Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-10
LOCAL COMMENT
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With four new Industries announced
for Marshalltown within the past ten
days and a new bank building sure TO
20 up things are looking up in Mar
shalltown. From the applause ut the
mothers banquet which greeted Mrs.
Van Laws reference To their plans Tor
IA new Y. w. &. A. building we may
have another building project launched
for neat spring.
Marshalltown is facing an acute
housing problem which is likely to
come before the Marshalltown club
for solution before many weeks. People
are forced to buy homes at very high
prices because OF their inability to find
anything for rent. A few new indus
tries are starting up which Will call
for men. In another month the packing
house will put on 100 men. If houses
are not for rent now where are the
new workmen to live? Factories In
Newton were actually prevented from
expanding their employment because
Of lack of houses for their workmen
and the boosters of the town have
formed a syndicate to build 100 houses
at once, Until rents can advance TO
keep pace with war costs of construc-
ton investors can not afford TO build
for profit. Wage workers can always
afford to own their own home because
they viii never own anything II they
continue to pay rent. Organized CO.
operative effort to relieve the housing
problem must come very soon in this
community.
Hardin and Story county superyis-
ors are planning to pave the primary
road systems OF their counties. Black
hawk and Tama counties will hold
bond elections for the same purpose.
As soon as Hardin and Story and
Blackhawk and Tama counties have
their main roads paved Marshall
county people will not have nearly so
far to go to get out of the mud.
The grading contracts let this year
are going al nearly IS per cent ad-
vance in cost over ,pre-war figures
however, paving costs are nearly
double pre-war costs so il will be
better to do the maximum amount OF
grading this year and get the roads
ready for gravel and paving next year
in the hope that perhaps costs will
come down.
Marshalltown people all want their
teachers 10 get more pay even if the
new law. coming after the schoo! board
mad made up its budget, viii overdraw
the teachers fund for next year. Com
mon ard skilled labor is drawing wages
which have almost doubled in five
Years but teachers have been getting
along with an occasional 10 per cent
Increase, The product of their labor
Is OF more Importance to US than that
OF the mechanic or artisan and we are
demanding more and more of their
time and expense in educational prepa-
ration. As taxpayers and parents we
should be willing 10 pay for the SER
vice what the service Is worth.
Sheep growers in this county can
accomplish much in organization IL
TIER energies are devoted TO the i'm
provement of the quality Of their
focks. There is probably no product
from the farm that varies so much in
grade and consequently in price as
"NOA am SApc!4cACtA WOOL buyers say
that no state furnishes so many diff
erent grades cf wool as Iowa The
custom OF shipping sheep into Iowa for
feeding purposes and leaving there
Few breeding ewes Of almost every
known variety and the job lot of clips
which come from the nondescript lots
that are shipped into feed lots and
then sheared in this state causes wool
buyers TO assert that Iowa produces
every grade Of wool known to the
trade. Growers may sell collectively
thru q commission firm but when they
DO they speculate on the market and
are at the merry Of some far off con-
Germ as TO grading and as to time of
payments. A local buyer commissioned
by the government TO handle wool
last year paid for what he bought IN
Iowa and waited until the next Janu-
airy for his money altho the wool went
forward at once under government or
6ers. An honest buyer who knows
grades and has kept faith with the
growers in the past will perform a
service for the sheep raisers as long
as there is any wool business to trans
act.
ADJUSTMENTS