The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-04
Commercial Exchange Passes a Reso-
luton Endorsing the Enterprise
and Offers Assistance in Pro-
noting the Project.
WOULD HELP THAT CITY
Hawk.Eye in Editorial Comments
Most Favorably and Wishes the
Project Speedy success-Will
be a Big Boost.

Is arousing a decided interest all over
the country, and especially SO in cities
near Keokuk. The friendliness of
Burlington to the proposition was ex-
pressed most emphatically Monday by
the Commercial Exchange at the noon,
day luncheon when commendatory
resolution was passed and on offer OF
assistance extended, should Burling-
ton have the power to do so.
Mr., H. S. Rand offered a resolution
that the president be instructed to
communicate with the Commercial Elk
chnge of Keokuk regarding the water
power project, and inquiring whether
the Burlington Exchange can be OF
any assistance in promoting that pro-
ject.
The resolution was heartily and un-
aninously approved.
Speaking editorially of the action
of the Exchange the Hawk-Eye says
editorially in this mornings issue:
That was timely and appropriate ac
ton which was taken by the CONNER
cial Exchange at the noon luncheon
yesterday, endorsing the Keokuk wa
ter power project and rendering any
assistance which Burlington can CON
tribute toward it's success. The rcso-
luton of that purport which was Of
fered by Mr.. Rand, and which was
unanimously and heartily approved, re-
fleets the universal sentiment of Bur.
lington people. Not only that kindly,
neighbor'y feeling which ought always
to prevail among contiguous commune
ties prompted the action of the Bur
lington business men in this matter.
but commercial and industrial con
siderations Of prime Importance, ana
Of value limited not merely to Keo-
kuk and Burlington, Influences public.
opinion locally. The proposition TO
dam the great river at the foot OF the
rapids is of far-reaching value to a
wide area of territory in the upper
Mississippi valley. That which once
would have been visionary and i'm
practicable has now become through
the wonderful development Of electric
al science and new methods Of utiliz-
ing water power, not only mechanical
~ practicable, but of high commercial
utility.
The great dam at Keokuk will rival
the Niagara Falls power development
and will rank among the great EN-
gineering feats of the world. And that
it will be of inestimable value to this
section of the west is beyond the field
of controversy. The subtle power
generated at Keokuk can be delivered
i'll Burlington at cheaper cost than
steam power plants can furnish it. 1t
can be marketed at Quincy, Hannibal
and other river towns as far south as
St Louis, and north to Muscatine and
Davenport, Rock Island and Moline
and to inland towns and farms and
country residences in southeastern
Iowa, northwestern Missouri and west
ern Illinois.
"In my Judgment the Keokuk water
power will be the best thing for Bur
lington of anything we can get" said
leading bank president yesterday af-
ternoon after the adoption of the Rand
resolution by the Commercial Ex-
change,
Tt will add ten thousand to our
population" said a prominent manu-
factnrer. These sentiments were echo.
ed by others and are the basis of the
popularity of the enterprise, not only
in Burlington, but at Fort Madison
and other Mississippi valley cities and
towns that will be benefited by a
cheap power and by the development
OF the varied industries that vii, in
eyitably result. If electricity can be
used so extensively as 1t is now, at
present cost of production, what will
be the. limit of its practical uses when
greatly cheapened by substituting
water for steam power, merely using
the vast force of nature now going to
utter waste over the rocks of the Des
Moines rapids?
The project is one which also will
greatly benefit river navigation, and
that alone gives it great merit. 1t Is
an undertaking that will benefit the
whole country, and Burlington wishes
it speedy success.