The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-11-10
When Keokuk Fretted.

1t Is unnecessary 10 TeCdA IAo Aioe
ting Of Keokuk for many years over
the old inadequate bridge which was
considered an actual barrier between
Keokuk and Hamilton, and how keo-
kuk degpaired of conditions being
improved by the owners OF that
bridge.
With the completion OF the dam, its
broad, high, flat causeway top was
seen to be a bridge in fact, whatever
the purpose of its design. 1t was at
once talked about for a double track
railroad across the river. This would
relegate the old bridge to vehicular
traffic. with probable great loss IN its
balance sheet-but KeokuS was in no
humor to be benevolent to the keo-
kuk and Hamilton bridge company,
owned practically by Andrew Carnegie
and left incapable of carrying real,
modern car of coal into Keokuk.
Attempt one Way out.
The Intercity Railroad company
was organized by Keokuk men, chiefly
as an adjunct of the Industrial asso-
citation, and this new organization Sc
cured right Of way ashore and asked
the water-power company to sell It q
right of way across the dam cause
way. The water-power company legal
department had doubts about its right
to permit the dam to be used by rail
road without permission from con-
gress.
A bill giving this permission was in
troduced in congress-and right there
began the real fight. Stripped of cor
porate names, it was really fight be-
tween the business interests and peo-
ple of Keokuk and that canny Scot
who is a foeman worthy of the Keen
est blades. Aside from all his friends
and influence, Carnegie himself went
to Washington to oppose that Dill TO
made a bridge out Of the great keo-
kuk dam. He would have won except
for Judge Adamson, of Georgia. and
how the latter won the fight for keo-
kuk il an account OF battle worth
telling in history.
He Missed His Family Christmas.
Adamson wac chairman Of the COM
mittee to which the bill went In rou-
tine course and which held hearings
and discussions on it-also which by
it's report to the house would deter
mine the fate of the bill, for that house
had habit Of following it's committee
REPORTS. especially when the chairman
was as good a man So Adamson Of
Georgia.
The charges made by Keokuk were
80 strong, and the defense by the Car
nesie interests so sweeping in denial,
that Chairman Adamson and the COM
mittee were requested to come out
and inspect the conditions on the
ground. 1t was late in December,
when everybody, especially southern
ers like Adamson. wanted to be at
home for Christmas more than any
thing else. But Adamson and others
Of the committee missed Christmas
cheer at home and came out to keo-
kuk to look at the thing for them
selves. They saw-and Adamson be-
came the chief champion in the lists
for the rights of K0okuk. On the
train between Keokrk and Chicago, on
the return trip. Adamson held a little
conference with his fellow congress-
men on the committee and then held
a little conversation with Secretary
Gilman of the bridge company. who OF
course was here with the committee.
Adamson talked to Gilman about like
this:
Adamson's UItimatum 20 Carnegie.
THAT old rattletrap OF bridge you
have there is a disgrace. II your
have a bill introduced to pension IT
for permanent disability, Wen pass
it. heokuk must have an adequate
bridge and have it right away. I am
not entirely pleased with the idea or
letting another company use the dam
for bridge. but 1t will have to be
done unless you give Keokuk a new
brid GO at once-and I mean a real
bridge capable Of filing the needs for
a good while in the future.
'1f you'll rebuild that bridge and do