The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-16
Enjoyable Event in Dining Room Of
the Hotel Iowa, Last Evening
BY One Hundred
Men.
FOUR FINE ADDRESSES
History Of Water Power Project and
War Talks Made the
Program Most En-
pertaining.

i,he annual dinner Of the High Ten
sion club was enjoyed last evening in
the main dining room Of the Hotel
iowa by one hundred members of the
club and their invited guests, an ap-
petizing spread being enjoyed at 8
o'clock followed by an interesting pro
gram Of four addresses. The tables
we're decorated with the allied flags
and the triskelion banner was sus-
pended at the rear Of the speakers
table. An orchestra played several sc.
lections during the serving of the din.
ner.
Following the dinner. r. H. Bolster,
president of the High Tension club,
called the assemblage to order and in
troduced Judge William Logan as
postmaster OF the evening. Mr.. Boil
ster said the keynote of the evening
should be seriousness on account of
the great war, in which sixteen mem
beers of the club are taking part. He
read the list OF members in service.
Judge Logan said he was well ac-
quainted with the river. coming from
Cairo to Keokuk by steamboat sixty
six years ago this month, when there
was not railroad line to the river
and not rail in Iowa. There was
more steamboat business on the river
then in one week than there is now
in year. He gave brief history
Of the water power project in Keokuk.
the three great factors Of which, he
said, were Major Meigs, Hugh L. Coop
er and Stone e Webster.
Brief History Of Project.
The building Of a wing dam was
talked Of as early as 1S4S. For years
and years people talked about the
power going to waste in the river.
When the canal was built in 1868,
there was talk of putting In power at
each OF the locks, but this project,
like many others, fell through.
The Keokuk and Hamilton Water
Power Co. was organized July 6, 1899
BY company Of men called together
by Charles P. Birge. A franchise was
granted to build dam February 8,
1901. This was to be a wing dam on
the Illinois side. The company Sc
cured the services OF Lyman f. Cooley
to make survey and his report
showed wing dam unsatisfactory.
Major Meigs at that time said the only
thing was dam clear across the river
and Mr.. Cooley agreed.
The company, in a conference with
Senator Allison, was told it was
bold thing to do. Congressman Hen
derson told them no dam could be
built across the river which would
stick. In January 1905 the water
power bill was passed by the house
and Senator Allison pushed 1t through
the senate where it passed February
and it was signed by the president
February 8.
The prospectus was printed and
sent throughout the world. This fell
into the hands OF Mr.. Cooper who took
up the project, signing contract in
september to make a survey. build
the dam and be given the franchise.
Mr.. Cooper made the surveys in 1906.
In October 1908 the st. Louis con-
tract was closed. In October 1909 Mr..
cooper took the matter up with Stone
Webster. On January 8, 1910 word
was sent to Mr.. Cooper to start the
work. That was on Saturday. On
Monday actual work was started and
pushed to the finish
Judge Logan gave some figures
moving the mass Of material used in
tne work which required over three
million single days work to complete.
ne introduced Rev. E. B. Newcomb,
VINO was given permission to swear
AZ the kaiser il he wished.
Patriotic Address.
Partnership Of Patriotism, was
new. Newcomb's theme, who spoke Of
.ne need Of knowing the causes for
me war. and why we are in It. It Is
not Europe's fight. it's the worlds
nsht Every red blooded mans fight.
ever man had right to get into
another mans fight, America had the