The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-10-31

Never, no never, has there been
such a popular organization in this
city, as the Keokuk Lantern Club, or
ganized but few days ago and in
which the membership now numbers
easily 500 citizens.
Over $50 members are shown on
this page and there are great many
other members whose names were not
secured.
There never was club in keokuk
in which the members so much enjoy,
ed their membership and during the
short existence of the Club, but one
unpleasant feature came up and that
was the suspension of member for
conduct unbecoming gentleman.
The Keokuk Lantern Club was or
ganized on Thursday, October % when
The Gate City, which was secured as
the official organ, issued call to all
patriotic citizens to come to the aid
of darkened Keokuk by hanging out
lighted lanterns in front of their
homes, or if they had incandescent
lights upon their porches, to leave
them burning during greater portion
of the night.
When the street lights were put out
of commission by the accident at the
plant, it became necessary for some
thing to be done in Keokuk to dlspel
the inky blackness of the nights and
the Keokuk Lantern Club was form
ed
When the appeal was made to the
citizens of Keokuk, there was
prompt reply, for Keokuk people are
liberal, energetic, sympathetic and
everything else thinkable. The Ian
terms sprung out like lightning bugs
In bog and each night there were
more lanterns hung cut until at the
present time there is hardly street
In town which is not illuminated every
night by many lanterns. Some OF
the members of the club leave their
lanterns burn all night.
But there is hardly any use to re-
peat what everybody in Keokuk knows
about the formation of the club and
its purpose Everybody knows about
the club and everybody appreciates
Its splendid work
Remarkable Growth.
The club was organized on Thurs
day when the announcement was
made and The Gate City was secured
as the official organ.
On Friday evening there were II
members printed in the paper
On Saturday evening, the member
ship had jumped to "A.
When Monday evenings paper came
out. there were $50 members enrolled.
On Tuesday. the official organ had
printed 236 names
Wednesdays list brought the mem
bership uD to a21.
Thursdays list made a total of $40.
Last evenings official organ made
the list go past the $50 mark by a
good margin and tonight's issue shows
for itself.
No organization has made such
gains in Eeokuk. unless it be the re
publican party. or the subscription
list of The Gate City. 1t was a re
markable growth by remarkable
organization.
Serious for Moment.
While the Keokuk Lantern Club has
been a jolly organization, if it |:
thought of in serious strain, it viii
be seen that it really has done, ant
is doing, a great deal of good
There was a method in the madnes!
of exploiting the club in humorou
vein, for in that way the people too,
hold of the matter good naturally ant
possibly the results We're better thar
had the first suggestion been mad
In all seriousness.
Those people who hung out liant
ems and thus became members of tn
club, We're anxious to read about tn
club and took more interest in tn
Illumination of Keokuk.
There is no question but what tn
hanging out of lanterns in Keokuk tn
past few days, has prevented man
accidents and possibly crimes. TIL
Keokuk Lantern Club has lighted tn
way"
At first the efforts OF the Keoku
Lantern Club We're taekn as a kind c
joke, but as the really benea i.
help of the club became seen, tn
smiles died down and everybody joil
ed hands and declared the 1-eoku
Lantern Club to be great and goo
institution.
With five hundred Keokuk peop
all interested in the club, the schen
has become the talk of the town ar
there has seldom been such intere
In one thing as there has been in Il
famous Keokuk Lantern Club.
The officers.
But enough of seriousness. T
members of the Keokuk Lantern CT
believe In two things-light a
smiles-and they would rather re
about the meetings of the board
directors, than read about the go
being done by the club.
Who are the officers of this clu
Who are the directors who have n