The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-10
enresentatives Of All Inter
ATS Present Their Claims
Before Major Hoffman
This Morning.
|kGoKUK IS FAVORABLE
ants Double
Tracks and Toll Regula-
tons Steamboat Men
Criticize.

tions-Steamboat Men
Criticize.
rHREE VIEWS ON BRIDGE CUES
TON.
2Keokuk 10 satisfied with the plans
"a reconstructing the bridge in a safe
md strong manner. subject to the ap-
.,oyaI Of the war department."-c. r.
Mcfarland speaking for keokuk.
"The present draw span will be
vide enough with proper booms to
protect the piers. Without booms the
span is too narrow and 1t il more diff
cult for steamboats, TO pass through
Mere than other bridges along the
riyer."-captain Hugh Mckenzie.
4HamiIton objects to the plans be-
cause they do not include double
rack bridge. Judge Hughes may say
this u no business Of the war depart
ment. II seems to US II Is. They are
Interested wherever the public Is in
terested. II double track bridge is
rot built It means another bridge. We
will have two single track bridges
across the river, II we cannot have
two tracks on the same structure.'-
Warren II. Orr, HamiIton's city at
torney,
The public hearing before United
States engineers in the matter of the
rebuilding of the Keokuk and Hamil-
ton bridge was held in the federal
court room this morning. Major G..
M. Hoffman Of Rock Island who has
charge of the river from St. Louis to
st. Paul conducted the hearing. There
were present representatives Of the
bridge company, the city OF Keokuk.
the city of Hamilton, the steamboat
men ana the government. The hear
ing consumed practically two hours
time and number of matters were
brought out in the discussions.
At meeting preliminary to this
meeting in the city council chamber,
resolution had been introduced by
Judge Hughes asking for the approval
Of the plans. This was amended by
Manager Towne of the Industrial as
ISOLATION and passed to include the
sanctioning Of the approach on the
Keokuk side only Just before the
meeting adjourned Keokuk's approval
Of the plans providing they are ap-
proved by the war department was
given by one Of the local speakers.
Hamilton Makes Demands.
Hamilton's delegation held out for
double track bridge, and statements
by Warren H. Orr, city attorney of
Hamilton at the request OF Mayor
Barbour to show the necessity for a
double track bridge as Hamilton sees
It were made for the benefit of the
referee. Superintendent Cole charac-
terized many Of the statements as
being far Of the mark, and read fig
uras which he had to hold up the
bridge company's contentious.
The session was called to order by
Major Hoffman who explained that the
hearing was similar to those being
held by the war department wherever
there Is talk of rebuilding bridge or
. new one is being put up. There
would be material changes, he said,
only with navigation and this was
what the war department was inter.
ested in. Seated at the table with
Major Hoffman were his tsenographer.
Major NJ. Meigs, U. s. c. E., John H.
Cole, superintendent of the Keokuk
and Hamilton Bridge company, and
Judge F. T. Hughes, counsel for the
bridge company, and X. H. Louis who
vas taking the hearing for the bridge
people.
VIII Approve Plans.
William Ballinger made the first
talk He spoke OF the meeting held
AZ the council chamber and said that
'he contract which had been signed by
the city OF Keokuk and the bridge
company was approved at the meet
ing The contract he said called fol-
an approval Of the plans. and that this
proved a stumbling block as there
we're no engineers in the company at
The city hall. He thought. however,
mat If the government would put their
=. K on the plans. Keokuk would do
likewise.
Judge Felix T. Hughes. counsel for
the bridge company said he wanted to
asK question. He wanted to know
tie purpose OF the hearing was to
ascertain what is being done or ex-
pected to be done and to get the opin-
lon OF the local people Or whether
some complaint had been made as to
pans. Major Hoffman interrupted to
sas that no complaint had been made
y the plans. He said there were no
Noceedings and that this was just
s1heral hearing of the sort the war
Separtment conducts. II is called In