Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1914-03-06
CREsco COUNTY, IOWA FRIDAY, MARCH g. 1914
More Information Asked.

..r WO[t lnlOI llldJlUu ASktu.
will now try to make Mr.. Allen 8
statements in your last issue look as
they appear to me in reality. His first
charge is malice and igno, lice l will
leave that to the people of Cresco to
judge. Next, in regard to ownership
of the Halman quarry, l got my
information from the recorded names
in Book B, Miscellaneous, Pages 375
and BIG, of the County Records, and
as no record of any transfer from the
Stone Company since organized
appears therein. l am not willing to
take Mr.. Aliens word in preference
to that record. Now, he gives what
be terms FACTS. In 1909 when a
contract for paving Elm Street (about
5 blocks) was let for a brick paving
(remember) an effort was made to
induce Mr.. Hallman and others to, buy
a new outfit and crush few hundred
yards of stone for that job, but know
ing the city's experience they declined
to invest. Now, is that a fact !? I
say, no; it was on account of Mr.. Hall
mans age and not having the capital
to let stand idle until he could sell
more crushed rock than the amount
sold for brick paving would require.
He. like the Stone Company, was
after the profit on the investment.
Now, you can easily see why the
Paving Company declined also, but as
soon as the members of the Council
got together they seemed to be in q
position to say what future paving
should be made of, and that is why
they had sure investment. He says
HalIman in 1911 still declined to invest.
He don't tell US that it was five men,
bers of the City Council, including
himself and two business men who did
invest more than $500 in quarry and
$4,000 in movable machinery that could
be sold when they have no farther use
for it after paving up the town. He
also says there was 100000 paid to
to the c. M. & St. P. Ry. Co. and to
an out of-town industry. Why don't
he tell the truth and say that the
greater part of that cost was on brick
that we did not have here? He talks
about the big wages he is going to pay
for labor. l never saw a man work ir
stone quarry but what earned all he
got. And again, about the bidding or
contract-he has cinch on that, fol
( tho freight alone from outside places
cuts out all competition, and he coulc
we'll afford good wages and then make
big profits, if he can force US to make
the improvements with our owr
material He says these men have
invested their money in the stone bust.
ness as they have in the Hospital and
Factories. You don't think that state.
ment would 60 down in any commun.
ity, do you? OF course. know you
don't consider US intelligent here in
Cresco, from your remarks on oul
business management. We don't
want to produce any disturbance, but
we are going to make this invisible
Stone Company ''come across with
our property SO that it can be used fol
the purpose it was bought for, name.
ly, the making of these improvements
and with local labor and at actual cost
to the taxpayer.
Now, Mr.. Allen, two more ques.
tions - a -.a-..
1st. Why was the city hall locked
and no meeting held the night the
people were notified to come in and
make their protest against your taking
over the city quarry?
End. Why did the city engineer &C.
cept lot of the first crushed stone
you run out without being screened as
specified in the contract, until after
there was a great protest made by
property owners 81
We are very ignorant, and we want
enlightenment on these two points.
D. BARNES. O..