The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-12
new ORLEANS IS
GETTING READY
Gateway 10 Valley is Preparing TO
Claim Her Original Prestige
in Commercial
SPENDING 81 MUCH MONEY
Terminal. Being Constructed and
Everything Is Being Done to
Facilitate Movement
ct Freight.
SPENDING MUCH MONEY
IBy Irving G. Norwood. /

NEW ORl-EANS, Ia Sept. 9.-WnSn
the cities on the banks of the Missis;
istppi follow the example OF New Or
leans, the usefulness OF the great river
will be restored. its current will again.
be burdened with tonnage and the
problem that now besets the valley
manufacturer-that of moving his
goods rapidly and cheaply to mark It
In the face of increasingly difficult
will be solved
This example has not been long IN
the making. It is the result of far
sighted, constructive effort during the
past decade.
U New Orleans suffered terribly as q
result Of the civil war and had even
more than her fair share OF the evils
OF reconstruction days. Her credit
faded, her commerce dwindled, her
standing as port Of equal Importance
with New York, lived only in memory
There were left the wonders of her
CUISINE, the charm of her old-wortl
atmosphere, the fame OF her mardi
gras, a thousand and one attractions
for tourists and a rich heritage of
natural advantages which would later
serve as the foundation for the restor-
alton Of her greatness.
New Orleans slept for many years.
Her narrow streets remained unpaved.
her open canals carried their foul
burden of sewage, her municipal area
remained undrained, her water IVES
impure, her death. rate high. The
miles Of once crowded warehouses;,
served by 10000 river craft, remained
empty, and only the ghosts Of famo-s
steamboats, lay alongside the rotted
piling OF her deserted wharves. But
about ten years ago New Orleans sat
up and rubbed her eyes and since thin
something has been happening every
minute.
The Valley Gateway.
"The valley gateway" is what New
Orleans calls herself. The name is
significant and accurate. With the
building of terminals and the prope; {
utilization Of the Mississippi river, ths.
raw and manufactured products OF the
valley, for export or for the west
coast trade, will move in constantly
increasing volume out through this
gate way while imports. destined for
points throughout this inland terri
tory and which can readily be redis
tributed from the river cities. will fine
their natural inlet at New Orleans.
And New Orleans with this ever In
mind, Is now, by the expenditure Of
more than s100,000.000, qualifying her
self. to be the port of entry and clear
Iance for the commerce Of the Missis-
sippi valley and the outside world.
The city and state, working togethe'.
are completing the construction of CO.
ordinated rail-river-sea traffic handling
facilities intended to make that reg
ion around the mouth OF the Missls-
|sippi the depot for the interchange of
business between the busy valley, th..
markets of the west coast and the
ports of other lands. And while work
ing to perfect the physical conditions
which will make It possible to handle
a vast amount of commerce both rap
idly and economically, the city and tbs
state are doing wonders to make New
Orleans more modern, more healthful
and more liyeable in every sense of
tie word.
Can Regain Former Place.
AIra,d, New 0rlaapc ir tho second