The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-14

chance because most everybody
travels by automobile and could
come to Keokuk as easily as to go
anywhere else.
Warsaw reports that Quincy uses
ten times as much space as Keokuk
merchants and that all Quincy ad-
vertising came unsolicited and is
growing rapidly.
Even Hamilton reports Quincy
using more space in their paper than
Keokuk merchants.
"Montrose, Donnellson and Kahoka
conceded the largest part Of their
business to Keokuk because Of the
convenience of travelling in this
direction.
Harrington and Bonaparte are re-
ported as sending a little business to
Keokuk and great deal to Ottumwa
with a similar ratio of advertising
done by the two cities in their local.
ties.
From the reports received only one
conclusion can be drawn. Keokuk
does not draw more business from
surrounding territory because Keo-
kuk does not go after it and trade
must be coaxed and cajoled and
catered to and constantly reminded
Of Keokuk advantages IL we are to
get more out Of town business. We
cannot prosper of the efforts OF the
few Keokuk merchants who do their
part in going after out of town bust.
ness. nor can the few realize the
profit they should from their efforts
If the majority of US do not do our
bit"
Transportation Next.
The next question investigated
was, whether the means of transpor-
tation Of Keokuk were as good as
those with which the out-of-town
customers could reach competing
towns.
We had always imagined that the
matter of favorable train schedule
on steam roads was a very consider
able item, but we have come to the
conclusion that this is question that
is getting to be less and less impor-
tant as most of the farmers and resi-
dents of smaller towns now own
and make trips to town
in their automobiles intsead of by
train. We did find. however. that
the schedules of trains coming into
and going out Of Keokuk were on the
whole more favorable to Keokuk
than to our competing towns.
We also found that although some
of the roads running into Keokuk
were in good condition. notably the
road from Keokuk to Montrose, the
Main street road from Keokuk to
Donnellson and the road to the Des
Moines river bridge, that other roads
that it would be necessary to use in
reaching Keokuk by automobile were
not in good condition and conse-
quently business that we might have
secured went to other cities as the
roads to these other cities were bet
ter than the roads to Keokuk, SO
that your committee feel that one
Of the most important things that
Keokuk merchants can do is to use
their influence with the proper
to have all roads running
into Keokuk put in as good condition
as possible and then see to it that
these roads are kept in good condi-
ton and that the number OF these
good roads be constantly Increased
and extended in all directions. This
Is not matter that can be accom-
pIished in a day, but is one that must
be looked after and followed up con-
tinually.
We also wish to add in this con-
nection that Keokuk has the best
bridge crossing the Mississippi river
from Quincy to Burlington. The
tolls charged at the Keokuk bridge
are less than the tolls charged on
the other Mississippi river bridges
and If the roads leading to this
bridge were in good condition and
kept in good condition there is no
reason why Keokuk should not Sc
cure very much larger volume Of
business from the Illinois side of the
river.
Caring for Visitors.
The next matter considered was
W ether or not Ke0k,,lr lie preporad