The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-30
PUBLIC OPINION
p~~~eAe~ee-. 80
Nothing to Fear.

10 the EOilOf OF Inc Jate lily.
If Representative Rainey of Illinois
who introduced the resolution in con-
gress for an investigation of rates for
electricity and power by the Keokuk
and Hamilton Water Power company, I
and the effect the building of the dam /
has had on navigation, and what eff
feet the construction of the inter-city |
bridge will have on the river and |
navigation, understood the situation OF
well as the congressman in the power
zone, he undoubtedly would feel some
enemy of Keokuk, or the old bridge
company were putting one over on
/ him. Instead of waiting fifty years
before commencing to conserve the
coal, etc, this wonderful dam is now
saving for future generations, thou
sands of tons of coal every month. AS
benefit to navigation all must admit
/ the government has from Keokuk
north the finest span of sixty miles to
be found on the river. South of Keo-
4 kuk and down to Quincy the river is
4 as full of water as it ever was, ex-
cepting in very dry season and
when the river is shallow and low.
q It has not been an uncommon thing
for steamboats, to get stuck on sand
bars between Quincy and Keokuk in
low water periods, and excursion
steamers between Keokuk and Bur-
, lington Iaye been on sand bars all
j night, and this has existed regardless
of the water power. And even last
: year when there was general drouth
: throughout the northwest no boats
? got stuck below Keokuk. And grant
: ing there is variation of four
r inches, when the river gets SO shallow
j. then it is time for steam boats to tie
2 up until the river gets higher stage
5 of water. States havv no vested
J rights in navigable rivers, regardless
I of magazine writer's The courts have
decided this, and the government Can
do what 1t pleases to deepen the
channel of the stream, build abutt
/: ments, retaining walls. plant and re
p move distractions, and this same
e right can be delegated to private
= corporation.
il There Is prejudice against this
a dam, (by few steamboat captain:
1 who are back numbers, and the In
. ter-state bridge. by few intsre5tet
1t in the old bridge, just the same q!
e there was when the present Keokul
and Hamilton bridge was built Ii
d 1870. At that time steamboat com
10 panies rushed into tns U. 8. court
+ and brought injunctions claiming tn
- construction of bridge at Keokuh
ID the head OF deep water navigation wa
a ruination OF their business. som
TX OF the judges In the lower courts .
held but the majority not, the cas-
lie was appealed to the supreme court c
re the United States and this court he'll
RI that the construction of bridge wa
IS not a hinderance to navigation, an
OF that the Mississippi river was nc
m the dividing line batween east an
n. west commerce, and that 1t was ne
"a necessary to ferry freight across tn
IT river to get 1t to it's de sination No
er we have the same question arts n
be again because body Of busin sf
~ men want to build an up to date mo
ern bridge, and utilize the presei
he dam for tracks, with shore come
Ell tons. To replace an cd out of dat
worn out, totally Inadequate bri q
built over forty years ago and tn
bridge company stands IN the way
Die Keokuk progress. Every town ar
~ city in southeastern Iowa. northea1
ST. ern Illinois, and west centrll III no
he is interested in this new bridge.
M means an opening of territory ar
IS, electric lines which will enhance IL
to value OF every acre CT land, and |
ar crease the value of every town lc
US. and the growing of every village ar
city The present bridge cannot a
Isl commodate the monster mogul e
ed, gines with the heavy SIR ng of ca
ties as pulled in these times Forty yea