The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-10
CONTINENTAL
hOUlE PROPOSED
National Railroad administrator is
Asked to Consider Indiana
to Nebraska Commerce
Plan.
SERVES "A LARGE AREA
Pennsylvania Road, T. P. G. w., and
keokuk and Western Form
Combination to Relieve
Congestion.


ton is asked in a petition prepared
and despa tched, to give consideration
to a proposal for the establishment
of a mid-continental route extending
from Logansport, Ind, to Omaha,
Neb., and traversing central Illinois
and southwestern Iowa, including
Keokuk and contiguous territory In
it's movement.
The Pennsylvania, the Toledo, Pc
oria & Western and the Keokuk &,
Director General w. G. McAdoo as
ton of routes.
Attention of the administration is
called to the rich agricultural and
coal mining regions through which
this proposed rail highway passes.
Stress is placed upon the fact that
the roads are already in operation
and that they would be instantaneous
ly serviceabie to the government
while it is contending with congested
commercial districts elsewhere.
Text of the Petition.
Signatures of Keokuk Industrial
association officials are attached to
the draft and approval of the city
council of Keokuk is attached to the
entire.
This is the full text OF the memo
rial to Mr.. McAdoo.
ITO The Honorable William G. Mo
Adoo, Director General of Rail,
roads, Washington, D. c.:
"The people along the line of rail.
RAIDS hereinafter shown most re.
specially pray your honor to estab,
lish what we are pleased to call
through line of railroad from Logans.
port, Ind, via the Pennsylvania rail
road, to and over the line of the To
ledo, Peoria & Western railroad, to
Peoria, thence over the line to Ham
ilton in the State of Illinois; thence
across the railroad bridge to Keokuk
in the State of Iowa; and thence
along the line of what is called the
Keokuk & Western division of. the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy rail
road, through the cities of Kahoka
and Memphis in Missouri, Centerville
Humeston, Clarinda and Shenandoah
in Iowa: and thence the connecting
lines of the Burlington system to
Omaha.
Bridge an Advantage.
I'VE represent that said lines OF
railroad are in fairly good condition
and there is splendid new bridge
across the Mississippi river at keo
kuk, capable of any modern railroad
burdens. That the line contemplated
from Logansport to Omaha is much
shorter than the through lines from
east or Pittsburgh, Penn, than the
other routes further north or south.
at will appear from the railroad
maps that there is practically nc
through route railroads between Bur
lington, Iowa, and Quincy, ILL.,, bell
of country about eighty miles wide
! with Keokuk about midway between
Burlington and Quincy.
Power Available.
cat Keokuk there is the great
mower dam across the Mississippi riv
er. capable of generating one hundred
and fifty to two hundred thousand
horse power, and that factories requir
ing great transportation Of freight
and passengers are being established
in the immediate power zone, includ
ing said city.
| ''InaL IIle Du Olit '" WI
has a plant, with several million dol
lars invested, near this city, and thai
there is no practical through route
from Peoria to Keokuk and the wes
70 Omaha, and we believe that the
neople throughout this territory
shoI1ld have a practical through route
esta bIished between the cities named
to enable them to go to the far eas'
and west by a more direct route thai
they now have.
Pennsylvania Idea.
aft is further represented that 1t has
been the thought of the Pennsylvania
railroad people for many years to es
tablish and extend its lines over the
rorte here named to the Missouri r1v
ar and Omaha, and that the western
norton of the Toledo, Peoria & West
ern railroad, the bridge across the
said river from Keokuk, and the linz
of road contemplated from keokui
Ito Centerville. Iowa, was really Dull
by parties in interest OF the Pennsyl