The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-25
r. G. Marsh and r. w. Howard
Have Options on Nearly
One Thousand Acres Of
Land Across River.
MILLIONS ARE INVOLVED
Representatives Of Deering, Ar
1nour and Swift Are Meet
ing in Chicago Today to
Decide on Plans.

DVNA0V VIZ ! AOllSs
/,
The actual development Of Keokuk
and the surrounding territory was be-
gun today when Mr.. r. G. Marsh OF /
Warsaw, released the news that OPP
tions on one thousand acres OF land |
directly across the river from this
city would be taken up and the rec
lamation Of the river front started for
! the installation of an Industrial COM
munity.
This news is released with the
qualification that the matter Is under
discussion at meeting In Chicago
today and will be settled, without
doubt by early evening.
About s25o,ooo Will be involved in
1.-THE initial Investment in the deal,
which includes the taking up OF OPP
tion on nearly one thousand acres or
/ land directly across the Mississippi
river from Keokuk and just south or
i the city of Hamilton, Ill. About twen-
ty-five thousand dollars will be spent
IL the erection of a dixie, along the
4 river front for distance of mile,
! to protect the land that is to be re-
claimed through the efforts OF Mr..
Marsh and his associates.
4 According to the men interested in
the DEAL the possibilities of the de-
velopment of the tract are practically
unlimited and millions of dollars will
4 be ultimately invested in, the new in
4 dustrial community.
4 R. w. Howard, the associate of Mr.
Marsh in the reclamation project, Is
we'll known real estate man OF Chi
cago and has had the idea for some
time, having looked over the situa-
ton in company with L. G. Frey some
months ago. After the failure of the
aiplans of Mrsa4Frsy to. -materiaiize Mr..
Howard met M. Marsh In Chicago
j, last June and comparing notes it was
discovered that both had been work
4 ing on the same plan and that Marsh
held options that Howard could not
secure and visa-yersa. Marsh, while
actively engaged in the engineering
department of the water power COM
pany. had been assigned to look up
locations and data concerning an in
dustrial community and, after looking
over the country above and below the
dam. came to the conclusion that the
site below Hamilton was the only
feasible one. He had taken no action
in the matter, however, until after
his resignation from the water power
J company, which was brought about
by the necessity of personal atten
B ton to business interests in the east
1t was on one of his trips back here
that he met Howard in Chicago and
D the matter was reopened. They de
cided to pool their interests and as
Howard was familiar with the promo
ton of large land deals they came te
Warsaw and completed the details o.
their plans.
Securing the Options.
After the first details of the plar
. were made, the two men went abou'
the work OF securing the option.
g quietly and uncstentatiously and with
in a few weeks had secured the OPP
e tons on nearly all of the property.
2 The Wabash railroad was takel
u into their confidence and their co
II operation promised, together will
3 that of the Keokuk Industrial Asso
8 citation and the Hamilton Booster
IS club. The Wabash owns a smai
tract of land that will be made par
y Of the tract to be reclaimed.
Q Howard, in the meantime, had mad
4 numerous trips to Chicago and hal
Is interested the head of the Armou
a businesses, S. B. Chaplin, in the Pre-
. iect. After several interviews a
which the plans Of the men were dis
cussed and maps and drawings show
Mr.. Chaplin decided upon a persona
q. visit to the scene.
IN The visit of Mr. Chaplin was no
20 made until a few weeks ago, and a
I'd that time enough options had bee
! secured by Marsh and Howard to al
o. sure of their ability to deliver Their
III If they could interest the capital MI
Chapin stayed at the Marsh home
II. Warsaw for two or three days an
was taken over all the land covere
rk by the options and under considers
,a tfon AT the conclusion OF his visi
IS. he assured the two men that he wa
III well satisfied with the prospect an
he would do all In his power to financ
Oh the deal.
II. !, Two Plans Considered.
,e. Two plans were under considerable
We tby Mr. Chaplin. One Of these was
re handle the deal himself and the othe
ro was to interest the heads of sewers
other corporations in it. The lattt
Jet has proved to- be the one that he d
oidod unon for at the meeting in Oh