The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-11-14

the Sorghum crop will be large. Furnish-
ing product which il one Of the leading
| staples Of commerce, this plant is proving OF
immense advantage. Estimating the value
of the crop by the known amount in few
counties, we think it entirely safe to cay
that over one million of dollars will be
s~ved TO the State Of Iowa this year in con-
sequence of the introduction Of the Chinese
cane among US. And yet it is cultivated
hardly at oil bat = an experiment. The ex-
pertinent 50 far has been highly satisfactory,
and the cultivation Of the plant 10 rapidly
increasing. OF the favor with which ii is
regarded, We can judge something by the
number of sugar mills which have been
manufactured and sent into the interior from
this point, which is very large. In the north
ern part of the State, II seems to be cult
waited quite as extensively AZ in the southern
part. The Dubuque Times says that tour
through nine counties in that section showed
an average Of one sugar mill 10 about four
farmers. The crop Of molasses in Jefferson
county is estimated this year at 10000 GAL
IONS. Tama county last year produced IL
600 gallons ; this year the crop is estimated
at 10000 Jasper raised 1900 last year,
and the amount estimated this year is nearly
$4,000. In many other counties from which
We hear, the report is equally encouraging.
The price Of the syrup ranges from ffty to
sixty GENTS.
TIE WHoLr.-The whole Of the Repub-
liean county ticket has been elected in Han
Cook county. The Warsaw R..llssia says it
10 the FIRST time the Republicans have carried
the county.
For the Gate City.
The keokuk hydraulic Company.
MEssRs. EDlroRs the Importance to this
city Of the movement nov being made to i'm
prove and render available the water power
on the Des Moines Rapids Of the Mississippi
River, for manufacturing purposes, is admit
ted by all.
That the solid growth and future prosper
ity of Keokuk, like ell other citi es, depends
mainly upon the establishment and main
tenance Of manufacturing and other product
doe interests, is fully realized by our citi-
rens.
That the SUGGEST al completion of the pres
emit enterprise would attract manufacturing
population and offer greater Inducements to
capitalists to make investments in our city
and vicinity, than any other single project
now presented to the consideration Of our
people, cannot be denied. Then why should
not the present effort enlist the sympathy,
hearty cooperation and material aid Of all
our citizens, and make the enterprise more
than a success.
Ii has been said that the means necessary
to construct Canal Of suf6ciet capacity can
not be obtained. This opinion 10 based on an
entire Misrepresentation of the scheme as pre-
sented by its projectors. They estimate the
cost Of a Canal so feet wide and 6 feet deep at
100000. This Genial, or mill race, is to be
constructed with the single idea, at present,
of affording ample water power for msnufac-
turing purposes. And this is all the city of
Keokuk and vicinity has any special interest
in.
If it is conceded that the estimated COST
800, 000-is about correct, then certainly
ne one, who has any appreciation Of the char
acter and value of the work, would hazard
the opinion that such basis cannot be OBJ
tanned along the line of the improvement-
IL the Importance Of the enterprise 10 not
greatly over-estimated, the property holders
along the line and in the immediate vicinity
Of the work, cannot afford to give less than
one half their real estate to aid in it's con-
struction for the other half would be worth,
with the improvement, three or four times as
much as the whole without the improvement.
And this is just as true Of real estate in the
city (old hmits). II these are facts, and not
fancies, the estimated cost Of the work
500, 0O0-dwindles into comparative iasig-
niGcance. And that the Hydraulic Company
have not missed the figures very much 10 their
estimate, il manifast from the following ex-
tract Of a letter addressed to J. B. Howell q
Co., in 1855, and published with the address
Of Mayor Kilbourne, in that year, BY Samuel
Forrer, distinguished engineer, and for
merly prominent member of the Board of
Public Works Of Ohio.
"A Canal along the Rapids Of the Mis-
sissippi would be immensely valuable to the
interests OF Keokuk, but chiefly on account
Of the water power it would afford for manu-.
featuring purposes. A small
sum, considering the Importance OF the OBJ
ject, would be necessary to construct Ca
nal or mill-race, SO feet wide and 6 feet deep,
or with cross section to the water OF 500
feet area probably not more than 81 OO, 900.
A Canal Of this capacity would pass over
$4,000 cubic feet OF water per minute, which.
with nett available fall OF 2 feet, would be
sufficient to grind $4,000 bushels Of wheat 10