The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-07-04

The following letter Of correspondent,
re take from the Davenport Gaxstts,

Keokuk ana as Progress.
The following letter Of correspondent,
We take from the Davenport Gazette;
SrxAnsR JExSEs DsAx.
MEssRs EDrrons: We rave you yesterday
some impression Of Davenport. lhsve now
seen Keokuk, a. it 10 # tAis day--ths 9 Cats
City"-.thc first toun Of Importance (for
am opposed to dignifying every little village
by the name Of city,) in the State as you
ascend the Mississippi River. The casual
passenger on the steamboat secs but little OF
keokuk from the river, as he does much OF
your town; but by the courtesy OF Messrs.
Lemon 4 Burbridge, real estate agents, and
their friend, Mr., WAS enabled to get
ssposted up'' in regard to buildings, manu-.
factories, railroads, city Improvements,
population, etc.
Here let me premise by saying that il
some Of our old fogiss Of Davenport would
only travel once and take the time to look
at some Of their sister towns, they would
not pirate so loudly Of taxes, debt, etc., and
they would percsive that even Davenport is
behind the age Of progress.
WHARF, auARRIxs. Erc.
Keokuk is located on an elevated bluff OF
eighty to one hundred and thirty feet above
the water level, and where the river makes u
right angle in the distance Of five miles. II
requires very heavy grading to RIM down
even three streets to the river edge, but they
are now making leyee four blocks long,
and one hundred and twenty feet wide into
the river, where they will have ample room.
The writer is Informal that they have 800
men alone employed on the grade Of the
streets--400 men in stone quarries, from
which are taken very good stone for columns,
caps, stills, cornice and building materials,
nearly equal to granite. The rocks are
pure carbonferous limestone, easily worked
and make very pure lime.
sEwRRAGE.
That which struck me rs most remarkable
was the extent Of lines and capacity Of the
sewerage. Keokuk has nearly four miles Of
sewers OF capacity 80 ample that you can
drive four horse wagon and team through
them, being ten feet vide and twelve feet
high-all built Of good limestone and the
bottom paved likewise. The sewers are
built in the ravine, following the lines of
streets and alleys, 30 as to forma perfect
drainage. Cannot your city fathers take a
lesson?
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
The next object of particular remark is
the street improvement. II has under con-
tract with what has been done, fourteen
miles of street to be curbed and Macadam-
lied this year. The city pays for one-third
Of the street work, while property on one
side pays one third and the property on the
the other side pays another third. This is
right. Davenport, believe has ordered the
grading and Matchmaking of about three or
four miles OF street, and your Council are in
q quarrel about that.
BUILDINGS.
Another object of particular remark to the
visitor (who is accustomed to look at West
ern towns,) ID the large number and pre-
ponderance Of good substantial brick dwell
ings and stores, rather than ssframe shan
ties" In this respect keokuk excels all
Western towns | have seen. They have thir-
ty-lve brick yards, and say will put into
buildings about thirty millions Of brick this
year, and build from 500 to 1000 houses.
The town site Of keokuk 10 very broken,
rough and undulating, and saw not plat
eau Of five acres Of pretty grounds, yet they
IRE making pretty town.
PRICE OF REAL ESTATE.
Good business property and fancy resi-
dence sites are held at almost fabulous
prices. On the cross streets from the levee,
to Second, on the bluff slope, lots are held
at $500 per foot front from Third TO Sixth
street, at $500 to $500 per foot, according to
position; on corner Of Fifth and Main, $500
per foot was paid for $50 feet--$45 ,0O0--
on which to build n hotel, l50xl40, costing
when completed 100000. 1t is now in
progress Of erection. Suburb lots selling at
$4,000 for fifty feet front. For relative pos
itions, lots are selling ia Davenport for one
half what they are held at in keokuk.
RAILROADS.
Keokuk is in advance Of some other of our
towns in her railroad projects and connec-
tons. She is building short road arouud
the rapids to Monteose, and another road
up the Des Moines Valley, which when COM
pleted. will be great feeder to her trade
and shipping interests. At present, Keokuk
is the largest import town Of dry goods,
groceries and hardware, but SHIPS by the
river very little produce, probably not one
fifth what Davenport does.
The Council Of your city would do we'll %
send some Of their body oEAs commissi on
to look at other places andsss what the world
is doing.
We are now at Quincy, the best built town
in the State of Illinois, Chicago not except
ed. Yours, JUsAL.
Council Proccedings.