The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-07-12

L
| General Butler, and the committee Of which
he is chairman, will be entitled to the graft
tude of the present generation and of pos.
terity, if they can solve the mystery.
| "MAJ. HENRY BRowNEn writing from this
point to the Des MONIES Register gives the
following;
| SCENES IN KEoKUK.
Next morning notice appeared in the
| GATE CRY, saying that Major Henry Browne,
a raving Bohemian, was stopping for a few
days at the Tepfer House This let the Su-
perintendent know where to find me. and
soon received q request to call at his Office
and have matters amended. My motto is
"never despair" So down went, and into
the office boted. Found Mr.. Williams
| alone, with his clerks. In good natured
way, he told me it was all joke. Said he
wanted to offend no one, but finding by my
letters that Twas inclined to make jokes when
could and that | accepted people as |
found them, of course he wanted to help
carry on the fun. But that being all over
now, he would show me his locomotive and
car shops. | told him that | would be glad to
see them, and that | would call in the after,
noon for that purpose.
| now stroled over the high bluff next to
the Mississippi, to view the fine residences
and charming scenery along the Father of
Waters
Tired Of tramping around, | went back to
my hotel, (the Tepfer House.) The perfect
cleanliness, the perfect order, the perfect sys-
tenn, the perfect courtesy, of this great hotel
are delightful The suave and kindly clerk,
Mr. &c
fort, so entirely friendly, and cheerful, and
cordial, that you are certain in two minutes
that he was your elder brothers bosom
friend, and has known you from your cradle,
and your heart goes out with him.
Afternoon found me again in the Superin-
tendents office. The shops are about %
miles from here. | was placed on an engine
and taken to them. | was introduced to the
Master Mechanic, Mr.. Sellers, and by him
shown all through the locomotive works,
They compare very favoraby with eastern
shops. The numerous drills, planes, lathes,
trip hammers, moulding machines, &C., &c.
we're all busily engaged. Everything in per.
feet order. Not man idle. There were
locomotives in all stages of construction;
some nearly ready for the road, others half
done. aud still others only commenced
Then again, three or four were undergoing
inspection, being repaired where needed, and
some new improvements put on. All the
work is first class. none but men of expert
ence are employed, and the great benefit thus
derived is in the few breaks and few acci,
dents happening to the rolling stock ems
ployed on this road.
lie invited me up stairs to his Office, and |
had n pleasant chat with him. The table was
covered with drawings and models in various
stages of progress. Here is the place the
head work is done. Here where the new i'm.
proyements first come to light.
The book containing the names of his en-
gineers was brought out. AS he read them
over to me, he kept descriptnu of them
and the time they had been in his employ.
1t ran something like this Il have forgotten
the names. but that matters not): No |.
This man have known for fourteen years
has been in my employ ten. No 2. | have
known this fellow ten years; have EMPLOYED
him nine. Nc. }. Here is a man sent for
soon after coming to Iowa, have employed
him twelve years. No. f. This fellow used
him Oft now and he does well, known him
nine years, employed him the same.
He read over the whole list, and they ran
as above. So you have the key to the great
success of the d. v r. K. He told me that
he paid his engineers more wages than they
paid on any Eastern road, and at the same
time had less expense in proportion. Reason
why. He had careful men that looked to the
interest of their employers. He said he
could not ask for better men. They were all
friends to each other, and peace and harmony
reigned throughout. There has never been a
collision on the road. Never been but two
passenger cars thrown from the track.
SuchSis slight sketch of the Des Moipes
Valley Railroad
did not have time to visit the car-shops
but was informed that a new passenger coach
was almost completed, and would be seen in
Des Mones IN few days. They we're buy
ing any quantity oil lumber for the construc.
ton of cars and new shops. ANY person
visiting keokuk would fiud it to their adyan.
tage TO visit these works. Many things of
interest can be seen, and social chat NAV
be had with an intelligent and wide>awake
Yankee.
The Mt. Pleasant Free Press TINS narrate
the exercises at the Insane Asylum on the
Fourth Of July
We do not remember ever to have spent a
Fourth of July as pleasantly and proftably
as the one just past. We accepted an invita-.
lion from DR.. Ranney. Superintendent of the
Hospital for the Insane, to be present on the
occasion of the celebration of the day ut the /!
Asylum. which we were more than hapry to
do. The Doctor, with his gentlemaniy As
sistaits, Drs. Bassit and Dudley. adopted I'm
admirable plan for the observance of the cav.
aevoting the preparations to the comfort and
pleasure of those of the patients who were
able to enjoy and appreciate the exercises |
prepared for them. The original programme
was frustrated by the rain which fell about 2 |
o'clock. 1t was the intention to have the ex
ercises conducted in the beautiful grove ON |
he grounds, but in consequence Of the show
,r the chapel was resorted to and the SEQUEL |
was all any one could desire. After the pa. |
tents had all been seated DIR. Ranney intro |