The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-01-22
BOYD SPEAKS ON
ASSETS Of CITIES
Power company's Attorney 10 Speaker
At Memphis Commercial Club
Banquet Tuesday
Night.
CITES SOME EXAMPLES
Says Days Of Bonuses For Facterie.
to Come to Town, Be
long to the
Past.

Past.
]. 0. Boyd, attorney for the Missis-
sippi River Power company was the
principal speaker Of the banquet Of
the Memphis Commercial Club Tues
day. His subject was "a City's Best
Assets" In his talk Mr.. Boyd spoke
OF the work the Keokuk Industrial
Association is doing. Among other
things, Mr.. Boyd said:
AT Keokuk the Industrial Assocfa-
ton has secured reduction Of freight
rates. effective February 10. 1914,
which will in coming years be Of much
beneft to the city. A tract Of land
has been purchased on which to locate
factories. The organization also has
appointed committees which make a
study Of streets, street paving ma
terial, construction OF streets, which
committees cooperate with the local
city council in such improvements. It
has committees that make study Of
sanitation and healthful conditions In
fact, there are number OF commit
tees each of which is doing remark
able work.
"One committee has secured the
service OF an expert In city planning
who has made study Of local condi.
lions and has recommended plan to-
ward which the city would build in
the future.
Subject for Years.
The development OF cities has been
a subject Of study for many ages, but
only in recent years has 1t attained a
new Importance. We md tnat In the
ancient world cities were built in
way that is marvel of this day and
age, and yet in like unaccountable
way have they passed from the course
OF commerce and are now known only
in history and evidenced by rude
mounds.
I'm former years apparently cities
We're built without method. i They
grew up as result OF the force of
circumstances; their location was de-
/ termined by the necessities Of com.
merce; and Indian settlement might
determine the location OF trading
!, post, caravan route, the location OF
a city. Cities were built on account
of the advantages OF harbor or from
various other natural causes.
Artificial Conditions.
I'm recent times, however, artificial
conditions have had much to do with
the growth OF cities. We find that
one city may become manufacturing
center because of the labor conditions
there, because of freight and shipping
advantages, or because of the agricul-
tural conditions surrounding it. Some
cities grow in size because they are
known as cities in which it is pleas
ant to dwell, because of the location Of
a school or college, because of the To-
cation OF public building, sanitari-
UNI or hospital. In other words, the
growth Of cities Is nowadays more
largely determined by conditions over
which men has contrG than formerly.
For instance, city depending up
on an agricultural community round
about for Its growth may deteriorate
on account Of deterioration in land
values, which may be result Of poor
farming and poor management An
other city may grow because Its mer.
chants are wide-awake and encourage
the trade, go into the marts, II you
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boundaries.
For instance, It Is not uncommon
for cities having number OF whole
sale plants or other manufacturing
plants to make trade extension trips
by means Of which they extend their
acquaintance, and they bring custom
ers from farther field than other
wise who become accustomed to trad.
ing with them.
AS a means Of encouraging city
growth it was formerly thought neces-
sary to give bonus for the purpose
OF securing a factory, but people have
found that IL money would buy fac
tory for a certain place, that as soon
as 1t could get more money 1t would
go elsewhere; and now 1t Ia UNIVERSAL
ly conceded that the bonus policy of
securing factories Is unwise.
/. Then there iB another theory which
still prevails in many places Of selling
stock in the proposed factory locally,
but this almost Invariably imposes a
hardship upon local people dispropor-
tionate to the benefits received, and 1t
is most generally regarded as an I'M
wise policy.
Elsewhere we find the numerous
organizations encouraging Industrial
expositions which develop civic pride
and the people OF adjacent territory
to the city for the purpose of showing
Just what is produced by the local
business men, These expositions
show up the lines of work in which
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