The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-30
Stream Of our fathers! sweetly still
The sunset rays thy valley fill.
-Whittier's Poems.

y Ia
-Whittier's Poems.
The summer of 1914 and the present
summer are records of great contrast
In the food conditions of the Missis
sippi river. How silently and gentle
the fine river ship G.. w. Hill moved
along near the Missouri shore near
LAGRANGE at certain change wheie
the current vas OF doubtful depth
Inc bell gazing the warning and there
was a pause and soma uneasiness
among the vast population Of citizens
of Hamilton, Warsaw, Keokuk, Alex
|andria and other towns along the line
OF progress. And easy now, for we
feel the touch of the steamer upon
the sand. Well, that was romantic
and when returning in the night, be-
hold the G. -. Hill moved into that
place and quietly came to a standstill!
Then many were the wonders as to
the civil besetment, and most all &C
Icepted the affair In good humor.
thought of the years gone by when
the steamers on the upper Mississippi
were some times compelled to use
their steam power spars as aids to
move away from the sand fans or bats
which defied their right of way. And
for so large a steamer as the Han
nibal City. Lucy Bertram. City Of War.
saw, Die vernon and in later years
the Gem City and Golden Eagle, for
such immense ships to be upon a
deep bed of sand, was indeed serious
capture far from land. The G. W.
Fill, after brief five minutes, moved
up stream so modestly and In such
placid humor, that we scarcely knew
that we had been delayed by little
grains of sand that the good poet in
our school reader assured US helped
to make pleasant land. Any way
hurrah! we we're free.
On Friday, July %, having the
beach at Warsaw as the place of view.
field glass revealed in huge relief the
steamer Sidney as she moved in pow.
or and majesty along the gentle
curves of the current between Keokuk
and Warsaw The whistle of a steam.
er is an inspiration, and Is attractive.
The calliope dates in the past nearly
along with the early navigation. 1t is
somewhat promotive of enthusiasm
and enthusiasm Is quite q power to
lead and achieve success in peace as
we'll as in war. Victories are won By
martial music, and presidents are
elected by drums and bugle calls.
Very generously the people Of War
saw responded to the invitation Of
the day, and multitude were pres
ent to embark for voyage of pleas
ure and profit, socially. Secretary
Brinkman came along the stage bridge
and welcomed the official recorder
who had for qualified company the
old time pioneer pilot and commander
of steamers, Woodward Wilsey. who
has acted officially in navigation on
the Des Moines prior to the civil war
and in years following. His experience
in official navigation extends to the
Mississippi far south, and includes
also the Illinois river territory. Sec
rotary Brinkman introduced the old
time pilot and the writer to Captain
Roy Streckfus, who commands the
Sidney, and friendly compliments
were exchanged among the assembly.
Mr. McCready, Captain Meyers. Thorn
as Neves, Mr.. Grant. and multitude
of other friends were in attendance
and added their good will to all. The
next attraction was the port 81
Churchville, and here several score OF