The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-24
MONTROSE MUST
GET BUSY now
Its Council Has Until Tomorrow Mid.
night to Accept Offer Of Wa
ter Power Company to
Make Improvements.
DELAY BY ALDERMEN
Believed that the City at Head Of the
Rapids VIII Take Action in Time
to Avoid Loss From Fur
ther Delay.

A queer situation is on at Montrose
caused by the difference in speed
ideas of the water power company,
and the city council of the flourishing
town at the head of the Des Moines
rapids.
The result is, that unless the Mont
rose council gets busy and passes a
certain ordinance by tomorrow mid
night Montrose will lose big lot
ever the courts decree as damages for
the flooding of some streets near the
river.
For months, the offer of the water
| power company to build wharf,
certain bridges and roads, as well as
some minor things, has been held up
by a few aldermen. This Is said to
be out of harmony with public senti-
ment up there. At any rate, the
company, several weeks ago, notified
| the council formally that its offer is
| withdrawn unless accepted on or be-
fore September 25,
That means that it must be accept
/ ed before midnight tomorrow, or it
will be too late.
The offer is considered very lib
eral one in harmony with the great
| friendliness that exists between the
company and Montrose. All the delay
| In accepting it has been caused by a
few aldermen for reasons that are not
apparent. The talk has been about
4 IF oin in a
building of the bridges and the like.
The people generally agree that the
water power company's engineering
and improvements are at least equal
to anything any city engineer can plan
and execute. Hamilton, for instance.
is delighted with the work done by
the company in some of its streets.
Has Settled With All Owners.
The company has settled with all
the private land owners it affects by
either overflow or the moving of the
railroad tracks. 1t has given the
; town new cemetery because it over
flows a part of the old one, and has
arranged with the city and church
authorities for the cemetery removal
1t has arranged amicably for the re
moval of a large canning factor,
from below the flood line to a new
and high location. Everything is done
1 at Montrose except regarding somt
street matters near the river ant
where the new railroad tracks will be
j All the company asks is that thes'
7 streets be vacated. An ordinance t,
4 do this in return for a big lot of pub
i lie improvements has been hangini
i fire in the Montrose council 70
q months.
q Finally, the company wrote formal
\ ly that its offer to make the i'm
4 cepted by Monday midnight.
\ Expect Action In Time.
a At the company offices here 1t wa
4 said that the company thinks Mon
rose aldermen do not realize th
speed with which things are bein
q done in building the dam and no
d some matters must be closed up wit
r in a certain time, for the conve
fence of the company 1t was state
4 that it is believed that the coune
h will act before midnight on Monde
z and stated also that the notice give
Il to the council is very much in ear
n est and will be lived up to to II
q letter and the minute by the col
n pany
3 The other way out is for the COZ
n pany to food the land and move t