The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-10

the interest of the public is involved.
II this bridge is not double tracked,
1t means another bridge. We will
have two single track bridges over the
river If we cannot have two tracks on
the same BRIDGE"
Mr.. Orr said the bridge was used
by trolley and steam trains. He}
said there were on the average OIL
thirteen steam trains daily across the
bridge, all housed in Hamilton and the
engines dead headed back and forth.
In the fifteen hours there would be an
engine every half hour, he said.
Approach and Tolls.
The matter of the approach also
was attacked by Mr.. Orr, who said
that the people of Hamilton did not
want to contend with the same trou-
Die that the 81. Louis people did with
the Eads bridge. He thought the APP
proaches should be Strengthened and
arraigned the presen. dixie.
AS third thing. he said Hamilton
is interested in tolls. He thought the
tolls should be placed in the hands OF
the secretary of war.
This bridge is an outlaw so far as
tolls Is concerne-," he declared. 1T
has never been regulated" he said.
Cole Makes Reply.
superintendent Cole characterized
Mr.. Orrs statements as wild. He said
that it was true that the engines were
housed in Hamilton by the Wabash,
SO Hamilton people could do the work,
but he thought that the company
would just as leave have the work
dom In keokuk. He read some traf
fic figures for the record. The Wa
bash moved eleven cars Of merchan-
disc in June and the T. P. & W. FIVE
cars. Mr.. Cole didn't think this war
ranted a double track.
yes, but you would have had three
times as much business If you had a
double track, said Mr. Orr.
The question was asked Mr.. Cole
by Mr.. Orr if it wasn't true that the
railroads had to change engines at
Hamilton because they couldn't run
their heavy engines on the bridge.
Mr.. Cole replied that the Wabash
brought its equipment through to
Keokuk. He said there were some en-
gines on the T. P. & W. they could not
let on the bridge.
On the question Of laying out Of
street cars and the making up Of
street car schedules. j. P. Ingle, super
intendent of the Keokuk Electric
company, was called upon. He said
that their cars were seldom delayed
on the bridge. 1--WE have very little
trouble in running now. We are
some times delayed in the Hamilton
yards, however"
Steamboat Mans Statement.
Major Hoffman then called upon
Captain Hug. -..cKenzie who said he
represented the White Collar line
Captain Mckenzie said the clearance
provided in the plans was not in the
draw for reason OF the projection in
the engine room. In his thirty-two
years of experience he said he had
known boats to strike it. The ques-
ton of booms then was brought up,
and Captain Mckenzie said he thought
that had been settled in a hearing
at Rock Island before Major Kellar.
What was really needed, he said, was
a boom on either side, from the out
side bullhead Of the lock to the outside
pier. He also wants a shore boom
"A fence on both sides is the only
way to make it safe,'' said Captain
Its the only way on Gods
earth to make this safe. This will
help break the strong cross current,
and is the only way to make it safe"
You would put the outside boom on
the shore pier?" asked Major Hoffman.
Captain Mckenzie answered yes.
Bridge Is Hard to Pass.
Captain Mckenzie said the only 9TH
er way to do away with the trouble
would be to change the piers and draw !
span. |
Major Hoffman asked if the draw
span is wide enough without booms. |
Captain Mckenzie emphatically re-
piled that it is not unless the booms
are used. He said the span was too
narrow without booms, and the most
dittcu bridge to get through in these
waters With proper booms it will be
all right, Captain Mckenzie declared. |
Major Hoffman criticised the draw
rest pier as being the worst piece Of
cribbing he had seen. |
keoku;s is Favorable.
G. F. Mcfarland then spoke for Keo-
l1uk briefly, saying that the sentiment !
Of the citizens was to approve the
contract made by the commissioners !
with the bridge company in the mat
ter of approaches and the general
plans of the bridge company would be
approved if the war department would
o. K them, he believed. Mr.. Nc
said sentiment here was !
that Carnegie wasn't going to throw !
auav his money and that this bridg |