The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-02-24
KEoKUK AND ITs FUTURE.


he "Cedar Rapids l. Burlington Railroad. !"
Az this is matter that affects the future OF
an her people are Interested in
i. They manifest that interest. The leads
ing citizens of that city, lawyers, bankers,
merchants, business men generally, have put |
their hands to the enterprise, and vigorously
pres b. Public m6stknes ere Aald NseleU, I
and Sometimes oflener. The prssnt aGhuty |
in the matter, prevalent there, As explained |
by the Hawk-Eye thus
nThere will be meeting Of the incorporators
of the project from Cedar Rapida % keokuk va
Mt Pleasant, nj Iowa City on the 9th Of March,
and il is highly important that our people should
be prepsred by that time to say Just what We pro-
poss 10 do to induce johnson and Linn counties |
70 tam their efforts in this direction"
Is Keokuk less interested in this matter |
than Burlington? Yet what manifestation Is
there that Keokuk cares one icta whether IT
secures one mile more Of railroad in any dir
rection?
We know,.that this apathy has not been at
tended by the worst possible i'll results he>
okuk has valuable railroad connections with
the outer world. The Burlington "Commit-
tee of Fifteen appointed to enlist the sup,
port of Burlingtonians and the people OF
Des MONIES county, in behalf of the Cedar
Rapids road state thus our situation IN their
public appeal favoring the Cedar Rapids
road, in the Hark-Eye. They say;
ssour people for fifteen years have been disposed
to treat lightly the efforts of what we sometimes
hear called bankrupt Keokuk- Yet, they have
kept spegging away until they have succeeded in
completing 1871 miles of road 10 the capital OF the
state. directed by local interests in such way
that Burlington merchants have the hardest kind
of work TO control the trade they have formerly
had above ottumwa. This sarne rival to Burng-
ton is now looking in the direction Of 4ewa City,
via the Mt. Pleasant and Washington route, tax
ing from us the trade Of the rich and populous
counties of Henry and Washington, and judging
by the success of their past efforts, they will soon
or OF later accomplish their ends II pay be that
( Burlington, on account of her extraordinary geo
rrAph zeal petition may be Able b Withstand these
drains upon the trade that legtimately belongs to
her, and continue TO grow and prosper, but in the
opinion of this committee the question is st least
. debstabe one" ~n4
That is praise from rival. Yet the com
pletion Of that road to the capital was largely
due to individual enterprise; and very few
persons in keokuk seem now to care whether
or not we get that northern road, and with il
'the trade of the rich and populous counties
OF Henry and Washington. Bot keokuk is
largely interested in securing that road and
that trade. Thereby, too, alone can We get
the trade OF the northern and best part of this
county. The larger part of this county the
best agricultural portion of it, filed with
highly productive farms, and unsurpassed in
fertility of soil and the thrift Of the people, is
almost as alien to us as though it were IN
Canada. Its trade goes elsewhere. Keoknk
cannot expect that the future will Improve
nearly concerning our temporal salvation as
establishing business relations with the rich
est section of our own county, is neglected.
We know tina. public meetings do not build
railroads nor dig down mountains. Tha,
speeches will not build bridges nor establish
manufactures. The enthusiasm of the indi
yidual for wealth or position does not give
him either but IT is an indispensable pre-
requisite to the labor that viii bring them
The enthusiasm,of the town TO be prosper
GUS city will not make il, but if the tow
doesn't aspire to be a city it isu likely 10 bs
one. Nor will individual enterprise be likel,
10 do for any place that labor the place
doesn't care shall be done. !
We are not arraigning our citizens for thu
absence of enterprise. They have that. Gu
business men have extended their trad
throughout the Des MONIES valley, and mad
this one of the most active markets in tn,
State; have made our jobbing trade large
than Burlington. We complain because thu
enterprise is almost entirely private and indi
vidual Thisresults in good tot the whole city ",
know, but it isn't the highest atsainable good
We apprehend that keokuk will not begin I.
be permanently prosperous until it addsmor
public enterprise to its large private enter
prise.
Cities, no less than individuals, are the ar
chitects of their own fortunes. Whe war i
over; the country is settling into its genera
peaceful channels. Temporary dullness fol
lows inflated business and currency. Thi
must be of short duration. Then will com,
increased prosperity and steady growth to tn
Northwest and all sections Of the country
Iowa and its cities will shire that growth an,
prosperity. How it shall affect Keokuk, GU
city must decide. Keokuk, from its Location
and advantages, should, in the not far future
be without rival in the State. Work vii
doubtless be commenced upon the Rapids il
the coming season. Here will be twelv
miles of water-power, unsurpassed for man
nfacturing purposes. More than three mill
ions Of dollars will be spent in an enterpris
which should prove largely beneficial to neo
kuk. All through the State the people de
mand railroads. Those railroads will be tn
carriers of wool and grain, and other low
products, that if We can stop here and Civ
the producers the exchange desired, will Civ
employment TO constantly increasing labo
and capital. aud so give constantly increasin
wealth aud growth.
Here at the outlet, south and east, wh
should not large number of these railroad
centre? Private enterprise will have I
build those manufactures and railroads. an
use the capital and labor that shall make k,
okuk prosperous, but why should not publ
interest be felt and manifested that prival
enterprise should be SO directed?
THE PEOPLE MOVING IN ARKAysA
A Union Convention of the people of Il
State of Arkansas is called to meet at Iitt
Rock on the ID Of April, 70 take measures
restore harmonious relations with the &c
erai Government, and secure participation
its councils.
We trust that the Union men of Arkan,
viii exhibit tie spirit recently manifested
their brethren n tennessee, and follow tn