The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-01-29
South Side Residents viii Try to Sc
cure 800 Names 10 the
Electric Company
Petition.
OFFICIALS DIDN'T KNOW
First lntimation Of Proposition Came
Through the Gate City, Man.
aser Ayres States
Today.

been secured to the petitions which
are being circulated for the new street
car line. The men circulating the pc.
titicns are confident $500 names car
be secured. II 10 the intention Of the
south side boosters to ask the officials
Of the line TO make a trip over the pro
posed extension.
A. D. Ayres. manager Of the Kso
kuk Electric company, stated this
morning that he had known nothing
of the intention of the south side resi-
dents to ask for a line on that side
OF town until he saw the story about
the pstitions being circulated. In last
nights Gate City. Any final action
in the matter. of course, must be tax
en- up with the head Offices at Bos-
ton, where the matter will eventually
land after it is presented to the off,
GERS here. For the reason that he
knew nothing about the plans now
proposed until the story in The Gate
City acquainted him with them, Man
ager Ayres did not feel qualified to
talk this morning.
All / know about the plan is what
read in The Gate City last night,
Mr.. Ayres stated this morning THE
petitions have not been presented yet,
and really did not know such step
was being considered
South side residents, it is under
stood, from expressions of opinion
gained today will endeavor to secure
some thousand to 1900 names for the
petitions which are being circulated.
In this way they feel that they will be
able to make the demand SO strong
for new car line on the south side
that the head company cannot help
but take favorablA action on the mat
ter.
The me-. ho are behind the Job
OF boosting for the new line " ant
around to property owners in the vi
cinity and presented the idea, and ask.
ed their opinion. 1t was SO oyerwhelm.
ingly favorable that they decided To
circulate the petitions which they are
now doing and which are receiving
signatures from persons who are in.
terested or who feel that the line is
good thing.
TWAS understood In gen sral way
this morning, that some of the north
side residents had expressed their
willingness to sign the petitions, il
such an act would be proper They
give their reason that they believe
such a line as proposed would work
to the best interests of the entire city
and would give street car service
which would be appreciated by the
greatest mass OF people.
Much in Its Favor.
There is much to commend tn )
building OF the proposed line on the
south side of the city. The residents
themselves point out that where tn .
extension which is proposed through
the northwest part OF the city would
run through practically undeveloped
territory, the line the southsiders
want would run through property al.
ready built up, and property which
would guarantee that the line would
be self-supporting, practically. from
the start. They believe that with thic
line built, extensions around the city
in the newer portions should follow,
as fast as the territory is built up.
One thing which makes the resi-
dents along the extension which was
proposed through the park and out
the new boulevard, a bit slow in in
dorsing this proposition, is that thsy
will have to improve the property and
lay out streets and build sewers In
this territory.
The lines proposed would start
from the cemetery line at Min steenth
and Carroll, go down Carroll to FIJI
teenth to Des Moines and down this
street to the West Keokuk line An
other proposed routing would BE- to
follow Palean street down the entire
route from NINETEENTH to Fifth street.
Still another proposition would be to
work down Palean to cross sire ct
where the grade is easy and then to
another strset with a similarly easy
grade to the West Keokuk line.
Matter Of Grades.
The matter of grades OF course will
cut much ice-in terms Of slang
with the location OF the lines by the
company. The company in locating
any new lines prefers to follow the
f1attsst country The same will be
true on the south side should the line
be ordered built. The easiest grades
will be sought This is perfectly sane
proposition as it not only saves tbs
company much in the way Of power,
but it furnishes means for making tine,
when big hills do not have to be sur
mounted.
II such line as this proposed on