Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-24
LOCAL COMMENT

The danger Of an inadequate census
for Marshalltown Is fast approaching
a crisis. The assessor. who is charged
with mans sized job in taking q
census and making an assessment at
the same time, is sick at home. Two
out Of four Of his deputies have been
changed and the new men are having
trouble picking up the unfinished work
Unless the city council succeeds In re-
organizing the force Marshalltown will
go to the public with no gain or an
actual loss in her census when every
body knows that there has been big
gain made in this city within the past
few years. The result will be to cause
the outside world to believe that Mar
shalltown is not growing. Confidence In
our realty values will be shaken and
the present ready market for property
in this city at advanced prices will
stop. Until four years ago nobody
cared to buy Marshalltown real estate
to hold for the rise and when man
found it necessary to sell house and
lot he usually sacrificed. Now men are
engaged in building houses. to sell and
property is changing hands rapidly.
Even as expensive a property as the
Stricken home found quick sale at
$4,000, when in former times man
who would have put that much money
into q residence property in this city
would have lost half Of it when he
sold. The business men of this city
should urge action On the part of the
council to have competent account
ant made a deputy assessor to check
the census and recheck 1t until every
body has been counted. The council
is willing enough if the public is sup
porting them. The present crisis is
too serious to leave an assessor on the
job who is unable to give to this work
the utmost attention. labor and effort.
While Marshalltown is asleep at the
switch the census returns are in for
towns around US showing handsome
gains. Fort Dodge jumps from 1898
to 1870. Ottumwa reports gain
from 22,012 to 25,4oe. Even Nevada
and Grundy Center report gains of
more thon 90 per cent and Cedar
Rapids moves up from 32.S11 to 40,512.
Marshalltown has built more houses
during the past four years than it ever
has in its history but its census Is only
half taken as yet and nobody at pres
ent can tell from careful rechecking
of the work whether the city has been
thoroughly counted or not.
It is to be regretted again that our
rural school districts can not be con-
solidated without injunctions and con-
sequent litigation. The present law is
lame in that the designation of dis
trict to be voted dpon must come up
by petition instead Of being first
passed upon by competent tribunal
and then voted upon. The result is
that the motive is very often to beat
some one else to it and secure con-
solidation which will carry an adran-
tage to some one at the expense OF
others. The Others very naturally fight.
Consolidation Of rural schools is to be
desired at all times. 1t is coming ana
must come. The day Of the cross
roads shanty and green girl teacher
must give way to well constructed
building with the graded school and
experienced teaching force. But 1t Is
lamentable that so many consultations
stir up neighborhood quarrels Of large
magnitude.
The gathering of several hundred
men at the Y. NJ. c. A. Friday even
ing to consider the results of their
49,, 900 investment was another OF
those helpful get-toSether meetings
which go to make town worth living
in. Had it been explained there those
men would have been pleased to know
that the activities Of over 500 boys are
conferred in that building at the pres
ent time in the boys department alone.
superintendent Palmer, Of the public
schools. has inauguraIel Plan where
by small boys are welcomed to the Y.
NJ. c. A. boys clubs regardless of mem
bership in the Y. NJ. c. A. and as fast
as they become identified with the
work and like the place they gladly
slip into membership from desire. This
is a fulfillment of the real purpose OF
those who built the building.
There never was a more timely rain
than that of Friday night with the
seed sown and ground as dry as it was
on top. Likewise were the roads in
great need of a rain to soften hard
crust and make possible the smooth
ing process with a drag. All that is
needed now is someone to drive the
drag. VINO Will uEdS Inc IOduS III
Marshall county? Wanted-A patriot.
Plans for this years paving are in
process. Let the city council remem-
Der that the main travelled streets
which connect with the county road
system at the corporation line are the
streets which are used the most and
the extension Of paving along those
streets will serve the greatest public
good. South Sixth street. South Cen
ter street, West Boone and Twelfth
south OF Boone past the Merritt Greene
Jr., home, South Ninth. West Main.
West Summit, North Center and North
Third, North Third avenue. Marion
and East Main streets should all be
paved for a few blocks this year and a
few more next year. The plan hereto
fore has been to pave where there was
the most property to stand an assess-
ment but paving should be planned
where there is most need for 1t for
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