The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-12-08

the SOD r round of drudgery, and it strikes
me forcbly that little relaxation uninter-
rupted with hours of toll wouldn't be amiss
at all. However, feel placable Just now,
and have undertaken letter, but | may get
crooked any day, and when do, shall
''shut down."
| Whenever 60 away from keokuk at any
| thing like an announcement season of the year,
realize very well how hard ii is to get away,
and how hard it is to get there, and appreci-
ate somewhat how much our city suffers for
an ever-ready and speedy outlet aud inlet. If
were coming West now, without knowledge
OF the country or preference as to points, |
shouldn't 60 to keokuk, for the trout BILE of
getting there would likely more than balance
the desire of exploration. And neither
would the majority of the people. There
must be some particular inducement to at
tract men there now until the first of April,
or the great mass Of travellers will not be apt
to go. That is the way reason, and am
constrained to realize with some degree of
force the advantage that a railroad connec-
| ton with "the rest of mankind" would be to
us. And yet, in this connection find some
thing by comparison very complimentary to
keoknk. During no day since navigation
/ opened in the spring, to my remembrance,
| Judging from appearances at the hotels, J
have there been so few strangers in keokuk
as there are in Burlington to-day. There
has been no meal this season, (for instance, J
at the st. Charles, where there were not
at least twice as many, and think | should
be safe In saying three times as many, as
there were at the Barrett House tonight at
tea. If my judgment in this respect is accu-
rate, 1t argues very strong inducenaent for
/ people to 60 to Keokuk, which leads them
there against all inconvenience. Still, the
furnishing of ready means OF ingress and
! egress would greatly increase the number Of
stranger visitors.
! have looked over this little village some
what again, and it appears to me that if the
people will only persSere, and not be too
much chagrined at Common obstacles, it
might still be made to amount to something
10 be sure we are going to build a Railroad
up back of them and give their prospective
wholesale trade to Mt. Pleasant and by the
same means we are going to give the country
west which seeks northern mar ket q cheap
er and speedier avenue over the Muscatine
end of our Railroad line and the bridge at
Rock Island; but then while that is progress
ing Burlington has a chance to sspread her
sell" and when it is done they can Just fence
the town in and finish it up, and it will make
fine qniet place for respectable sold TO-
gles," whose enterprise has oil burnt out, TO
doze away the remnant of their lives. and
there are enough Of that class of people
to populate decent sized town. Hence
argue that "Flint Hills" have chance to
grow 'some pumpkins" vet.
But, badinage aside, Git is not all badin-
age, though Burlington has improved very
much this season. The number Of business
houses, compared with that of keokuk, is
very limited, but yet they are sufficiently nu-
merous TO reflect great credit upon the en-
terprise and thrift of any town even in the
West And one thing can freely say for
our sister city, the houses of this class which
have been erected this year are generally
very good, some of them very fine. There is
one block within range of my window, on
the corner Southwest Of the Barrett House,
which is decidedly superior to anything in
heokuk, not excepting the fine block of our
bv I :.
but the Burlingtonians ought to pass a vote
OF thanks to the man who has erected so
tine an ornament for their streets, and en-
ployed so much extra cash for the purpose
of a beautiful and imposing appearance, and
would heartily thank the man in keo-
kuk who would follow his example and give
the town building which would feast us
many eyes and crafty peoples tastes so
| much. Let keokuk and Burlington Jog on
together as pcaceably as we can, and if we
have any thing derogatory to say Of each
other, let it be said as laughingly as we can
say it.
found friend Durham hard at work in
the Hdwkeye sanctum, and it did me good to
grasp his cordial hand. The establishment
seems to be doing very fine business, but
II does work our friend down pretty hard,
for he Is overseer of the ''institu.ion.', coll
iector and general business man, md sole
editor. for all that can see IL nny man
in Iowa deserves premium for Industry, it
IS him but II he should get sick u day or
two, am afraid the Haukqyr Office would
get into confusion in hurry
did not have time to cali ON the Ga-etf,