The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-06-13

Hollis w. Field, staff correspondent,
in Chicago Sunday Tribune: Dbl
the Des Moines rapids!" has been an
expletive phraseology in the mouths
of the old captains, pilots, and crews
of steamboats, in the upper Mississippi
river for hundred years.
Dam the Des Moines rapids is the
present philosophy voiced by almost
every resident of Keokuk, Iowa, whose
old city COTS its name from the Indian
designation, the foot of the rapids.
After ten years of activity preparing
for the damming of the rapids with
two ms work is under way toward
construction of this second largest
power producing dam in all the world.
With it's 100000 horse power capacity,
it will exceed everything of the kind
save the combined forces at Niagara,
while the dam itself, presenting ce-
ment monolith across the mile wide
river between Keokuk and the little
town of Hamilton, ILL.,, is comparable
only with the great irrigating dam
across the Nile.
Keokuk at the moment is on the
tiptoe Of expectancy. Work has be-
gun and is growing rapidly on the
Hamilton side of the river River in
terests are backing the work; both
houses of congress gave unanimous
consent to its building; former Presi-
dent Roosevelt, with the governors of
{,-i,z
the rapids in 1907 and decided upon
its tremendous utility in navigation.
And now that signs of the beginning
are to be seen from the bluffs at Keo-
kuk, the Illinois bluffs at Hamilton
are an attraction for field glasses in
the hands of the Keokukians, conserv-
alive as they are in this ninetieth year
of the city's establishment.
Bright Vision of Renaissance.
1t is something to excite the imagi
nations of river towns on the upper
Mississippi. Steamboating in its palm
lest days found Keokuls the Gate City
to Iowa and the west, simply because
of the innate deviltry of the Des
Moines rapids From the lower
reaches of the river boats from New
Orleans, st. Louis, and from the trib
of these rapids. Later, when the rail
roads came and the steamboat
dwindled on the upper Mississippi. thu
Des Moines rapids we're ID witt
an "n'' in it. Damming it now witt
two ms Keokuk has its visions o
renaissance of the old steamboatin
days, together with its central pFac
in the distribution of more electri
water power than almost any othe
city in the world.
Expenditures of probably s20,00000
In the work of building in the mex
four or five years are stimulating tn
expectancy of local business whicl
has reason to count upon the feeding
clothing, housing. and @incidentals
that the army of the builders must re
quire.
And thereafter, with water powe
fixture in the great river generatin
100000 electric horse power and q
the same time drawing" the De
Moines rapids to a standstill for NOR
than forty miles above Keokuk, th
population of the Gate City of low
and all the upper river towns is o
the dui vive.
demonstrating the greatest rive
in the country" they are asking
Does it mean bringing back the Of
days OIL the river?"
Some authorities say it does mea
all OF that; others feel that the ra
roads have assumed the old burden
of the river traffic past all recall. Ho'
ever this may be, Keokuk will be sa
istied to be the center of attention
contributing by means of electrical G
ergy the vast horse power OF the 0
rapids, probably to towns and citi
within radius Of 200 miles.
Lost Water Power Long consider.e
The fact is that Keokuk has been
little dippy over the lost water pow
that has been passing its dooryar
since its first white mans cabin "
built in 1920. A. E. Johnstone, pre-
dent of the Keokuk Savings bank, |
III his possession blank certifci
of stock in the mississippi River
provement association formed
1S4S, with capital Of $1,000,000.
objects mainly were to improve III
cation and harness the water po
that might be DEVELOPED in the
cess.
Today the Keokuk and Hand
Water Power company, with office
Keokuk and in Hamilton and ac
under an Illinois charter in its fol
ton. will be quite satisfied to ga
in the enormous water power of
Des Monies rapids; after which, il
old steamboating days on the J
choose to return, they will be
coined. For in building the {
forty foot 700 feet in lens
the twelve mile stretch of the
MONIES rapids will have disappe
for all time-drowned to death
leaving it up to the shipper and 7
steamboat comDanies to decide