The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-01
War Wakes Another Change and the
str.csfus PecrI. Pain % Take
Excursion Beats Out Ct
ST Paul
LARGE BOATS GO SOUTH
These VIII be Operated Out Of S.
Louis, It is Learned, Dur
ing In. Duration of
tire Wa.

ROCK ISLAND. III. April L.
Present indications are that there
viii De no more through packets ply
ing the upper Mississippi river be-
tween ST. Louis and ST. Paul during
The coming summer and perhaps
not during the duration OF the world
war
This was made plain by Captain
John SrrscEfus in an interview
The steamer St Paul, the finest
and largest boat on the upper Mis-
sisslypi, viii be converted into q Dig
excursion boat, and VIII be perma-
uently ont Of The packet and through
passenger service
The big steamer las been wfntersd
in the Davenport harbor, and some
great transformations have been
going on All OF the state rooms
have been taken out Of The cabin and
q great dance floor, 210x33 feet has
been created and made in shape for
the new business in which The boat
wil be engaged On the Texas, all
O. the rooms and bulzheads have
also been removed and there has
been created great observation
deck with canopy covering, and 10
be equipped with benches and roca-
ing chairs for the accommodation OF
a large crowd
No work or expense has been
spared on the boat, and there will be
dttesn-foot guards on either side OF
the dance hall, where benches and
chairs can be placed for the e1cur-
sionfsts TO sit down and view thu
scenery or rest
Goes TO ST. Louis.
The steamer ST Paul will go 20
St Louis for the summer and Win
be operated as a daylight boat be
tween that city and the chautauqua
grounds at Plaza Bluffs, where the
St. Louis people go for their pic
MICS. She will make daily runs in
that trade, beginning in May. leaving
st. Louis every morning al and
returning at 6 o'clock in the even
! ing.
Returning to ST. Louis the boat
will make a trip each evening, leav-
| ing ST Louis at s o'clock and return
ing at II o'clock.
In her remodeled form the st.
Paul will be the finest excursion
steamer on the river. She Is 800
feet long, has 75-foot beam and
will accommodate 5000 passengers in
her new form.
She will be finer than the Island
Queen" heretofore the finest and
largest excursion boat on the Ohio,
which operates out OF Cincinnati.
The steamer Sidney, of the Streck-
fus lines, will continue in the ex-
cursion business up and down the
Mississippi river and will be the big
excursion boat in and out OF the
Tri-Cities.
The Packets.
The steamers Quincy and Dubuque,
the big packets of the Streckfus line,
are In the Davenport harbor, and the
indications are that they will be
taken over by the government during
the war II they are, they will prob
ably be used by the government be-
tween St Louis and New Orleans for
hauling freight and will not be seen
in these waters during the summer.
II the government does not take them
over they will be running in their
regular trade for a portion of the
season at least.
Both Of these boats have been
oyerhauled and remodeled. The
steamer Quincy spent some time in
the dry docks at keokuk last fall be-
fore being put into winter quarters
here, and $500 was spent in repairs
and remodeling the craft for the
summer trade.
The steamer Dubuque was in the
dry docks at Mound City, H.. and
the same sum approximately was
expended in putting this boat in first
class shape for the river traffic.
During their stay in the Davenport
harbor they have both been treated
to a new coat of paint and the place
has been busy one all winter.
With the opening OF the river
season late in April or in May. all
the big boats may leave this end Of
the river, and so far as this com
rnunity is concerned. there may be
no through boats and no big packets
here this summer