Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-21
). 1. LAKiN, FORMER HOTEL MAN
AND RETIRED CAPITALIST
HAS ENvlAeLE RECORD
NOW RESIDES IN FINE
HOME IN SUBURBS
Helped on Road to Ease and Luxury by
Wife-Built First si,o in That Sec
ton Of Iowa and Erected One Of Ear.
iy crearcries, With Mrs. Lakir as
Butter Maksr--WiIson's Observations
Special to Times Republican.

Rockwell. Dec. PA man who has
sunk two galvanized iron barrels into
the earth, filled them full of partly
dried clippings from the grass growth
on his lawn, called it<silage and utilized
it for poultry ''roughage' to the appar-
ent satisfaction of every chicken on
the place, has earned the title food
conservationist' in these times Of
threatened scarcity and invited fur
Their investigation or similar activities
sure to be disclosed
About forty years ago two young
men, J. l.. Lakin and C. ]. Gauld, came
to Clinton county from somewhere
farther east. They formed partner
ship which has endured to the pres
ent time. There was and is one more
member of the firm. namely, Mrs. ]. l..
Lakin, as will appear later. The initial
venture was the "grubbing" of timber
tract to pay for the first crop, the
men walking to and from their work
three miles away and eating the mid
day meal from a frozen dinner pail.
Later they came to the vicinity OF
ecShNSli, Duy FIlS d QuaTleT SeSllOH "
land at SIS per acre. Their first two
corn crops were worse failures than
the present one by far, but wild hay at
So per ton delivered prevented bank
ruptcy and subsequent crops were bet
ter. They erected a 350-ton silo, the
first one ever built in this section OF
the state, and established what was at
that time a modern creamery. Mrs.
Lakin was the butter maker and her
product captured first prizes at fairs
in Des Moines and Lincoln, Neb.. also
at Okatonna, Mimi. where the Home
Farm Creamery" scored 9Sh. 1t is
said that the establishment OF this
creamery was the result of suggestion
made by Ex-Governor Hoard, OF Wis
consin, during the progress OF a con-
versation with one of the proprietors.
It Is interesting to note that this farm
was sold less than a month ago for
$3.50 per acre. The original price paid
represents an amount slightly in, ex-
cess Of 6 per cent on the selling price.
The next business experience was
the purchase OF a hotel building in
Rockwell and its operation for term
Of four years. Hear again the feminine
member OF the firm took a prominent
part, having cooked every meal ex-
cept two in the entire four years. In
teresting. too, is the fact that one OF
the girls employed by the house In
those days is now the wife Of a bank
cashier.
But to get back to the subject OF
conservation. Men and women grow
old and must retire. The Lakin home
Is one OF the finest in Rockwell and
Rockwell has some excellent residences
modern in all respects. There were
four lots each SSx14o feet in extent in-
GLIDING rented ground this year and
some $500 worth OF potatoes. beans,
sweet corn vegetables and fruit were
grown on this small area. Flowers
were not forgotten in the planting
scheme and more than one automobile
tourist traversing the Jefferson high
way. which passes the place. stopped
long enough to snap picture. Mrs.
Lakin is an ardent advocate OF the
cold pack" method Of preserving ev-
erything grown except potatoes. II
everybody in this state In position TO
do so had equaled or even anpGoached
this years record Of the Lakins. there
would be mirhty little said about food
scarcity so far as Iowa products are
concerned.
Much Of the corn here is still in
the field It is being sold to local
feeders at from % cents ito 81 per
hundred pounds. Almost everv one
however. appears to be possessed OF
enough stock TO eat I'D the softer por-
ton which will not keep and farmers
around Rockwell will manage to cur
vive the latest poor corn" year.
One crop that was highly profitable
here this year was alsike clover SEED