Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-31
LOCAL COMMENT ;

The possibility OF Z. ~. nuhliis
ton being elected to the presidency
of the M. & ST. l.. railway will be good
news to Marshalltown, for Mr.. Hunt
ington was one of the most highly re-
spected and popular citizens of Mar
shalltown who was ever connected with
the old Iowa Central. He is con-
structive force in the management OF
any railroad and his administration
can be looked upon as one for the up
building of the property which is serv-
ing this city incidentally his familiar
ity with the shop work at this point
will be no detriment to the industrial
interests of his old home town.
School consolidation won at Mel
bourne amid the ringing Of bells and
the jollification of the town and 1t Is
fitting that enthusiasm should run SO
high for school consolidation is worth
all it costs to any village and especial
~ to the oncoming generations of the
immediate vicinity, but the consolida-
ton of rural schools amid such enthus-
iasm as the ringing of bells is a start
ling contrast to the pubic sentiment OF
some fifteen years ago when the mere
~
school in the Times Republican was
sure to bring forth published protest
by some prominent farmer that rang
with spirit louder than the bells OF
Melbourne rang this week. 1t simply
illustrates that the student Of human
affairs in the watch tower of "a news
paper office from whence ne can sec
back to the things accomplished by
|,o t,rr no n
see forward to their adoption by his
own people. is in far better position
to judge what is going to be popular
than those absorbed in business occu-
pations which afford mach less oppor-
tunity for such obse ton. 1t even
suggests that far sisAied and expert
enced publisher may at this time know
better than the average farmer what is
to be popular with his people as to the
building Of good roads.
The offer of the NJ. & St L. railway
TO contribute $1,000 toward the inn
provement Of the highway crossing on
the Lincoln Highway near the Rocktch
cemetery is creditable expression CT
good will on the part CT the railroad
company. This has long heen dan
gerous crossing. The crooked and steep
hill by the cemetery Will Eow be re-
duced almost to level grad and like
wise the dip in the road Immediately
east of the railroad track Will be
brought up to established grade. "A
new and permanent concrete cuvert
will replace the narrow and dangerous
wooden one right at the railroad cross
ing and when the Improvement Is COM
pleted the constant stream of auto
traffic passing over this ttansconti-
mental route will. be able to move
swiftly across this .dangernus sraas
without danger from the narrow
grades. 1t is part of the ultimate i'm
provement of our main Travelled roads
which is to protect the lives of cur peo
pie and which is made possible by the
new road law under which such
tremendous impetus has been given to
highway Improvement in this state.
The people of State Center are en-
titled to the sympathy Of the county
public in general for their inability to
strike an abundant public water sup
ply, for there must be people in State
Center who need water to drink. There
are but two alternatives left. The
people of State Center must either keep
digging down and down as the people
Of Grinnel did long ago until the auger
finally drops into an underground
stream, or the people of State Center
must go a few miles out from town
and sink a chain Of wells into the
gravel bed underlying valley and
pump water into standpipe on
nearby hill from whence it will have
to be piped to their city regardless Of
distance. This is the plan adopted by
Marshalltown and it has provided for
her an inexhaustible supply of pure
and healthful water
q
A meeting of the shareholders of the
Marshalltown Savings ana Loan Asso-
citation was held last week and adj
journed until this week anc at both
meetings there were present only two
of the several hundred shareholders
besides the directors in Immediate
charge Of the business. One of these
two was finally put upon the board to
succeed director resigned, so that II
there is not greater interest taken
in the affairs Of this association by
people who have from $40 to $500 in
vested, there will be only one share
holder at the next annual meeting
aside from the directors. This is sit
uation for which each and every share
holder is to blame and if the associa-
ton earns profits as it is believed 1t
will show for this past year. it will be
in spite of the shareholders and not be-
cause Of any interest they have taken
in their own business. Everybody
knows that there is a tremendous and
untitled demand for new houses in this
city and this association. which aims
to assist people to build houses on the
ten year payment plan, could be Of
vast benefit to the development OF our
city. 1t is not only entitled to much
greater support from investors because
it is Virtually a cooperative mort
gage loaning association. but it is at
least entitled to the interest of its own
shareholders who are to get all Of the
profits from it's business.
.
Mr.. c. A. Buchwald, an experienced
lumber dealer of this city, says that
during the past eighteen months he has
been keeping track of the houses built
in Marshalltown from lumber which he
has furnished, and he makes the state
ment that since he has been watching
it he has found that every house SO
far built r1lder his personal observa-
ton could have been sold &t a profit
before it was completed. His observa-