Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-08-13
KEOKUk dam FAILS
TO Bring BUSINESS
into THAT SECTION
Electricity, Produced by Water Power,
Can Be Transmitted Hundreds
of Miles-That Is the
Reason.

Has hydro-electric power been bene-
fetal to keo1uk or any other town
Boosting of a dam? And again: Are
cities at a distance entitled to the cheap
rate of transportation and final usage
of power that is being offered them?
Congress recently has been debating
on the question of water power n
particularly that furnished by the hy-
dro-eiectric plant at Keokuk in this
state.
Since the article below was written,
a smelling plant has made application
for a site in Keokuk, but this to GER
tain knowledge is the only manufac-
tory that has sought q location in the
city that was touted to become one of
the fastest growing in the middle west
because of its water power facilities.
Ask the average layman in st. Louis
where the city's power plant is and
he'll more than likely tell you its up the
river at Keokuk,s something like 1870
miles away. Without much pressure.
the st. Louisan who keeps abreast of
the times. might impart further infor-
nation about the size of the Keokuk
water power dam, magnitude of the
plant, amount expended in building it
and a fund Of other general informa-
ticn.
Put the same question as to the loca-
ton OF the city's electrical plant to a
Keokukan n note the surface amount
of disinterest in the laconic reply that's
sit down under the hill in the river
Has Lost Interest.
Three years ago-yes, even wo-th
same, sound Keokuk business man or
whoever he might be, would have tossed
| aneager glance and a yeritable yard OF
| facts at any inquirer about the dam
and the vast amount of horse power
that that was to be created after the
wheels were started in June of 1918.
But the demeaner of the Keokuk
man has changed now; things are
much different. and slowly but surely
covered; h stone iii the path of pro-
grsss where the seat of this great
power has been built for 20 years.
Theoretically speaking and basing
the assertion on past experiences of
towns that have been the seats" or
fountainheads Of great quantities
of electrical power, dam towns" have
become "deader' after the Harvesting
OF river or stream hi been completed
| than they ever were before construc-
ton Of power plants. There may pe
some exceptions to this rule, but they
are as scarce as the proverbial frogs
hair.
And what is the a for this de-
terioration assit were or to use q term
less harsh, the practical standing still
OF most am towns?
An expert in electrical power will
say without much procrastination
that transmission hurts after the dam
Is built: not short transmission al
power, but the carriage over wires
stretched for miles In any compass
direction Of the power created lessons
the chances Of the power city In be-
coming great as a commercial center
kept Them Away.
Fate was unkind enough / n the case
Of Ke0kuk toisdecree that st. Louis
capital should contract for 10000 horse
power In electricity. Several large and
old manufacturing concerns that con-
manned 1 n the Missouri metropolis be.
cause they used up slices OF the power
transmitted from hesmonolithic dan
at Keokuk. Transmission cut out ths
expense OF moving from 81. Louis x
l Keokuk. ~