Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-03
Looker-On In Iona

Lake City, Dec 3.-While of course
the public never has and never will
have access to the books Of the express
companies. it a self evident fact they
have not been ruined by the parcel
post. Daily visits to the country ex-
press offices show they are still doing
business at the old stands. Trains are
held many times every day while
truck load Of express bundles are
loaded and unloaded. And like the
abolition of the pass system which the
railroads fought tooth and NALL. and
which was really beneficisnt piece OF
legislation so the parcel post has taken
away from the express companies the
Improbable part of their business. the
small package which showed little pro-
fit 1t is interesting to watch these
business changes. The merchants who
were sure the parcel post would ruin
their trade now use it themselves as
source of profit. Many an article is
now ordered from the wholesale house
for the retailers customer, things they
do not carry in stock, or are out OF
for the time being. possibly On the way
by freight, with other goods. something
the customer wants at once. we can
all remember what howl went up
from the banks and express companies
when Uncle Sam commenced the
money order business. Both are doing
a good business today in selling drafts
and money orders. Again when the
rural free delivery system was inaug-
urated it is a fact in one Iowa town
three men who applied for positions as
carriers were indirectly informed by
the merchants of the town to expect
no favors or credit ifsthey became rural
free delivery carriers. Two OF these
men actually withdrew their app!!ca-
lions. There was general feeling
that the free delivery system would
kill the trade of the merchants TIA
latest cry is the automobile business.
Country merchants are sure the we'll
to-do part of our citizens e., those
owning automobiles will now do their
trading in the big towns. II is true one
Hampton man came all the way to
Marshalltown during the war sugar
advance. bought 100 pounds OF sugar.
saved a dollar on sugar. but was out
several times that amount in gas and
moving picture tickets. Really the
sugar deal was an excuse. He wanted
little trip for self and family. And
it is also true, the whole family would
not have gone on the painted cars"
Just the same the small town gets
much extra trade during the year from
automobile people. Some hotels. good
ones are getting a big trade Sundays
from this crowd and the hotel man
spends all of his Increased income in
| the home town.
| Speaking of changes our habits Of
| eating and drinking are among them.
Grape fruit illustrates the point. Only
a few years ago. was grape fruit sold
| in the cities and larger towns. Today
the country cross roads store has them
| for sale. While an acquired taste and
| habit, the country man soon demands
the same fruit as the city dweller.
Here's a bit of personal experience
which may be pardoned as II shows
! changes along this line The writer
bought and sold the first California
| fruit that came into Oma ma. a sleeping
car porter smuggled thru several boxes,
on the first Union Pacific train. Again
| a Few years after the writer shipped
| into Grinneu the first red bananas
ever seen there. Think of the bananas
and California fruit now sold IN Iowa
All this only a few years ago, for the
| writer is not as old as he hopes - be
ANY number Of men in Iowa, remem-
Der the first moving machine that was
used in their vicinity. Several grand
mothers today can tell their experience
before the sewing machine was in
vented. Why the sewing machine would
prevent thousands of girls and WON
en- from earning living with ths
needle Has it? Moral. don't be afrait
OF the cars, the runabout or the seven
passenger.
An observing poultry dealer says thu
! reason why chickens are so low IL
price, compared with other meats. Il
that people DO not want chicken for 9
steady diet. Get tired Of chicken. but
never OF beef or pork. Turkeys. ducki
and geese being less In number thu
world over are proportionately higher
in price. Says he once had nothing bu
! ven!son for a month, and actual,
hankered for a piece Of fresh beef
One thing is sure. that with presen
prices Of poultry, tho with twice a.
much now as twenty-five years ago thu
econ omical housekeeper can save mucl
by having chicken till everybody il
the house Is tired CT Il. Hotel mel
have caught on to the CHECKER
racket"