The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-05-22
From the Davenport Gazette, May n j

western TownA--~ X e on uK.
An impression has gone abroad, and ID
continually aggravated by the disparekine
remarks each OF the other, that the towns
on the Upper Mississippi river are dead
That having INDUCED in unuarranted specu-
lation during the prosperity of 1855, they
are now reaping just harvest in crop of
empty houses and grass grown streets. The
report may retard immigration by preventing
those desiring q change OF homes from COM
ing to Iowa. But men who have so little
confidence in the resources OF this great
Western State as TO be induced TO emigrate
| elsewhere under The conviction Of the truth
of the rumor, had better not come to Iowa.
The fact of the untold wealth of this State,
as exhibited In its exhaustless soil and we'll
watered surface alone, would be sufficient to
drive them into the speculation OF buying up
all the lands they could soc from the highest
knoll Of our undulatiBg prairies,--the rock ,
by the way, upon which many farmer split
during the excitement of 1856.
Notwithstanding the report, many persons
induced by interest or curiosity, or with .
few surplus dollars in their pockets and q
modicum of faith 10 their bosoms, ere visit.
ing US, and when they happen down in Daven-
pert, the great central entrance TO the State,
express as much surprise and cape with as
much astonisbment as Our immaculate self
did few weeks since, when one Saturday
evening we were dropped down in the whiIom
city OF Keokuk. We had read and heard 80
much of the terrible condition OF affairs 10
that city that we had almost persuaded our
self we should find the stores closed, houses
tenantless and the citizens, like the dogs of
Constantinople, preying upon one another
| and snarling at every passer by. 1
Keokuk has repudiated her Indebtedness,
said we, and has become reproach 30 all
upright and prompt paying corporations,
therefore mnst her trade have ceased, her
manufactures become silent and her citi-
zens idle. We walked through her main
street, and on every side saw fine buildings,
all occupied; huge stocks of goods and every
evidence of that prosperity which for years
has marked keokuk as one OF the great and
growing cities OF the West.
! If Keokuk be now dead, we reasoned,
what must she have been when alive2 We
felt no feeling of local jealousy, but pleased
to see q point, where those who seek our
State by steamboat, first reach it; the s.Gate
of lows"--as the lamsntsd John Russell
termed her before the double doors OF the
State were thrown open ID Davenport-in q
condition to favorably impress the stranger
|
thought, have gone ont than 10 relation &c
any other western city, and If she can sustain
herself under them and still present fair sid,
to the stranger, a view Of other cities of ths
behed West may remove them altogether.
We extended our walk up her prncipa
street TO the colossus hotel, which stands al
a monument of the folly to which even wis,
men will be led in 8 time OF general pros
perity. Unfinished, unfurnished and unoccu
pied, it stands overlooking the city, the rep
resentstive OF one hundrsd thousand dollar
badly, very badly invested. And where, i
we may except Dubuque, the especial favor
tie of the democratic Office holders of Iowa
who "there most did eongregate," wher
, is there CITY of like dimensions in the w est
that can show so little real advantage for o
large an amount OF money expcndedp Loo
at her Rapids-she car claim them as he
progenitor--how many thousands OF dollar
have been squandered in the vain effort t
improve them, and yet at this day they ar
; no better, no safer to navigate, than tw ent
years ago when first we crossed them at 10,
water without touching keel TO bottom. For
tunes have been expended there, and ho,
much more remains TO be invested ia the bot
tom of the Mississippi, We cannot tell.
government would really benefit the steam
DOht interest let III UulAl GaQhl AROUND 10
Rapids; that is the only way in which thes
distractions ever can be overcome. A
steamboat men would respond amen to thi
improvement, while to Keokuk it would ope
UP richer placer than the gold mines of th
Peak.
But we are of. Keokuk at this day, i
: spacious buildings and various avenues
wealth, is sign hung out at the corner G
Iowa to tell the passing traveller where On
day he may expect to find one OF the large.
cities in the West. A city, which, IL ths
/ canal be constructed, and no similar improve
!, ment be made at tue Upper Rapids, will
! called the Lowell of the West. Doll az Ket
kuk now is comparatively, a view of BIZ
= would satisfy any reasonable man that, th
! pressure of hard times removed, and she wi
: rebound with new elasticity. Follow up tn
river and look next upon Burlington, the
!, upon Muscatine, and lastly upon Davenpor
: and the stranger will be prepared to say, th,
. tho reports 80 indnstrieusly circulated at I'll
= East OF the pros,ration of Western towns,
not without foundation, are nearly so, or eli
the towns show an amount OF recuperatio
a as unexpected as praiseworthy.
TO The TINES. -- President Waylapd, in
"a discourse on the ncrissD delivered in Pro