Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-17
JAMES J. MONTAGUE, FAMOUS
JOURNALIST, REARED At
MASON CITY.
FEUDS AND FIGHTS
AMONG RAILROAD MEN
Old Iowa Central and Milwaukee
Lines Had Their Adhersnts and
Fistic Encounters Wore Frequent
Senator Cummins Was First Glass
Baggage Smasher in Early Day.

older residents OF Iowa remember
James j. Montague, famous Journal
list, who was born in this city. His
father was cashier Of the First Ma
| tional bank back In the 7O's and the
son lived his childhood here From
here he went to Portland. Ore. where
he established such a reputation as
q keen political writer. "yersifier,"
and editor, that he received an offer
from New York paper. on which
he Is working now. His rhymes under
the head Of More Truth Than Poe
try" are read daily by thousands Of
persons.
Writing on the subject. why was
born In Iowa. he says:
The first city ever saw was Of
tumwa- l went there with my father
on grand tour from Mason City.
knew ottumwa was city as soon as
I got there for I behold q horsecar
on the street and globe OF fish in
restaurant There were no horse
cars and no goldfish in Mason city.
but had always heard about them
and recognized them instantly as
marks OF the metropolis.
"On this tour I visited other cities
|-Creston, Mount Ayr and Oskaloosa
but Ottumwa remained and still
remains the. FIRST milestone In my
world wandering. p
Mason City in the day OF my
youth was at the junction of the
milwaukee, and the Iowa Central
railroads and all the boys IN the
town We're partisans OF one or the
other. II any OF the Iowa Central
party. to which belonged. strayed
over Willow creek into Milwaukee
territory, the hue and cry was raised
and we were either driven Off or lick
ed. We seldom stayed to be licked.
III the Milwaukee, adherents came
to our side OF town there was always
night. The Milwaukee party ran TO
red hair and had names like Cronin
and McCarty. Sometimes we licked
them. but we had to be heavily IA the
majority.
Albert Baird Cummins was bag
gage amasher on the Milwaukee In
those days, and recall that he could
throw trunk farther and harder
than any other baggage smashcr /
ever saw. He didn't count much with
us, however. The engtnsass werc the
aristocracy, and the bourkoise were
the freisht conductor aad me hfnke.
men and the passSAges e6nduStorp
and brakemen In that order.
We were admonishod by our, par
ents to avoid travelling men. called
runners because they often drank
and played cards. We were also warn
ed not to ride on the engines or 60
swimming in the deep water Of Lime
creek above Randalrs mile, but the
latter warnings never seemed to
take.
The hrst school principalI remem-
Der was Carrie Lane. who married Leo
Chapman. editor Of the Mason Cstv
Republican. She went away from
iowa AFTER while and married again
ana now she is Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait and one OF the worlds
famous women.
Jonathan p. Dolliver was q vo,,np
lawyer OF Fort Dodge who came to
Mason City in campaign times and
made speeches that held us spell
bound. Some OF US believed that he
was greater orator than the reviya-
list who converted us every year. hut
that was always open to dispute
Prohibition came to Mason c,tv
when l was there and DENNY Mo.
Morrow, our next door neirhbor
was one Of the two saloonkeeper, in
town. The other was Warren Crosby
VINO owned one of the drug stores.
9" I would probably have been IN
Mason City still had it not been for
the family custom Of going to c1ear
Lake every summer for q few weeks
At Clear Lake I learned to swim and
acquired a taste for the sea. Aftar
mat tho sea called me and went 70.
Oregon to answer present since
then have lived within a mile or
Two OF 1t, only going back to geo =
tho cement factory has encroacbed
on the limestone blufns whore the
bear cave used to be, In fsl2 It hadn't
but I'm going back again after the
Chicago convention this year to have
another look"