The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-10
Voice Of the People

voice OF the feOpie
1.-THE Gate City does not assume re-
sponsibility for views expressed by
correspondents
keokuk's Golden Opportunity.
To the ditor of The Gate City:
Recently ! had the pleasure Of Wis
ting me old town." and while there
took time and went through the
Standard Four Tire factory, which is
doing business in substantial brick
and stone building, and employing a
large number OF men. 1t is a fine ac-
QUESTION to Keokuk and will develop
into big factory proposition.
l next visited the Rivers Smelling
and Refining company, and saw that
this was a going concern. Like all
large plants. no passes for inspection
are given to anyone, so / viewed the
plant from the outside and office In
side. and saw large number of blue
prints on the drawing board, which
indicated to me that many additions
to the present plant were in contem-
plation. This is sure to be a big
thing for Keokuk. Else why the blue
prints?
visited the Miller, Reimbold &
McDevitt cigar factory where about
nifty people are busy as can be max
ing cigars, which are becoming cele-
DRAFTED by making results mutual"
splendid slogan for the firm. Their
cigars are as good as any, and sur
passed by none. Here is a factory
which will be able to compete with
Burlington, Davenport, Ottumwa and
Elyaston, and no harm to any one.
For to compete with the outside world
the Keokuk factory must have and
has the stock in the cigar-and at a
price to meet the other fellows. Are
the wholesale grocers doing their
duty?
/ visited the immense Hubinger
starch plant, from which smoke eau
be seen belching forth day and night
Then there is the Purity Oats mills,
the Milles-E1lsworth bending and auto
factory, the show case factory in the
Old Carter mill, the Weisenberg smelt-
er, Harrison box factory. the shoe
factory, the cement tool factory and
the Irwin Phillips garment factory.
Ia also visited several other plants.
OF course the power plant Is always
interesting. It is the backbone Of
keokuk. The reconstructed and sub
stantfal Reconsideration bridge
struck me. I predict that there will
be three times more traffic over this
bridge daily from both sides as soon
as dedicated. For the grade Is easy
from the Illinois side onto the upper
deck, and lands one right in the
| heart" of Keokuk. It cvercomes the
Objectionable hill, which all automo
bile drivers want to avoid and would
rather drive five miles than ascend;
and it is not nearly so hard on a car
When this once becomes wei known,
look out for big travel by automobiles
via Keokuk.
! 1 remembered having read some
thing by a Mr.. O'Harra about electri-
flying the dilapidated Zip UP" rail
way Ga very appropriate name) and
the poor Wabash. I saw that little
donkey engine hauling the trolley car
from the middle of the bridge to the
Keokuk side. I thought how easy
to make some traffic arrangement
with these roads, as an experiment
for month, by renting or borrowing
this small leased locomotive. and for
thirty daye (while the engine is
there) work out the experiment Of
running hourly trains between Keo-
Euk and Carthage and one or two Of
the other towns and finding out what
there Is in O modern up to date car
service, we'll advertised, and see If the
/ Warsaw business cannot be duplicat-
ed on this line, beneficial to all places
enroute. Now is the time to get busy
SO that when the bridge is finished it
can be properly dedicated and moist
ened." Have a banquet and charge
$3.50 and $500 at the Hotel Iowa.
Invite Gilman. the Chicago builders,
the engineer and Andrew Carnegie
and dedicate it in style. Pass some
nice resolutions. Invite the Wabash
and T. P. & w. railway officials and
there conclude arrangements with
the water power people and the street
railway people of Keokuk. Never in
+. the history OF Keokuk will there
be a more opportune time to try out
this hourly train system between
Keokuk and Elvaston and Carthage,
and perhaps Ferris and LaHarpe, Ill.
You have the equipment and can east
| ly arrange for the engine. Next
take It up with the proper railroad
men, Then you can find out whether
It is worth while electrfying this
road for reasonable distance. The
thing should be well advertised If per-
fected. Have the first celebration at
Carthage Make 1t well known there,
and after thoroughly advertising the
opening of the reconstructed Keokuk
and Hamilton bridge. tell them to
come to Keokuk on the cars few
days later The time is ripe for Keo-
kuk to awaken from its dream and
pick up the golden nuggets laying all
around the town, If you will only
stoop and use a little exertion.
/ With the nice bunch of new fac
tory propositions, now realities, and
the enlargement OF some others and
the new bridge, solid substantial, cap
able OF supporting the heaviest loco
motives and trains, Keokuk Is in a
position to say to the Mississippi val