The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-22

j.
man, who stands foremost in that class
The presence OF the master on the
day of the triumph of his pupil is most
significant. 1t is my pleasure to intro
duce dorado Taft
In presenting Mrs. William c. Story
she spoke of the honor to the D. A. r.
In entertaining their president-general,
saying:
"An assembly of Daughters OF the
American Revolution is always dis
tinguished company since in their
lives they seek to perpetuate the les
sons taught by the heroism of their
ancestors who first brought liberty to
this land. No greater honor could come
to such gathering of Daughters than
to entertain their president-general.
have the honor to introduce the
woman who holds the highest office in
the gift of the organization, Mrs. Will
liam Cummings Story
The remarks of Mr. Taft and Mrs.
Story will be given in tomorrow's is
sue
The exercises closed with the Intro
duction Of Mrs. Henry Schouten who
sang Iowa"
Dedicate Tablet to Trail.
Following the unwilling exercises
was the dedication of the tablet in
memory of the early Iowa trails. Mrs.
Drayton R. Bushnell, chairman Of the
committee, was introduced. Mrs.
Harold R. Howell. of Des Moines,
state regent was the chief speaker on
the dedication Of this tablet. Mrs.
Howell's address was as follows:
We may we'll be grateful that 1t is
our privilege to stand here today and
hold in loving remembrance the story
of the past But let us also keep in
mind with thrill of gladness that
we, as state organization of Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution, are
at this very time making history. For
the moment has come when, as a
patriotic organization, we are taking
the first steps on pathway long
considered and desired
Three years ago at our conference
in Cedar Falls we decided as an or
ganization to mark the historic places
OF our own dear state. Long since
we had realized that with the excep-
ton of few graves of revoluntion-
airy soldiers. we had no historic places
| to mark as prominent in revolution
airy days, but we also realized that
as the years roll by and as the early
history of Iowa is Swallowed in the
past, We could help to preserve that
history, and by the erection of tablets
and monuments, and by the purchase
and preservation OF important and
historic sites and buildings of our
state accomplish great work for
posterity.
| In the conference of 1910 1t was
decided that the most important item
to be considered was the marking of
the old pioneer highway crossing our
state. and connecting the trails Of the
east with those of the west We
learned that Iowa was an important
connecting link, for the vast pioneer
/ travel over the Santa Fe and Oregon
trail, from Hannibal, Missouri, on the
south, to Dubuque on the north, lay
across the state of Iowa, over what
was known then by word of mouth,
later on the maps of the country. as
the Mormon Trail. This trail, having
been made a well recognized road by
the travel of the Mormon hosts in
their exodus from Nauvoo in the
4 spring of 46, because the great high
way across the state. No one evel
doubted the cleverness or ability OF
those Mormon elders, and it was to
be expected that when they chose a
road it would seek the best levels
and lay through the best pastures
camping places and sources of water
1 supply, and SO it was. And SO, OF
] course, it continued to be the main
highway of travel long after the Nor
mons had reached their Mecca In
4 Utah
Many trails we'll known and named
/ of the state leading into the Mormon
i Trail None probably more Travelled
1 than the road leading northwest from
i Keokuk, known as the Dragon Trail
4 Well may keokuk be called the Gate
City, for through her portals passed
great throngs of pioneers and vast
quantities of stores and provisions fol
, Iowa settlers. Over the various
trails from the east passed the pio
neers, all finally converting near the
/ center Of the state, and continuing Il
Council Bluffs in one vast train ovel
, the Mormon Trail. At Council Bluffs
| thousands OF travellers were often en-
, camped awaiting their turn to be fer
: ried across the Missouri river
| some to start northwest on their long
i journey over the Oregon trail, som.