The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-27
kEOKUk AUTO
OWNERS ORGANIZE
plans Perfected at Meeting Hold Fri.
day Night In Superior court
Room-committees
Chosen.
ANNUAL FEE SET AT $500
New Organization 70 Work for Good
Roads In Lee County-WiU
Cooperate With Fort
Madison.

lttty Of Keokuk's three hundred
automobile members met Friday even
Ing in the superior court roons and
organized an automobile club. En-
thusiasm was high at the meeting for
the need Of just such an organization
was recognized and when the session
closed ~thirty-1ve Joined the new Or
ganization and a large number paid
the membership fee of SIS, which had
been set by vote.
The plans of the automobile club.
which a received no official name
as yet, VIII be pushed within the next
few weeks, and the committee on
membership which will shortly be ap-
pointed, will attempt to add to the
roll everybody in Keokuk who owns
an automobile.
The meeting Friday night wa, called
to order by Theodore A. Craig. He was
elected temporary chairman and NJ.
r. Justice, secretary. A number OF
talks were then given by those pres.
ent in which the need of an automo-
bile organization was emphasized.
On tho motion of A. Hollingsworth,
a committee Of five composed Of M.
Z. Justice, Frank Grifey, T. A. Craig,
Stephen Irwin and Beverly Hobbs was
appointed as a committee On organi-
cation. It was also moved and passed
that the chair appoint a committee Of
ten to solicit membership. The new
organization is not only open to auto
owners, but to all Keokuk residents
who are interested in good roads. The
annual fee for auto owners Is S. but
an associate membership only costs
$3.50. NJ. 3. Justice is Temporal
treasurer.
Chairman Craig In a snort talk at
the meeting named the various rea-
sons why an auto club was necessary.
THE formation Of an automobile club
is an important STEP" he said. ut
will have al influence for good. Fort
Madison has organized one and wishes
to cooperate with US. Together we
could work to secure new roads and
the repair of old roads. Another duty
Of an automobile club is to see that
tie traffic laws are obeyed. If a good
organization Of auto owners band to-
Tether for some good work. the senti-
ment OF the nOn-Owner will be chang
ed and he will be interested in the
work also.
Another thing an organization can
40 Is to mark the roads. We have
several hundred road signs Of all
eN~S >cA VIC IuS up III iS lco
vicinity Of Keokuk." Mr.. Craig said
that there were on hand now twenty
five railroad crossing signs, seventy
five danger signs. seyenty-five steel
and wood guide posts and some of
other material.
Here Is how Mr.. Mcfarland looked
at it: 1.-THE three hundred owners
OF automobiles in Keokuk own a large
Part Of the city's property and 1t is to
our advantage to have an organization
with a definite program for improve
ments. Fort Madison has a club and
Is willing to cooperate and 7 believe
that it would be a good thing to make
this a county organization. My son
happens to be the county engineer and
he states that Lee county has never
had a definite program for road build
ing, the work being mostly Of a patch
work variety. If we, as an ~organiza-
ton, can decide on the kind of roads
We want, our strength will be enough
to achieve results"