The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-16
MINISTERIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITY
| N COMING YEAR ARE TOLD At MEETING

7
During the early part Of the year
we gathered considerable data for a
New England concern that owns
patent right for a new process for
manufacturing news print paper from
wheat straw. There is only one other
location that can compete with Keo-
kuk for this plant and that is
western city located in the wheat
belt. War conditions have stopped
their plans only for the time being
and we hope to have something to
report on this prospect in the near
future.
Contractors started work on Janu
airy 3, building the second addition
to the Standard Four Tire company's
present plant. With the completion
of this addition, the Standard Four
Tire company expects to increase it's
working force to 500 employees and
turn out $50 tires per day. This
company, which was on January l
year ago, only turning out an aver
age OF 165 tires per day, now has an
output of approximately 400 tires
per day and is now working 225 men,
and has a monthly payroll Of $4,000.
This company has been very success
full in the marketing of its product
and, due to the extremely rapid
growth of its business, it has found
it necessary to arrange for further
very considerable enlargement of it's
manufacturing plant. The stockhold-
ers have recently authorized an in
crease in it's capital to $3,500,000 and
force of statesmen will, within the
next few weeks, begin an active cam
paign to dispose of this stock. With
the proceeds of this stock sale, the
Standard Four Tire company expects
to construct tire manufacturing
plant, modern in every respect, with
a capacity of from $500 to 5000
tires per day, and will employ in the
manufacture of these tires from 1850
to 1900 men.
Some Additions.
During the past year the American
Cement Machine works increased its
capital stock to $120,00000 and con-
siderably enlarged its plant.
The Irwin-Phillips company has
built an addition to it's old building
which increased its floor space to
three times it's former area.
The Briar Mills, which is engaged
in the milling Of flour and feed, built
new plant of modern construction
and now has capacity of fifty bar
rels per day.
The Purity Oats company built a
two story office building, adjoining
it's present plant, and moved its
office and clerical force into this new
building, which change resulted in
giving them considerably more space
in their factory to be used for manu-
featuring purposes.
The y. G. Hubinger Bros. company
has also built an addition to its
plant.
The matter of the utilization of
the drydock at Keokuk for the con-
struction of boats and barges has
been taken up with the Iowa sena-
tors and the war department The
assistant secretary of war, in let
ter to Senator Kenyon, wrote that
the war department had the matter
of the use of the drydock ir mind
and that they would be used as the
puriic need might require.
Consistent Improvement.
In looking over the statistics that
show. in a general way, the growth
of Keokuk since 1910, we find that
there has been very consistent
improvement in the general indus
trial condition of the city. This is
induced by the fact that the post
office receipts have increased from
s67, 2S9 in 1910 to S97,157 in 1917. an
Increase of Is percent The bank
deposits have increased from $751;
sos in 1910 to S4,97O,371 in 1917, an
increase of 55 percent. The new in
dustries that have been located in
Keokuk since the completion of the
dam, employ approximately $50
people and take to operate these new
Industries 1850 horse power.
In conclusion I wish to state that,