The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-17

$50 sAs1t y "a S<-E0 Rle SQGt1x OF the
city TO join him All he wants to
know is as 10 What pays best in the
sam Of human happiness and com.
fort and success II is now being
demonstrated that in ali these things
the farm offers the best opportunities.
keokuk and the Dam.
Stanley Miller in Mt Pleasan, Free
Press. A visitor TO the town OF Keo-
xxx finds that the chief topic OF con.
versaIion is the dam However. don't
gel the idea that the town has gone
sTazy about IL Keokuk doesn't do
things that way. The town is con.
servative and contenteo. Some say
the town Vas placed there since the
Louisiana Purchase. but don't be-
lieFe it From the looks of the build
ings. both business houses and many
residences. think that it must have
been about the tine OF Alfred the
Great II IS but recently that some
OF the merchants Quit taxing down
their shutters in the morning and
putting them up al night. The store
fronts look about like the west side
OF the square IN Mt. Pleasant did ten
Years ago. But the town is content
ed and doesn't care.
Grand Avenue is the principal resi-
dence street of the town but don't
know why the street is called Grand
unless It's the grand view ron get
there OF the river. The street is not
wei kept and the people don't seem to
be overly careful the way they keep
their lawns. OF course / am making
due allowance for the time OF year.
The old Hubinger place up the river
is falling into decay 1t was once
show place in the town but il any one
goes there now it is because he has
read Rupert Hughes article, Looking
a Gift Horse in the Mouth or be-
cause the work on the dam attracts
him and takes him past the place.
u
southern town and the people have the
hospitality for which the south has
always been noted. Business has been
conducted along about the same lines
for the last fifty years. Innovations
are frowned upon. What was good
enough for father and mother is good
enough for the children We note this
about the business men They have
time TO talk: they make you feel vel
come. il you are a stranger, they treat
you civilly whether you deserve it or
not, so long as you act like human
being and show an average amount OF
intelligence. They are not like so
many men In towns which like to
boast OF their material progress. In
towns like that men say to you when
you meet them, II am glad to meet
you; but am busy today, and am
sorry that can't show you around.
The Keokuk man goes and shows
you around and then apologies for
taking up SO much OF your time, Do
you get the idea2 Real hospitality
and good fellowship. After all. isn't
that the real thing in life?
The town has a fine government
postoff1ce building It must have cost
a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The town also has many beautiful
churches 1t looks like church town,
and we don't know of a thing that IS
needed more than churches in Keo-
kuk. The saloons are well establish
ed in the affection of the town people
and we are told that even the preach
ers say they would rather have pres
emf conditions than Joints, under
prohibition. The saloons are reguiat-
ed and we are told that conditions
are better than they are usually which
there are open saloons. But I noticed
In The Gate City of the Sunday morn
Ing was there that a gambling Joint
had been raided. Ii seems that the
place has been running almost openly.
So ! am afraid the town is not only
conservative and contented, but also
naughty.
But in spite Of It's faults, believe
could learn to care for Keokuk. While
the residences and business houses
have an old appearance, nearly all
look substantial and out on Grand
avenue there are some mighty pretty
residences. There are others in other
parts of the city, for 1t is a town OF /
14,00s according to the last census,
and II the real estate dealers don't |
XII the boom by boosting prices out
IF sight It will have twice that many |
people in 1920