The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-26
Christian and HedrIck OF Des Moines
Do Not Care to Enter Into Com.
petition With Other Hotel
Propositions.
WERE READY TO BUILD
But Receiving Assurances That the
Water Power River View Hotel
Is to Become Reality They
Withdraw,

Withdraw,
Messrs. Christian and Hedrick, Of
Des Moines, lessees of the Hotel Keo-
kuk, We're in the city again today in
regard to the hotel situation. In all
probability they will not build hotel
in Keokuk. They came to Keokuk
with the intention of building mod
ern 1875 room hotel at cost of $685.
600 on their own ground at the cor
ner of Blondeau and Fourth streets,
the old Ruth property but on inyesti-
cation decided not to do 80. Messrs.
Christian and Hedrick are hotel oper-
ators, not builders, but they were
ready to build a hotel in this city
provided they were the only ones
who intended to do so. They take
the position that for the present one
hotel will suffice and that 1t will be
a profitable investment. Since inves-
tigating they find that other hotel
propositions are being seriously con-
sidered and one at least with every
assurance that it will soon become a
reality hence they have abandoned
their place. Mr.. Christian told Gate
City reporter this morning that he
had been ready to build hotel here
for several months bat that the pos
.sibility that another hotel would be
built dissuaded him and consequently
he made this final trip to Keokuk to
ascertain, If possible, whether anoth-
er hosiery was probable. He finds
that it is and will not invest his
money in this city in hotel property.
The lease on the Keokuk hotel runs
for a littl- more than two years.
That Other Hotel.
The other hotel proposition that
Mr.. Christian considers as very
strong probability is the one proposed
more than year ago by the water
power people to be built on the river
bluff and for which ground was pur
chased and is still in the possession
of the water power people-an invest
ment of about $4,000. 1t was posi-
lively learned this morning that this
proposition has been in no sense
abandoned and that those interested
are actively engaged in formulating
plans which will result in getting for
KeoEuk one of the finest hotels in
this part of the state to cost about
100000. In this plant Keokuk
will invest $4,000 and the water pow
er people similar amount. Tt is
known that the water power people
feel certain that hotel on this river
view site will steadily increase in
popularity and become a very profit
able one, answering both commercial
and tourist purposes, and with Keo-
kuk steadily growing in Importance
and becoming one of the sightseeing
places in this country a very profit
able patronage will be attracted and
at the same time the hotel can amply
take care of general commercial bust
ness. Several different hotel men
have been considering the river view
location. When the hotel is built DIT
will be furnished at a cost of not less
than $4,000 and placed in the hands
Of an up-to-date management. These
facts were learned today from a gen
tleman who is acquainted with every
move in the project and Hho states
positively that the river view hotel
will become g reality. IA hotel oper-
ater was in the city today comforting
with water power people.
Increased Accommodation Needed.
Next year the Iowa State Manufac-
turers' Association will hold its an
nual convention here and from 1000
to 1900 visitors are expected. Other
conventions are already scheduled for
Keokuk and the regular line of visi-
tors will constantly increase. The
hotel facilities have been insufficient
fhis year to accommodate all the pat
ronage offered and it is well known
that additional facilities are badly
needed. That this situation is to be
met and that through the assistance
of the water power people. is addi-
tional cause for congratulation that
Keobuk is getting the dam and get
ting it from an organization that has