Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-09
ALLEGATIONS or GRAFT ~ CAP.
iroL GROUNDS ExrENs,oN
EASILY plsPRovEo.
PROPERTY PuRcHAsGo HELD
~ SELLERS MANY YEARS
Figures Show That Many Lose Large
Sums on Investments a Prices Paid
BY state - Hubbsl Out $4,000 on
One osal-SpscuIatsrs and Real 60.
tate Dealers Have No Hand in Il
Special to Times Republican.

Deon poSSiOIe thuS Iar to close deals
for the purchase Of only 20 or Is per
cent of the land which the state Of
Iowa desires to purchase for future
use for state buildings. the work has
gone far enough to show whether or
not there was any foundation for the
gross accusations Of graft in connec-
ton with the whole smatter. 1t will be
recalled that it was printed in OF
tumwa and elsewhere that the bill was
sneaked thru the legislature latter
years Of agitation) by few Des
Moines spectators. that members Of
the legislature were to profit personally
by the same, that state officials had
bought property to sell to the state at
fancy prices, that options had been Sc
cured by spectators, etc. It was also
published, as part of the same cam
paign. that the state was to be held
up for fictitious values on the proper
ty.
Prices Reasonable.
Some facts bearing on this whole
line of argument may be found by a
study OF the abstracts Of title thus
far recorded.
" PASSS, d S6IuPlc IS lOuHO
the Stewart estate, sold to the state.
acres Of good land went into the prop
erty. This was in 1889. 1t was ap-
praised in 1892 at about $4,000 value
and loan Of $4,000 was secured. I'M
provements worth $500 or more were
added since. But the state Of Iowa
bought it for $4,000.
Take the Hubbell lands, and the F.
NJ. Hubbell Sons Com pany, is Of course
regarded as The :c:. S:aspins real
estate organization on earth. Five
tracts were bought. One, for which
$4,000 was paid twenty-five years ago
and 1t cost in fixtures. improvements
and taxes $4,000, sold for $4,000; an
other cost $500 and sold for $3.50:
another cost $3.176 and sold for $3.50:
another cost 1882 and sold for $3.50:
another cost 50, 100 and sold for $7,250.
The net loss to the Hubbell estate
was $4,000.
These are but samples: and many
other similar illustrations could be
given right from til, records. No per-
son has yet arisen to suggest one
single place where an extravagant price
has been paid.
Long Held by Owners.
Following are the dates Of the last
previous transfers of the properties
thus far purchased and recorded for
| the capitol grounds showing when
those who have sold bought the same:
Equitable Life. Nov. II. 1880.
|. Thomas "A. Cheshire. Oct. 1. 1886.
"A. X. Stewart. Oct 10. 1889.
George F. Walker. Aug. %. 1893.
Wright. G. Cleveland, Dec II, 1894.
:MarylA. Strickland. Oct. II. 1892.
Mary A. Christy, Feb. II. 1894.
!. Martha Cornell and Mary tMoreland.
Oct. 81, 1890.
Lester P. Fagen. referee. March 9.
1897.
Emma Burt, Oct. %. 1895.
Capital Insurance Company. July IS.
1898.
Thomas s. Kendall. Nov. ~, 1897.
]. w. Murphy, estate. Oct. 2. 1897.
James T. Priestley. March 8. 1891.
Albert A. Bennett, Oct 16. 1897.
Iowa Loan and Trust Company. Nov.
IA. 1898.
c. A. Strom, Feb. II, 1902.
Mary A. Little, March 26, 1908.
Trustees Stewart estate. May 81,
1903.
Emma B. Gray. July p. 1903.
F. NJ. Hubbell. ct al. Dec 81. 1903.
Henry J. Ullius. Feb. 10. 1902.
Belle I. Bolton. Jan. Z, 1902.
Bertha n. Smith. June go. 1902.
Willis Wilkins. Aug. 16 1905.
Ben Cohen. July 2. 1906
H. L. Manion, April "a, 1907.
W. L. White Shoe Company, April
20, 1907.
Anton Marcos. March 81, 1909.
Thomas NJ. Schooler, Nov. &c. 1909.
H. F.. and Myrtle wark, July Is.
1910.
Live Stock National Bank. April %.
1913 -
Alfred Reay. Dec. 20. 1912
c. NJ. Harmount. Feb. 8. 1913.
A. NJ Parker and J. F. Stevenson,
Nov. 1. 1913
II there are those who are insistent
that the plan to give Iowa what Iowa
ought to have as setting for the
capitol and other buildings, the monu-
ments and memorials OF the next; two
or three hundred years, was In fact
only a real estate speculation. the ma
terial for investigation is above.
As a matter Of fact the figures as
given do not show In some cases the
real truth. For instance, the Hubbell
property was transferred within the
family at date long after the origin
al purchase. and the DR.. Priestley
property had been occupied by him az
a residence at least thirty years.