The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-10
Road From Fort Madison to Keckuk
and Hamilton is Assured Ac-
cordins to Announce
ment.
! ASK CITIES TO ASSIST
Financing Of Line Is Promised il the
People in Towns Along the
Route Show Will.
lnsness.

The following is from the Fort
Madison Democrat The citizens OF
Fort Madison, Carthage, Nauvoo,
Hamilton. Keokuk, and those living in
the country along the proposed route
of the interurban railroad, which was
planned by Mr.. Chas. II. Petsch Of st.
Paul, Mimi, and his associates some
time ago, will be pleased to know that
the financial arrangements for the con.
struction Of this line have been COM
pleted in thorough and satisfactory
manner, and that these gentlemen are
now ready to go ahead and complete
the line during the present year, pro-
yiding the proper negotiations may be
made at once with the people in the
communities to be served.
Mr.. H. S. Payne, who represented
Mr.. Petsch in the former negotiations
in connection with the plans for the
line, has just returned from St. Paul,
where he was assured by the people
who propose to finance the enterprise
that their plans are in such shape
that there will be no failure on their
part, if they can secure the co-opera-
ton which they require and which is
merited by the Importance of this UNI
dertaking.
| Attempt Not Failure.
The former attempt by Mr.. Petsch
to build this line was not a failure by
any means, but the immediate success
of the plan was prevented by the OPP
position and threats of certain parties
who had formerly promoted similar
| line through the same district, notab-
ily, Mr. P. ]. kieran, who in the year
| 1907 went so far as to commence
grading on this route, acquiring GER
tain rights which enabled him to in
lfluence the Canadian bankers, Mr.. @.
ID. Warren Of the Traders bank of Tor
Ionto and others, who proposed to ham
die the bonds for Mr. Petsch and his
/ associates and convince them through
| his attorney that, il this line of rail-
troad was built, he would have to be
paid for the work which he had done.
These conditions will not come up
again to cause delay Of any kind, as
the past experience brought with it a
solution of the difficulty
Not to Enter Nauvoo.
i Owing to the fact that there is at
the present time line contemplated
along the river from Quincy through
Warsaw and Mauvoo to Burlington,
which would, if built, be of not SO ma
that the people of Nauvoo wish to walt
the outcome of the plans for this line
along the river bank, which will keep
them in state of extreme uncertainty
for several months at least, Mr.. Petsch
has concluded that, in order to avoid
construct his initial line direct from
i East Fort Madison to Hamilton, not
making any effort to enter Nauvoo I'M
til later date when the people Of thaa
city may be In a position to cooper
ate. This conclusion has been reached
lin order to prevent any failure to fully
complete the line from Fort Madison
to Keoluk during the present year,
which will be of inestimable benefit
to the people Of these cities.
4 Cost is 100000.
4 The estimates indicate that the con
|struction Of the initial line will cost
approximately four hundred thousand
dollars The people in the cities to be
served and along the line will be ask
ed to srhscrihe for seventy-five thous.
and dollars Of five per cent preferred
Fassessable. lie stock subscription pro.
Ividine that unless actual construction
lis stared within thirty days after the
subscription IS completed same will be
null and void and in no event is pay
iaaent tn he made for the stock sub
seribed until the line is completed
and in operation from Fort Madison
TO Keokuk. The preferred stock and
bonds to be issued aggregates only
twenty thousand dollars per mile,
which is about Atty per cent less than
the average for similar lines in Him
ois, which should assure subscribers
of the value OF the investment in pre-
ferred stock.
!. Mr.. Payne, who devoted nearly a
year of time and considerable money
lin the development OF this proposition,
q is convinced that the success OF fhis
plan is now assured, and if the people
along the line, who are directly inter
ested in the prosperity of the terri
tory, will do their part, the line will
be built at once, and constitute the
greatest asset which could possibly be
secured by these communities, and
he has concluded, in view OF the In
formation which he has received. to
renew his effort and close UP the
matter as early as possible.