The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-28
a LOOK AHEAD.

A LOOK AHEAD.
On his return from recent visit
to Carthage Hon. H. N. Wheeler, the
talented editor OF the Quincy Journal.
published in that paper a fine apprecia-
ton OF Hancock county In general
and Carthage in particular. The ar
ticle attracted the attention, among
others, of Mr.. e. w. Kirkpatrick of
Lawton, Okla, who was born and
reared near Carthage. Mr.. Kirkpat-
rick writes to the Journal to endorse
all Editor Wheeler said about the
beauty Of Hancock county scenery,
the fertility OF Hancock county
soil and the intelligence of Han
cock county people, but he seri-
ously doubts If the people liv-'
Ing there fully realize what a para
disc they have. He is confirmed in
this opinion by the way people
in general Hancock county people,
presumably. among the number
rush of in search of new locations. In
this connection he writes:
Il want to call the attention Of many
OF my old friends in both Adams and
Hancock countie~ to the fact that,
when some new strip of Indian land
"opens up anywhere in the West, or
some irrigation project is advertised,
that thousands of people flock to that
place in search of wealth, hoping to
get something for nothing, and no
doubt manyssof Adams and Hancock
counties people are among that NUM-
ber Forgetting what they have at
home, they are likely to find out later
that they were like the man who
walked around the world hunting for
a four-leafed clover, and at last on
his return there was one right in his
own yard. This is possibly their
| case
Mr.. Kirkpatrick insists that Okla
homa is all right and says 1t is de-
veloping rapidly, 'but when one COM
pares any western country with such
as you have in Illinois, 1t is like
standing little boy by the side OF a
giant" The same may be said of
any western country in comparison
with Iowa.
Not the least interesting and impor-
tant part Of Mr.. Kirkpatrick's letter
| is that in which he suggests what is
| likely to follow the development of the
Keokuk and Hamilton water power.
Coupled with his prediction is the
advice to buy property while it can
be had at present prices. Here Is
what he says:
"If one will stop to consider what
the future is for Quincy. and Garth
age. when that water-power is com.
pleted at Hamilton, he must &C.
knowledge that property in such
towns is now simply nothing in price
! to what it will be then.
ITO those who have not enough
money to buy property in Quincy, OF
Carthage, or land Whereabouts at the
] Or lent prices, then that one must
come west, or be content with look
! ing at the other fellows property
But to those who would ever OWL
property in your part of the country
they should buy now or forever after
hold their tongues 1t has be my
pleasure to travel this country of ours
over from the Atlantic to the Pacific;
desirable property at such low prices
4 as can now be obtained around the
square in Carthage. Wouldn't it be
snap to buy business property on
the square at Carthage and have II
double in value within short while.
Now that is just about what will hap
pen. and the same is probably true in
1 Quincy"
With the completion of the water
power dam Mr.. Kirkpatrick predicts
that Quincy will have 100000 popula
ton and the people of Carthage yil
4 awaken to find their beautiful little
city correspondingly increased IN
size. Property now available at q
reasonable price will then be entirely
out of reach of the man with a mod
est competence. Editor Wheeler en-
dorses these predictions. He says In
commenting upon Mr.. Kirkpatrick
letter that the Mississippi valley is
jus. getting started = the way of de
velopment, and that the man does
not live that can draw truthful pic
ture of what the upper Mississippi
valley be fifty years hence. 1t is bu
fairly we'll discovered. Mr.. Wheeler
has thorough knowledge of present
conditions and tendencies, with SOUND
y judgment as to what they mean fol
7 the future. No apology is needed fol
quoting him at length on the subject
as follows:
Much has been accomplished dur
ing the last sixty years, but vastl,
more will be accomplished during thu
next fifty, because we have all tina
has been done in this country durin,