The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-12
PUBLIC OPINION
How to Make Keokuk Retail Market

INV TO Make Keokuk a Retail Market
Town.
Ia the Editor of The Gate City:
Your recent editorial on the subject
: n; i.teo.eperatien" should have aWak
ened the slumbering to realization
that in union there is strength
united house will stand and a divid
Cd enc will fall.
The following clipping from The
Gate city should arouse interest and
awaken and quicken the conscience of
every business man who is after mon
ey and it is fair to suppose that it
what all are after.
If Keokuk is to be made a trad
ing point, the train service on few
Of the railroads entering this city
must be improved II the retail
merchants will direct their ef-
forts toward better train sched-
ule they will witness an improve
ment in business Hundreds OF
people who wish to come to this
city to trade are prevented from
doing SO by unfavorable accommo
dations.
Here are few ideas how to build
up the retail trade and make "Keo-t
! kak the market town" Whose duty is
It to look after this? All the retailers
IN keokuk, Not the president and
secretary and treasurer of the Retail
ers Association; but all:
First The matter of constructing a
bridge across the Des Moines river just
south of where the Santa Fee railroad
crosses from Clark county to Lee
county was under consideration by the
supervisors of both counties; but the
people who We're going to get the re
suit financially, took no interest in the
matter. The farmers Of Clark county
were looking for an outlet for their
produce and grain without making a
detour to the bridge which crosses the
same river south of Keokuk. But for
some reason no organization became
interested and the very practicable
business getter has gone glimmering
until some day when it is brought up
again by some live bunch who want
Hade This is valuable asset and
me bridge would make it easy for
hlndreds of farmers and people from
. .hissourl to get to keokuk and trade
II Is rich country, valuable farms
ana fertile and well populated, but nc
way TO enter Keokuk.
Idea No. 2. While the canal wall
was up no ferry could we'll be operat
g ana ind landing above the bridge
.as current over the rapids was swift
ieoay Lake Cooper is still body OF
water with fine landings at any point
" ooth shores. A ferry operated from
soout the foot of the Anschutz road to
Ie nose or point on the Illinois
ahofe at the bend of the shore where
'ls road comes down from the hill
opehs up territory which will bring
7. - to Keokuk. Within an area
= a few miles are practically 225
~ ,qaare miles tributary to Keokuk
ms would give Nauvoo an outlet to
Aeokuk for eight months in the year
Y Terry and put them within few
,anes 81 a first class trading and ship
pns point To go to the present
..luse IS an all day trip In this terri.
~ we nave some of the richest farm
! ~ IN Illinois, 1t might be the cause
I. developing Nauvoo to have a daily
v 80, Terry and barge plying between
!, and there. Nauvoo might con.
t.s tearing down the Chinese WALL
An around It, Warsaw at first
i, soasnt an interurban electric was go
4. 70 ruin them. but the result has
i, Just the reverse. It's most valu.
,s ivy asset today is the hourly car sys-
Il. hse are two splendid opportuni-
e ,ss 70 develop trade and open up
asa'itry and bring people who do not
= W heokuk very often ON account
tln Ae long detour and great length of
maa :. taxes But Lake Cooper has
49,, ,aaue " possible to establish landings
III p ulinslng produce, and people, from
ana POINTS above the dam to Keokuk
ste.a eae Jay VIII come when some live
bns,a npoat man will awaken to all the
barsa ss ne can get with ferry and
pnti, making several trips a day and
tailars avg az night. It is up to the re.
'' ~, association to investigate this
people on the west end Of the