Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-29
up TO TIE PEOPLE,
WATER POWER COMPANY TO.
BUILD BIG DAM AT kEoKUK
BUYING RIGHT OF WAY
Are Willing to Pay For All Land Need
ed, But Want 1t at Reasonable
Price-Work May Begin in Ninety
Days.

Keokuk, May 26.-It is now up to
the people who own the land which
it will be necessary to overflow to say
whether the greatest engineering
enterprise ever attempted in the west
will be a reality or abandoned for all
time to come. j. P. Allen, #
New York, representing Hugh L.
Cooper in confidential capacity, Is in
the city for the purpose of letting the
people know just what the situation
is. Within a few days corps Of
engineers will arrive and determine
exactly how much land is needed for
the accomplishment of the purpose
for which the Keokuk and Hamilton
Water Power company was organized.
The trustees of this company, all Of
whom are representative business
men, will give their valuable services
absolutely free, the object being to
secure options on the lands which it
will be necessary to acquire, and
which must and will be absolutely ac-
quired, before the actual work Of con-
struction OF the dam is begun.
Do Not Ask Contributions.
Mr.. Cooper, and his associates are
not asking one cents contribution
from any one. They have ample cap
ital and propose to buy and pay for
the right-of-way they must acquire.
But they do not propose to be held up
by those who happen to own what lit
tie land it will be necessary for them
to hold a title to. They are willing
to pay reasonable price, but not
an exorbitant one.
If the property. which the water
power company must necessarily own
can be acquired at price which is
within the bounds of reason, Mr.. AL
len is authorized to say that the worl
Of construction Of the dam will be be
gun within ninety days after thu
right-of-way is secured.
Messrs. A. e. tombstone, William
Logan and G. P. Dadant have under
taken to do the work of securing the
right-of-way for the men who have the
money with which to carry the work
through with rush, once 1t is begun.
1t rests with the property owners now
If they are public spirited they will d
the right thing when it comes to sig
ing contracts, otherwise the probe
will be abandoned. There must be n
have already spent many thousands {
dollars in making careful and e1
haustive preliminary investigation.
Gard From the Trustees.
Last evening the trustees of the Keo
kuk and Hamilton Water Power CON
pany gave out the following, which i
self-explanatory.
]. P. Allen, representing Hugh L..
Cooper and his syndicate, ar
rived in the city this morning. Mr..
Allen has taken up the matter of dam
ages to overlooked lands. Mr.. Allie
was the bearer of a letter from MI
Cooper in which he says that he will
put corps of engineers in the fielt
within the next ten days to make the
necessary surveys and show the line
to where the water will come when I'll
dam is built. That the Keokuk al
Hamilton Water Power company musL
secure options on the land to be over
flowed; that if this problem can be set
tied satisfactorily. that wok will be
commenced within ninety days after
the right-of-way is secured. That if
this cannot be done at reasonable cos
the project will be abandoned. MI
Cooper says further that he Is willing
| to pay reasonable and fair prices for
all land taken or property damaged,
but will not submit to any extortion,
and that we must secure contracts
from owners of adjacent property at
agreed prices, SO he can make an esti-
mate Of the cost of same-that If this
cannot be done it will show that the
people do not care for the improve.
ment.