The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-10-08
BRIDGE TRAFFIC
IS INTERESTING
The part o. the World That Crosses
keokuk's New and Big High
Bridge Presents Inter
estins Phases.
WATCHING BooTLEGGERs
Changes by Time In the Class Of We
hicIe Traffic and How Fruit Crop
In Illinois Affects It
Annually.

IIdI1C is SOOO uuuluS WcSh o<1yo ~
the Keokuk and Hamilton bridge
that is the highway business. Case
Illness Sundays though, have cut down
the travel to marked degree on that
day.
The bridge with its high floor and
mo railroads to cross is a popular high
way. The public has come to recog..
nize this and has taken advantage OF
the bridge as a quick means OF Cross
ing the river. The only obstacle to
continuous passage is when the draw
has to be opened.
To keep tally on the swiftly moving
autos speeding along from nearly ev'
cry state in the union, to note the
rambling vans with their cackl1ng
produce, the ice wagons. the oil tanks,
and now and then a horse vehicle,
makes the bridge smack of romance.
The outstretched hand OF a JOY rider
holds out a ticket to the toll taker
while the auto goes rolling by. The
hoarse tones OF huckster hauling ap-
pies across and the endless round OF
questions the travellers ask-this Is
all part Of the days work for the SUI
perintendent and taker OF tolls OF the
bridge.
The inhibition Of BootIegglng.
Now a grim officer of the law has
joined the force Of workers on the
bridge. He stands closely on guard
watching for bootleggers, smuggling
liquor across from the Illinois shore.
If wagon or an autho contains any
thing suspicious looking he investi-
gates the case. This officer is on duty
both day and night on the bridge.
The fact that policeman has beer
placed here has greatly lesened boot
ilegging," declared John II. Cole. sup
erintendent of the bridge.
Much farm produce is hauled into
Keokuk every day. That which has the
most value is chickens from Hancock
county, being taken to the packing
house. Some days the bridge Is crowd
| ed with truck loads of them.
Time Changes the Traffic.
Several changes have been made in
the traffic the last few years, accord
ing to John H. Cole, who has beer
superintendent on the bridge for the
last thirty-seven years.
Very few loose cattle go over the
bridge these days" he said. zone
butcher gets his cattle in Hancock
county and that's about all. Years
ago many hogs were brought across
for there were four packing houses ir
Keokuk. Now the hogs are sent into
Chicago by railroad.
I'm good apple years there was
trem endous travel. Apples were taker
J to Keokuk and then sorted and pack
ed That Is changed now. One peasor
is that buyers now go to the Illinois
| side into the orchards where they sor
and pack apples for the market. Thi!
| year, of, course, there has been NJ
apple crop to speak of. A few buck
sters go by with wares, but that !:
about ALL"
| Dam Draws Many Tourists.
Many of the automobile parties
who cross are tourists who often come
out Of their way to get a glimpse o
the dam.
do people complain about hayin,
to pay toll?" Mr. Cole was asked.
I'VE hardly ever hear complaint,
was his answer "But that Is because
we have the lowest toll bridge alons
the Mississippi. The rate Of toll wa!
fixed by ordinance in 1886, when thu
bridge was first built"