Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-04
A VANISHED IOWA CITY.
fJo,-o (G., pop,,blirap

On the yelloWed pages OF an OH
book stored on the highest shelf OF
the county recorders vault, is writ
ten the name of a vanished city. II is
the name of city which played a
part in the early days of Johnson
county, lived to see Iowa become
state, and then slowly faded into his
tory. leaving as the only evidence OF
its existence the faded writing In
scribed on the county's first record
book.
This is the brief story Of the town
OF Monroe. The town was Incorporated
and listed on the county recorder
books on Aug Is, 1889. 1t was located
ION the claim OF William Dupont, In
Johnson county, on the east bank OF
the Iowa river" The town was laid
out north and south with seventeen
streets chartered in the plat which
was fled with the county.
Further than this, the records do
not show. To-day. it is impossible to
find the exact location of the old
town. Evidences are found of a claim
owned by William Dupont in Monroe
township, in the vicinity of the land
now owned by John Dupont. 1t is pos
sible that the town WIS located on this
site in section Is, altho the records Of
fer no positive proof which would war
rant this location.
/ Repeated attempts have been made
| in the past to locate exactly the old
| settlement, but none of them have met
with success. The city and all evil
dence of its whereabouts have long
| ago vanished and the remem brances of
the early pioneer town have passed
long ago in the heeting pages OF his
| tory.
DEALERS AND THE STEVENS BILL
| tSioux City Tribune.1
Manufacturers backing the Stevens
one price bill are rebuilding their eff
forts to get favorale action on the BILL,
! and to that end are making an especial
appeal to the small merchant, who Is
being importuned to insist that his con-
gresham vote for the measure
| The manufacturers are persuadfng
the small merchant that the fixing OF
the retail price by the manufacturers
| (such action being made legal and
binding by law If the Stevens bill
passes) would be a body blow to the
great department stores. as 1t would
stop their bargain sales" and their
use of leaders" This is being repre-
scented to the small merchant as sur
ficient reason for enlisting his support
the inference being that the abolition
of bargain days" and leaders" by de-
partment stores would injure the de-
lpartment store and correspondence
benefit the small merchant.
Aside from the economic fal1acy thai
it benefits one class Of tradesmer
in city to legislate so as to put an
other class out of business, this argu-
ment of the manufacturers should re-
ceive careful analysis at the hand Of
the small merchant. for he is putting
his head in moose.
Two facts are admitted. First, tbs
manufacturers of staple merchandise
who are back of the Stevens bill arr
primarily In the business for money
They want to sell as much OF theil
product as possible and will take sucl
, steps as will push their sales.
Second, II the Stevens bill Shoul'
, pass, giving the manufacturers tn
right to fix the retail price OF thei
, goods, 1t would eliminate competition
on a price basis Every merchants, bi
| and little, department store and al
would he on the same basis insofar a
prices to the public were concerned.
Merchants then would have to at
, tract trade by some other means tina
, offering bargains" Where would tn
/ small merchant come in with that sol
: / OF competition? With no extra induce
) ments, no bargains, by what metho
[ could he. with small stock OF goodi
r generally OF one line. compete In crow
Z drawing with the department sto1
J. with all kinds Of goods under on
In short, the salvation Of the sna