Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-02
WRIGHT COUNTY'S
POOR FARM GOES
OUT OF BUSINESS
special to Tlmes-Republicau.

Special to Tines Republican.
Clarion. Jan. Wright county will
this year be without q poor farm or
rather will be without the use OF such
an institution. Some time ago pub
lie sale was held on the farm, the place
rented for n year to a man VINO VIII
operate ii In a private capacity and
the inmates removed to the Hamilton
county home for the financially desti-
tute. The cause of this unusual con-
dltion runs back to an election last
spring on the proposition to bona the
county for funds to erect S5o,ooo res
idenco on the farm. at which election
three to one majority was voted against
the plan. Later the building was con-
dcmncd as unfit and unsafe Tor the
purposes for which it was being uscu
and this making the members OF inc
board Of supervisors individually re-
sponsible in case OF possible or prob
able disaster action was taken as above
noted. 1t is said that modern day an
tipathy toward higher taxes. feel'hE
than an expensive building with mod
ern improvements was not necessary
for paupers and fear that the property
might not receive proper care were the
chief causes Of the adverse vote
Friends OF the idea contend that pup
lie institution Of this kind, built FOR the
future as well as present needs, Shoulo
be of a character requiring somethinE
like the expenditure proposed; that
nothing short of modern Improvements
would be permitted if the "incurables
now in state institution were to be
brought back for local maintenance,
and that the extra expense OF proVld-
j ~ for the needy now scattered thru the
towns Of the county because there is
no public home for them, the addition
al cost of keeping others in an outside
county and the necessity of hiring the
care of yet others by the state, in all
would make Il good payment on a
building like the one proposed instead
of which there will be nothing to show
for the expenditure except the contin-
ucd existence of the countY's wards.
The traveller commented ON the i'm
proved appearance of the street due to
the recent construction Of an imposing
hotel building block. The business
man explained that the old frame
building that preceded it now stands in
a distant part OF town very respect
ably appearing remOdeled Hat anh
added: II heard a story today or the
days when the Old hosiery was new.
Two landlookcrS came from some
where TO the east and stopped at the
hotel over night. Il was different then
from what il IS now. one could stand
by Il window Of the building and look
out over a COnSidera bic portion OF
" righ! county then. There were lew
houses in town and few grove" in TN"
country 10 ohstruct the view. lh'
next morning one of the landseekcrs
approached his companion and asked
him what he thought of the country.
The answer was, leaving out the pro-
family that it was Il shame to nave
taken such a tract of country away
from the Indians" In recent years
the territory surrounding Clarion has
generally been regarded as fine age
riCllltural section. good enough as it is
for most any kind Of a farmer but the
very best Of the farms are being made
still more productive ana dependable
thru the predominant method of farm
Improvement in this part Of the state,
Huntley quarter section farm north Of
town 50. 600 worth of drainage has been
put in and on the half section place
known as the Henry estate a force of
men has been at work about year
laying strings of five to eight inch tile
every 100 feet and connecting with The
big covered drain that trarcrses the
farm. On this ono plaC" there has
been done about $4,000 worth Of
drainage work. These are only two in
stances of a work that is general in
this entire section. Standards are
higher than they used to he IN the
matter of farm drainage. Land that
was considered "all tiled out 4 few
years ago is being gone over again
with thoroughness and expense that
would have been considered out Of rea-
son in earlier days
The extent of traffic in land in this
part Of the country may be inferred
from the fact that a prominent real
estate man here could recall but one
instance Of the kind in the last twelve
months within four miles Of Clarion,
This lone farm was sold at an adVanC"
over the price the seller paid for it.
Land is at a Standstill just now here.
but every acre sold viii be sold for
more than was paid for it the last
time said the land dealer and he de-
cared that he knew OF but one man
who had bought land in the past few
years that would lose out thru inability
to meet his payments or sell at an ad-
vance as many of these late year pur-
Chasers expected to do. And to show
what money lenders will do when good
Iowa land is offered for security he
stated that TINS man. VINO may be COM
pclled to give up his farm, has four
mortgages against it. pretty big ones,
too.
Farmer Matthias will never again ac-
Ccpt the statement that cattle will not
readily eat threshed timothy straw
Somebody told him that and he used
the stuff in large stack the upper
half Of which is good bright Oat straw.
Then he turned in the cattle and they
at once expressed decided preference
for the timothy They burrowed way
in and 1t will be necessary to remodel
the stack to prevent its topping over
on the stock because they have eaten
away too large a portion OF its base
G. r. Wilson.