The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-04-05
Property Owners on Street Take
Court Action Against City
and keokuk Quarry
Company.
SERVE ORIGINAL NOTICE
Action 10 Outcome Of Number Of Pro-
tests Made Against the Work.
Hangs on Rail
Controversy.

The city commissioners have been
served with the original notice or an
against the paving Oh
Franklin street. There are sixteen
plaintiffs, all Franklin street property
holders, to the action which is brought
against the city of Keokuk, Ed. ).
Lotion, mayor; Fred Hilpert. Jr., and
Il. J. Hickey, commissioners; .. w.
Sandberg, city clerk, and the KeokuK
Quarry & Construction company.
The plaintiffs are J. N. Collier
William Reeves and his wife M. Il. /.
Reeves, Laura Leake, Anna E. Glvin'
Ef1ie Mcclure, Isaac Blom, Allan I.
Anderson, 2 z. Gcsewisch, w. p.
Strimback, j. l.. Hardin, John NJ
Wilson, H. C. Hodge, H. B. Blood, r.
R, Mckinney and Z. G. Mckinney,
his wife, w. G. Blood is acting as the
attorney for the plaintiffs.
The action is the outcome Of num-
Der of protests which have been made
to the city council by Franklin street
property holders against the paving
of the street.
The Keokuk Electric company has
been accused by some OF having been
instrumental in the action. in an
swer to this, Manager 1ngle said to-
day:
Not Behind Injunction.
"The Keokuk Electric company has
had nothing to do with this injunc
ton and has taken no part IN the
combined attempt OF Franklin street
property holders to have the work
stopped. Before the paving was Or
dered by the city council the COM
pany protested against the work, but
after the council had ordered the
paving the matter was dropped.
Later We were informed by the
Boston office that no steel rail for
relaying the track could be obtained
before the spring of 1918. This in
formation was conveyed to the city
council.
ut was arranged to have the WORK
go on anyway and the present rails
were to be set higher and the paving
put in around them. When the Frank
| lin street people heard that no new
rails could be obtained, they were
faced with the alternative Of having
the old, worn out rails remain in for
number Of years longer or have
their street torn up second time.
They decided that they didn't want
the Job done until it could be done
right But the Keokuk Electric COM
pany has had no part in their pro-
test or Injunction"
"They are objecting to having their
weed patch disturbed" was the COM
ment OF Commissioner Hickey.
Regret Notorlety.
Residents Of keokuk generally re-
greet that so much nctoriety has been
given to the Franklin street matter
The improvement was intended as a
piece Of work for the benefit Of the
whole city and was one that was con-
sidered necessary. The city council
desired to be fair and impartial and
deemed the Improvement a necessary
one. In ordering the work it did not
look for all the trouble and contro-
versy that has attended the matter
and it was under the impression that
there would be no hitch or delay in
the plans such as has been occasioned.
believing that all parties concerned
we're cognizant of the necessity OF
the work and had prepared for it &C
cordingly.
The Injunction comes at rather
embarrassing time. The contract was
let before all the later points Of the
controversy were brought out and the
contractor has already given bond.
paid out money for legal advice and
arranged to start the work.
The Keokuk Water Works COM
pany, on the strength of the action OF
the council, has ordered a quantity
of new water main to be laid under
the whole length of Franklin street
to be paved, and the city has ordered
considerable material to be used in
a