The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-11-18
HOW CITY LOOKED
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Clipping From Tho Cato City Pub
Iished November 10, 1856, Ex-
plains Progress in
Building Here.
MANY NEW BUILDINGS
Some of Them Were Brick Stores
and Others Were to Be
public office
Buildings.
MANY NEW BUILDINGS

Just fifty years ago today, Nov. -,
1856, the following article appeared
on the editorial page of The Gate City,
giving an account of the prosperity
and progress Of Keokuk in those
days. Then as now, the man who
saw the features of the city to be
criticised had his contention. The
item was sent to Mrs. J. L. Candy by
Mrs. Lou Broadwell Caswell of Aus
tin, Texas, who left Keokuk in 1854
but who still retains an interest IN
the city. Recently Mrs. Caswell and
her sister, Mrs. Clara Broadwell
Popenoe, of Dayton, Ohio, spent sew
eraI DAYS here and were much inter-
ested in noting the changes and prog
ress made here. The Broadwell fam
lily, as the older residents will re-
member, lived in a cottage on the
present site of DR.. Bailey's residence.
The article as published in 1856 is:
Improvement In keokuk.
A correspondent in our paper today,
estimates the amount Of brick which
has been, and, to complete works
now under way, will be, put in wall
this season, at 22,OOO,O0O. We feel
certain that the amount is not over
estimated. We have taken very care
full statistics Of the number, size and
character Of the buildings erected in
this city during the present season,
together with the materials of which
they are constructed. and 22,00O,OOO
Of brick Is a reasonable estimate TOT
the amount employed.
We can say farther, that, (not hav-
ing an actual enumeration to presently
f,,,-x{ch oI INV thu last
census. concerning the average num-
Der of residents in each house. it is
very certain that the addition to our
population during the present season
has not been less than 5000, which
ia an amount equal to from one-third
to one-fourth of its whole population
at the commencement of the season.
The number Of buildings erected, the
amount of general improvement. and
the increase of population, we do not
believe to be paralleled by the prog
ress Of any city on the continent
during the present year. One-third to
one-fourth increase in population,
with a proportionate improvement in
amount and more than a proportion
ate improvement in the character Of
building and other public work, is a
ratio of progress which is very re-
markable.
Among the buildings erected this
year are many of the best in the
city. The store on the corner Of
Main and Fourth, erected by the
Messrs. Rice, IL, perhaps, unmatched
by any in the state, certainly it is not
surpassed by any. 1t is 40 feet front
by 100 feet deep, and three stories
high, the stories being each very
lofty. This, it Is understood, is a
single store.
The store of the Messrs. Comstock
is one Of the neatest and largest in
the city, being four stories high and
14O feet long. The slightly arched
windows, with iron window caps, and
the elegant stone columns, make, to-
gether, a very neat and snowy appear
ance.
Among the very best and most fine.
1y built stores in this city or state,
are the two new stores Of Messrs
Cleghorn & Harrison, now drawing
towards completion, on the levee.--
They are four stories high, fifty feet
front, (the two) and 100 feet deep,
with handsome stone columns, win
dow caps and stills, and cornice.
Judge Lowe is also constructing
two buildings adjoining the postoffice
which, from their present appearance,
promise to be among our very best.
Besides these, there is q handsome
block OF three three-storv brick