The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-21
The Signs Are Beginning to
Show Best Season Ever
Before Enjoyed.
MANY NEW STRUCTURES
And Many More to be Enlarged
or Improved Activities
All Over City.

l - 8 j
In view of the many new buildings
| in course of construction and the
many additions and home and business
house improvements all over the city,
| a hasty review of this progress may
not be counted amiss. 1t Is impossible
in this cursory glance at affairs to at
tempt anything like systematic, de-
tailed report of numberless improve
ments now going on and large num-
] Der which are in anticipation, the
plans of which have not developed far
enough to be given out.
| The season is very backward which
holds back the maturing of plans on
many contemplated new buildings and
the engagements and improvements
or others, but enough is known to as
sure the assertion that never before in
the history of the city have prospects
been brighter for the material growth
of Keokuk than In the present year
of 1912. Even this early when build
ing has been impeded by wintry wealth
err go to any part of the city you
may and the sound of the hammer and
saw is heard on new buildings or in
enlarging or improving the old. Just
so soon as the sun shines regularly
and the temperature becomes season.
able, there will be move all along
| the line. Over on the west side, in
what is Familiarity known as West
Keokuk, the same encouraging signs
OF activity appear.
4 And one great feature of the whole
! forward movement in the matter OF
building and progress is that there is
nothing spasmodic about it but pres
ages steady, prosperous growth, and
enlargement, builded on a foundation
of stone as strong and immovable as
the great water power dam which
rears its massive crest in front of us
And this growth is not surprising
The city is bound to grow. 1t can nc
more resist the force than a ship with
! sails unfurled can remain still
against the strong breath of stiff
gale.
Keokuk has something tangible to
| offer now in addition to her former
many natural attractions-and ad
/ vantages. The great water power is
an engine of progressive strength. 1t
lis furnishing the additional power to
push Keokuk's progress along sub
stantial lines, and the city could not
stand still if it would with all this
additional power behind it to push ii
along.
Building is not overdone in Keokuk
The fact is it is underdone. There
would not be within % per cent OF
enough residence property in the city
\ to accommodate the population, if
keokuk continued to live in normal
conditions, but it does not. In many
4 homes where boarders and roomers
We're never known before, they are
now accepted and find lodging. This
is the new Keokuk, become so by
force of circumstances. In many
cases homes are divided and two
families reside under the same roof
and in larger houses they are divided
among three or more families for light
housekeeping or for sleeping apart
ments while meals are taken else
where. AS the schoolboys used tc
say there's good deal OF 'scrougin
going on in Keokuk just now which
+ is proof conclusive that there has
been no over-building or building
boom in the city. If twenty-five pei
cent more houses were avaiiable III
Keokuk, no doubt they could be rent
ed to good tenants before the end Of
another week. Many men are work
ing in Keokuk, leaving their families
elsewhere because they cannot secure