Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-10
LOCAL COMMENT


Altho the city council has not as
yet made any formal move toward get
ting ready to let the 1917 paving con-
tract March /, as intended, the inten-
tions still are good to complete the
list of streets and get early action on
contract. What the state Will 90
in paying it's share of the cost along
the soldiers home property on Summit
street Is causing a delay in bringing
about the final action necessary before
advertising. Altho the contract may
be let in advance of actual operations,
the pubic must not expect to get paw
ing this year as cheaply as 1t was Sc
cured last season. The city engineers
estimate is Sl.40 per square yard, with
Z cents added to this for engineering,
inspection, and advertising. Cement is
already higher now than it was last
year, and labor will be higher, so that
property owners who pay for paving
done on 1917 contracts will doubtless
pay or 10 cents more per square
yard than was paid on last seasons
contracts. However, whatever the IN
crease is to be this season over last
the fact remains that the lowest price
obtainable for the seasons work can
only be secured by an early letting.
This is the one point the council
should keep in mind. Local gravel can
be obtained in larger quantities by
having longer time for preparation,
and local gravel, when 1t Is obtain
able is always cheaper than that
which has to be imported.
&
Activity in rural community work OF
different kinds is apparent In the
county to>a most satisfactory degree at
the present time. That it will continue
to the point Of realization is the hope
of those who are promoting the bet
terment projects. One of the inter-
esting branches of activity is that OF
the county Y. NJ. c. a., a feature in Or
ganized work among young men COM
paratively new in this county. BY the
county branches young men in all OF
the smaller towns in the county are af-
forded an incentive for a better COM
nunity life. Gathering as they do to-
day, at the association rooms mere. 1or
a season of indoor sports, PROVIDES LOT
the boys of the county the privileges
of the city association, shows them the
benefits of Y. NJ. G. A. work IN CITY
and causes many of them to seek the
Y. NJ. C. A. when they go into a city
either to school or to work. with the
advancement of community het1efnleht
in the rural communities and snall
towns. the boys are being placed III
touch with higher ideals tor cltlZeh-
ship. # It keeps n certain percentage
of them out of the pool halls, the work
will not have been done in VAIN.
Farmers of the county today are
considering the adoption of. the county
agent plan. another advanced step To-
ward the welfare Of the farming COM
munity In counties where the plan
has been tried it has worked Out 10
the advantage of the farmers. II there
is any county in Iowa where the en-
ployment of an agent can be anorded'
II ought to be Marshall, and II the
employment of an agent is a good IN
yestment in other counties, 1t shouio
be in Marshall.
The advantage of cooperation in the
nagemeut Of creameries for farmers
in this county was demonstrated by
the figures at the annual meetings OF
the State Center and Minerva Valley
companies. This business has grown
into enormous proportions from small
beginnings. and Is resulting in large
profit for the farmers. Another feature
of progress is the announcement Of
the plan for the demonstration OF
cleanliness in hog and cattle yards III
different places in the county, in an
-, Co onrc hn g.
sity Of cleanliness in their stock yards
in the prevention of diseases among
live stock All these features dealing
with rural life tend to advancement
and a saving Of money to the FARMER.
They are enterprises worth the consld-
Grafton of the up to-date man on the
farm.
The business men of State Center
are considering the ACCESSIBILITY OF the
building Of a consolidated school TO
take the place of an old town scnooi
building that has become unfit for the
purposes for which it was built. 1t is
TO be hoped that the State Center
school patrons, and those within ter
ritory near enough to the town TO oen-
eft by the consolidation, will vote to
consolidate The interests OF both the
town and its surrounding territory can
be served to better advantage by the
consolidation, and State Center will re-
ceive the benefit Of much favorable
advertising by building fine console
dated school, such as Melbourne and
other towns in the county now boast
of.
When Verne Marshall. editor Of the
Cedar Rapids Gazette, comes to this
CITY for an address in the Turn to the
Right" campaign, the Odeon should
be filled with people to hear some first
hand information on the horrors OF the
present European war. II there is any