The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-11-10

two upper locks, is a greater under
taking and hundreds of men are at
work.
The work attracts the attention of
the people and the bluffs are fav.
orite spot of Keokuk citizens who have
fine view there Of the many men at
work.
River excursions from Quincy and
burlington come every Sunday during
the season, bringing large crowds of
people who watch the progress being
made.
Winter Work.
The work has been planned and car
r1ed out SO that there is no delav
when the winter of 1909 comes. Most
of the exposed work has been com
pleted and the dam is dotted with
wooden sheds, In which the men are
enabled to continue the work. The
power house walls and roof are fin
ished and workmen are busy on the
inside despite the snow storms and
bitter winds of winter. The work of
wrecking the locks and removing what
stone is needed from the canal wall,
is suspended during the winter time
but the work on the dam Is continued.
Work began On April and 1t is now
the first day of December. For eight
months the work has gone steadily
on with as large force Of men as is
possible to be worked
Ice has formed on the river and the
ground is covered with snow. A
pontoon bridge has been erected to
give the workmen a passage way to
the power house and dam and every
morning, hundreds of men go to their
work.
Some of the men are living in Keo-
kuk. On the Illinois side, near the
shore is large frame boarding house
where fifteen hundred men eat and
sleep. Most of them come over to
Keokuk on Saturday night.
Placing the Machinery.
When the following spring comes,
great progress has been made and the
machinery is arriving from the found
ries to be installed The turbines are
placed In position and the engines are
being set up. This work calls for
another set Of men Most of the com
mon labor has finished It's work and
many of the masons have left, the dam
having been completed.
The government has ceased its work
of removing rock, for the river has
now drowned out the canal too deep
for work. The railroad company has
been at work all winter and has its
line completed.
The lock has been completed and
one fine June day there comes down
the river the largest boat on inland
waters. another monster built at
Dubuque and foated down. 1t goes
through the lock under its own steam
and does not have to come here half
as did other big boats be-
fore the lock was enlarged.
Laying the Gable.
While the finishing touches are he
ing put to the water power plant let
is look at another contract below the
city. The men are already within the
2ity limits with this work which at.
sracts considerable attention. They
are LAYING the great cable from St /
Louis to Keokuk. by which the power
will be transmitted
This cable is not being stretched
lpon poles, but is being placed In a !
conduit which is being laid along the
liver shore. A large force of men dig
he trench along the stakes laid ont
by the engineers. Back of them a
nile comes another force of men who 7
ay in the tile conduit and behind them
s another force which puts the cable |
nto the conduit. Still another force
ollows, throwing in the dirt in the I
he trench.
What of Keokuk during all this
,usy time?
Let the dream of Keokuk's prosper /
ty and hustle, be told in another |
hapter