The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-02-26

Some system of equal charges, IL any,
should be arranged for, and it is I'M
portant that Investigations and practi-
cal suggestions be made, with view
of securing the full advantages that
come from water transportation.
We must take another step far
Their, however, and provide proper fa-
/ cilities for handling freight on the riv.
er front. The days OF the roustahout
are gone. that is certain. Instead OF
expensive man labor We must do the
work of landing the freight by me-
ichanical means, either by the sys-
tenn of derricks in vogue abroad or
by the continuous chain. which was
used to some extent in elevatfng goods
/ from the hold of vessel to the deck,
/ or by some other method. do not be-
| lieve that we have experimental
enough in handling freight at the
/ wharves, and that a much better
method than any now used might be
secured.
Il remember in the old days, when
was with the Keokuk- Northern line,
we often carried heavy bags or boxes
distance of 500 feet right here on
this Davenport wharf We first lifted
our freight from the hold of our yes
sells by means of either the chain sys-
tenn or a niger engine, and then car
ried it by hand across the landing up
over the present railroad tracks, into
the store room, and back nearly to
Front street.
Needless to say, that method
would prove entirely too expensive at
the present day for any company to
even. attempt. Why, even at that
time, | tried to lessen the cost of la
Dor and time expended by building
warehouse right on to the river upon
large piles, to save the time, energy
and money expended in traversing the
intervening distance. If | remember
rightly, We saved the cost of the build
ing by the economy thus exercised.
The second year, however, the
river suddenly rose before the ice had
been floated away, and sweeping the
piles from beneath the warehouse
carried it away and demolished il.
That was the last time that we evel
attempted to build another warehous.
SO close to the Mississippi, although j
believe it has and is being done by
others in other cities.
THE identifying Of the river fronts.
will, of course, act as additional at
traction to visitors and travellers
along the rivers, as well as the pleas
ure it will afford the people of the
city itself. The present disreputable
appearance of most of the city fronts
along the mississippi should certain
~ be improved, and suppose that in
the course Of time they will be-
That the present style of river
boats could be improved is the opinion
of the captain So much has been
said pro and con in regard to the
various types of steamboats, proposed
that the opinion of the Davenport
river man win prove interesting.
No; | do not think that the So |
called Floating Palaces would proys
practicable, he replied in answer ia |
a question. In Gay opinion, the boat /
that would realls prove of the great
est advantage is a boat costing from
$4,000 to s100.D90, with a steel hull.
modern conveniences, and carrying
only the lightest kind of freight |
Fourth or fifth class freight could |
best be handled by tow boats or
barges. Have the tow boat loaded al |
the port awaiting the arrival of the /
steamer, and then hitch it on without !
resulting delay-one of the chief |
nulsances now encountered. The
boats must run on scheduled time
Tor, unless the people have confidence /
in the boats being there, they will I
not make plans for river trips. And /
this is far more important than wonld |
appear on the surface For the people !
10 look forward to trip must look
forward to the boats being there
speaking of the beauties of The
upper river, Captain Bryson spoke of
an article which he had seen in a RIO.
cent issue of river magazine CON /
corning the same subject. Among
tih6o ~ ctdAtu that large boats +
should be built to meet the great I
events that are in sight, such as the
keokuk dam, the Panama canal and
the Frisco exposition.
The Panama canal and the exposi. T
lion are on the rim of this continent. (
The Mississippi river is the center of
IT. The valleys of twenty-seven
states border on this river. Are our
visitors to see only the edges of this
great wonderland?
There are two million people liy-
ing on the banks of the Mississippi
river between st. Louis and st. PAM. I
The Mississippi river is, in its Vide
variety OF scenery, IS beautiful as
any stream in the world. Bayard Tay. /
ior on returning TO America from his
pedestrian trip abroad, came in 1854
10 Dubuque, Iowa, then the terminus
OF the Illinois Central railroad. and
went thence to St. Paul and Mime.
apolis by steamboat. In Minneap
ne stopped at the Nicolet hotel.
n !. t. q