The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-08
WANT ARMORY AND CITY HA[[|
both, BUT NOT TOGETHER

~ AA"@AASO eAA0 NOOAA JIG lOA6 W1luOIlI
having to wait for the city to call an
election for the purpose of issuing
bonds, which would consume much
valuable time and then probably not
be successful
c. f. Mcfarland pointed out also
that the chances were that in the
near future the state or government
would own all armories and make
them into individual arsenals and
that If city hall was built in con-
nection with the armory, that trouble
and confusion might result from this.
Sketches clty's Future.
Mr.. Mcfarland was of the opinion
that two dissimilar objects such as a
city hall and armory should not and
could not 60 together. He made a
very eloquent speech in which he
sketched the future Of the city; told
of the two new factories secured
during the past week, the laying out
of Thirty-second street and other
facts tending to show that Keokuk is
on the eve of a great development
and said that everything pointed to
the fact that Keokuk would need two
buildings soon and that a mistake
should not be made now in combin-
ing them. He also said that the CEN
ter of population was moving out
ward and that the new buildings, If
possible, should be up town instead
Of down town.
G. 8. Tucker, one Of the members
of the finance committee that recon-
mended the combined armory-city
hall, said that, personally, he was for
separate buildings but that the COM
mittee, pressed for time, and not
knowing how the citizens of Keokuk
stood ON the matter, had recommend
ed the only plan that to them seem
ed feasible at the time.
e. F. Renaut, Jacob Schouten and
plan and Mr. McFarland's resolution
which was then introduced, was unan-
imously accepted.
to order by Chairman E. L. Williams,
and following the reading Of the re.
port of the finance committee, the
chairman explained the nature of the
gathering and asked for remarks.
j. F. Daugherty responded first. He
said that Keokuk needed city hall
badly and recommended that the
buildings be constructed on the mar
ket grounds at Fourth and Johnson
streets. This met with opposition as
many believed that it was not only
too far down town but that according
to the agreement when the land was
decided to the city, it could be used
for market purposes only. Mr.. Daugh-
erty stated that the building could be
financed without calling, an election
and that the rent paid IN the struct-
ure now occupied by the city would
have built new city hall.
Want Up Town Location.
@. S. Tucker, Ed G. Vaughan and
Jacob Schouten were all in favor OF
a location between Ninth and Twelf-
TIL on Main street, preferably on the
city grounds at Twelfth street.
Chairman Williams asked for ex-
pressions on whether the citizens
wanted an armory alone or combined
with the city hall. and fire and police
stations. At first those present SEEM
ed to be in favor Of the combination,
but later opposition developed to it
and it was finally decided to take up
the armory proposition separately
A great deal was said last night
about Keokul's backwardness in the
matter Of improvements. l.. A. Ham,
i'll, e. A. French and others told their
feelings at entering towns great
deal smaller than Keokuk and seeing
fine armories and city halls.
They were of the opinion that Keo-
kuk should wake up and get in the
progressive class even though 1T re-
CURED some money and effort. Dur
ing the course Of the evening, G. s.
Tucker said that according to Nolen's
plan the center of the city was around
Fifteenth and Sixteenth on Main
street. He said that if the city would
build municipal building that far out
he would present it with fifty foot
lot at the corner of Sixteenth street
and Main, free of cost. Mr.. Hamill,
who owns property at Ninth and Main