishment of the Mar
shall county rest rooms maintained by
the county for the convenience and
comfort Of the women of the county,
and other women visitors to the city.
: Neat. commodious, in the exact cen
ter of the city. and within immediate
touch of all the stores and business ac-
tivities, it is one of the most used and
most appreciated public conveniences
Of the city.
/ The rest rooms are precisely what
the promoters intended them 10 be, Il
comfortable, pleasant place where
women who come 10 the city to trade,
or for any other purpose, may find
I comfort, toilet conveniences and rest.
The women may eat their lunches if
they choose check their bundles. and
have every comfort and attention pos
sible provided in public place OF such
character
There are five rooms in number, in
Guiding a reception room. 25X35, with
a check room and a toilet room aGjoin-
ing. all comfortably furnished. The sit
ting room contains an abundant num-
Der of easy chairs, and large library
ia Bile in the center OF the room pro-
vldes the latest magazines and reading
! matter suitable 10 the needs OF both
young and old. There is a writing table
with stationery for the use OF the pa
irons fine rugs on the floor. couches.
shielded by screens, where tired and
indisposed women may find greater
comfort in partial seclusion.
A large clock gives the accurate
time. Adjoining the sitting room is
another large room. mainly given over
TO tables upon which lunches may be
: eaten and bundles may be placed.
i Comfortable in Summer
The windows of the rest room open
to the south and east. and the rooms
are sunny and cheerful. both summer
and winter The southern and eastern
fronts offer the advantage of our usual
} south winds during the summer
. months. The bulk o: the court house
: between the rest room and the after
: noon sun in the heated weather. also
provides comfort for the patrons.
II is Impossible TO estimate the COM
, fort and utility of this excellent public
! convenience 1t is not reserved to res
! idents of Marshall county but any
women visitors in the city as we'll as
their children.
Mrs. Emma weatherly has charge OF
the rooms as matron, and does all IN
her power to make the visitors vel
come and comfortable.
History of Movement.
About six years ago the City Fedora
g. uert for the establishing of rooms
: for the convenience Of the women OF
= the county The federation concluded
r tina. the proper place for such rooms
2 would be IN the court house, which
g was built for the county and for the
Il use of it's neople. The thought seeme'
V such a good one that. before it had be-
9 come fairly fixed in the mind, peti-
v ton was drawn up. copies Of which
g were sent to the various women's CLUB!
and prominent citizens of the county
Y requesting that rooms in the basement
g of the court house he furnisheded anc
r maintained and placed at the disposa
q Of the women Of the county.
3, To the credit Of the citizens, who
Y were not slow in graspinG the situa'
o ton. the petitions were filed to over
q flowing with Irresponsible signatures
IS The president of the city federation
o Mrs. a. Janney, and vice president, Mrs
II T j. Fletcher, went to the board o.
supervisors so well equipped that ther'
IL was nothing left for them to Go bu
II grant their request. The rooms deslre'
were not available, being occupied TN
der a lease that did not expire for three
II years. After these three years the boar'
% of supervisors requested the officers o
- the federation. namely. Mrs. II.
Howe, Mrs A Janney, Mrs. L. c. Ab
H. bot MrS May +. Montgomery. and
the late Mrs D. r. Denmead. to selec
- the furnishings for the rooms.
70 on Sept /. 1863. the rooms wer
* opened to the public with Miss Elizabet
+ Tomlinson, as mtaron. After servin
&C two months Miss Tomlinson was sue
J. ceeded by Mrs. Lillian Norton. VIII
m served one year, being in turn succeed
N ed by Mrs. Weathefly, the presen
s, n-atrnn.