The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-21
c. q. Rhodes Declares Full Utiliza.
ton Of Power Cannot be Realized
in Day or In Single
Year.
PEOPLE ARE TOO HAsTY
Some There Are Who Have Realized
the True Condition However,
and Don't Expect
Wonders.

Rome was not made in day, and
the full utilization Of this water pow
er, furnishing sustenance to twice
the population of Rome, will not be
accomplished in day, a week, or q
year-a decade is short enough time
to forecast for it."
| Thus begins an Authorized interview
| with c. B. Rhodes, industrial commits
sioner of the Mississippi River Pow
er company, given out Saturday
1--WE highly appreciate the interest
being shown in the development OF
the power zone as result of this wa
ter power development and the result
ing large quantity Of very economical
electric power" Mr.. Rhodes goes on
to say, "but we are sorry that some
mems intense interest and zeal leads
them to expect too much as regards
the time element.
Company Has No Illusions.
"The very immensely of our plant
here in the river makes it huge task
to use all the output possible from the
power house generators. The COM
pleted power-house will produce about
as much power as is used today in all
the factories of Missouri. 1t took
long time to build up the industrialism
OF ST. Louis and Kansas City, not to
speak Of the other manufacturing can
tiers in that state. 1t will take us at
least tenth of the time to bring into
use all OF the Keokuk water power
as 1t took st. Louis to grow to its
present manufacturing status. That
would mean over ten years.
1.-THE company never imagined that
It could dispose of its electric current
to new factories in year, or five
years. Ten years has always been a
better minimum forecast. The COM
pany has never intimated that big
things would ensue at once upon the
starting of the generators in the Mis-
sissippi.
Short Time Expectations Wrong.
"The sooner everybody recognizes
these facts, perhaps the better it Will
be for all Of us. Some local persons
have always recognized the true situa-
ton. Before yard Of concrete was
mixed for the dam construction, the
Keokuk Standard published on edi-
torial stating the time Of different
steps to the completion Of the devel-
opment work Of the company. 1t fore
casted correctly the time Of compile
ton Of the engineering work and the
starting OF the current on the trans
mission lines; then it went on with
various dates and ended by saying
that the industrial development, in
GLIDING the building up of the various
cities, would reach its acme between
1920 and 1925.
1--WE hope to beat that Anal fore
cast little, but it was much nearer
the truth than was the expectation
that all the cities of the power zone
would be full OF new factories by 1915.
Temporary Hard Times.
at happens that we have been
working against special distractions
thus far. During all Of 1913, the f.
nancial situation in the United States
was such that manufacturers were
compelled to devote their energies
and attention to careful financing.
They were not In mood to talk Or
think about moving. But that status
will disappear sooner or later, prob
ably very soon.
Few realize the amount Of pre-
paratory work that had to be done
right here in the power zone. The
people must be convinced that the in
terests of themselves and of the com !
pany are exactly identical-that any
thing that helps or harms one, aids
or retards the other. The company /
has been trying to convince every |
body concerned Of this by a perfectly |
open, above board policy, and this is
now counting much. The persons who
imagine that they can better them
selves or their towns by circulating !
injurious rumors about the power |
situation are becoming very scarce; /
the number who always boost their /
,wn towns and the power situation
are increasing every day.
Outlook Is Encouraging.
"The outlook today is very encour- /
aging, from every angle of view. On /
he list of real prospects are some i
very promising plants Of real import
.nce now and sure to grow larger. !
zone good work being done by all
A,,c{nAcc aroonizofinnc NJ a
power zone cities is the suppression
If the omnipresent and persistent pro-
'essional promoter and chronic NOV
sr. These weary Willies of manufac.
uring make a business of obtaining