The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-08

euClEely cease 1lS ullBTdllOuS Wueu II
moved from Richmond. Indiana, to
Chicago and thence to Keokuh in
1856. 1t first located at Third and
Main streets; then 1t moved to what
was then away uptown, Sixth and
Main; afterward, it dorpped !owI.-
town to Main between Fourth and
Fifth; later, 1T went to Main between
Second and Third; then 1t moved 10
Main between Third and Fourth;
finally, it went to Second and Main
where it remains since the fire Of
1887, and has enlarged it's building
to manifold it's former floor space.
Some Human interest History.
This present building is on the site
of the Charles Parker bank, ons of
the historic financial Institutions CT
Keokuk; the new part of the build,
ing covers the site of the old La
Clede hotel, afterward the Stanley
house, once a noted hostelry Of the
old Keokuk with its wide galleries
on both front and river side giving
grand view of the majestic Missis-
sippi and registers showing many
guests from all parts Of the country
1t was torn down twenty years
ago. That part Of the town was
once the most lively portion of the
bustling city of Keokuk, and the
Irwin-Phtllips factory stands on the
site of the Athaneum, the famous
theater of a past century, where
Henry Clay Dean, famous orator and
eccentric patriot, made his first pub
lie speech and where actors and
musicians now embalmed in history,
played and sang and walls rang to
the patriotism of wartime meetings.
It took long time for Irwin-Phil-
lips company to get settled in a per-
manent place in Keokuk, but, not
withstanding strong efforts by other
towns to entice it away, it has never
seriously considered leaving Keokuk.
Des Moines. Enthusiastically. has
been specially active and persistent
in trying to get this old and large
business moved to the city on the
Coon. The final answer may be found
in the very large enlargement of the
plant just completed here at cost
which makes removal out of the
question. Once, years ago. when the
of Des Moines, and it's
German type of diplomacy, had
SduoCu olioh6 ACpOIlS hSlS liIdL
Irwin-Phillips & Co. were going to
move to the banks of the Coon river,
a friend mentioned the rumor to
Mrs. Stephen Irwin, the same woman
who would not live in Chicago, now
a matron with silver gray crown
over the same refined, strong face.
Are an Integral Part of keokuk.
I'VE are not going to move to Des
Moines," asid Mrs. Stephen Irwin
quietly, but with that same intang-
ible tone of finality That settled it
for that time. OF course, the present
and prospects of Keokuk.
the new Industrial Keokuk, kills all
thought of ever finding better loca-
ton for a big, successful manufac-
turing and jobbing house.
The Irwin-Phillips people are too
much a part of Keokuk, anyhow
From the beginning, they have been
a large part of this community John
N Irwin was mayor of Keokuk once
upon time and served his Keokuk
fellow citizens in many ways, in
Guiding the hard work of the promo
ton of the water-power which prob
ably FASTENED his untimely death just
as the building of the great work
started. Back Of that his father,
Stephen Irwin, was always prominent
and busy in the interests of his
home city. The other son, Wells NJ
Irwin, is one of the most active
boosters Keokuk ever had, one of
her favorite orators, and is generally
in the front rank of any public move
mept here from getting a new factory
to the Red Cross war fund campaign.
The third generation, John r. Irwin
and Stephen Irwin. sons of these
brothers, are taking their proper
places IN Keokuk affairs and activi-
ties. Captain l. A. Sawyer also did
much for the good of Keokuk in his
lifetime. The Phillips family are one
Of the most firmly fixed in Keokuk
social circles.
The persons who have comprised
his jobbing and manufacturing house
or three generations have been noted |
'or their intense patriotism toward
heir country and their home city.
Keokuk in this direction, as well as
he head of Chief Keokuk all over
ne IuIuOlc west loT lllduy years.
Building Big Business Block.
AS the jobbing business grew
anger and larger, the quarters of the
company became too small 1t be- |
,ame imperative to enlarge the build
ng, regardless of the present high !
'ost of construction. This summer |
he Irwin-Phillips building has been
,uilt by constructing a very large |
building which absorbs the older,
ather large building, and enables
BUSINESS to be conducted without !
while the new building is !
,eing made ready for occupancy.
The building In which Irwin-Phil-
ips company will do business for !
ONE years at least, covers a ground
rea of 125 by lao feet with its six
oors 1t Is of slow burning, heavy
obstruction, the walls all vitritied
rick, flanked by large loading and
nloading platform and driveway ex-
ending through the block The new