The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-28

more than the horses could pull up
some OF the hills, the male passen-
gers could get out and push.
The travel on the main state road
leading from Keokuk to Fort Des
Moines was so great that II was nee
essary to have roadside inns-tav-
erns. they were called In those
days-every two or three miles from
keokuk 10 Primrose. distance OF
thirty miles. Including the two at
Fourteenth and Main streets and the
one at Primrose, there were twenty
taverns.
Was Keokuk boom town in those
days? / think it was the busiest
little town on the west side OF the
Mississippi river between st. Louis
and the north pole.
From 1916 to 1913 the city made
very rapid growth. The city was
Incorporated under special charter
in 1S4S, under an act approved Feb
ruary %. ls47.
The First keokuk Election.
The first election for city officers
was held January 23, 1S4s. Three
wards were established. The first
ward included all that part of the
city lying between the river and Sec
ond street. bounded on the southeast
by the alley between Main and John
son streets. The second ward in
cluded all that part OF the city lying
between the river and Second street
and was bounded on the northeast by
the line aforesaid The third ward
included all the remainder of the
city between the center OF Second
street and the northwest boundary
of the city.
The voting place in the first ward
was the Rapids hotel; in the second
ward at the American house, and in
the third at J. G. Wickersham's Of
flee.
Colonel William Patterson was the
choice OF the people for mayor, but
he declined. William A Clark was
nominated for first mayor of Keo-
kuk without opposition, receiving ITO
votes. Eighty-seven votes were cast
for Z. c. Stone.
The First City Council
James Markley and William E.
Reed were elected aldermen for the
first ward, Herman Bassett and Will
liam Holiday for the second ward,
and John w. Ogden and John M.
Houston for the third ward.
The first meeting of the city couu-
Gil was held January 10, 1S4S, at the
mayors office, with the mayor and
all aldermen present. ]. w. Ogden
was appointed clerk pro tenn. The
mayor read his address, after which
the council proceeded to elect a
clerk, assessor and marshal.
A. Y. Putnam was appointed clerk;
L. f. Houghton, assessor. and ID.
Murry, marshal, collector and treas
urer Messrs. Ogden, Holiday, Hous-
ton and Reed were appointed COM
mittee to report resolutions for the
government OF the council, after
which the council adjourned to meet
the following Monday.
The First Ordinance.
The first ordinance passed by the
council was at the meeting Of Mon
day, January 1t, 1S4S. 1t was an
ordinance relative to the clerk OF the
council OF the city of Keokuk.
There was great deal of business
to claim the attention of the fathers
Of the city, and they continued IN
session on Tuesday, the 18th. We'd
nesday, the 10th, and Thursday, the
goth, both morning and afternoon.
Monday was occupied in getting
the city machinery in motion. On
Tuesday, Silas Haight was granted
the privilege Of placing wharfboat
at the foot OF Main street.
The first tax levy was three-eighths
of one per cent. A room was rented
of D. E. Houghton for the mayors
office.
First Court in Church
The council secured the NJ. e.
church for the first term of the dis
tricr court held in the city of Keo,
kuk, paying the trustees $3.50 per
day for it's use.
Mr. Dogger was employed to estab
lish the grade of Main. Johnson and
Blondeau streets, receiving So pei
day for his services. The width OF
pavements was established at fifteen
feet on Main street and twelve feet
on all the other streets. Monday
March s, the city council elected
Hawkins Taylor street supervisor
and inspector at a salary Of $1.5O per
day for each day actually employed
Mr.. Taylor had to give bond for
the faithful discharge OF his duties
He won the respect of all the good
citizens for his good judgment and
the honest and faithful discharge OF
his duties.
William Telford was city attorney
This completed the list of city Off
GERS under the first administration
Pioneer City Officers.
The second election of city Off
GERS was held on April 10, 1913
Justin Willard was elected mayor. A.
Van Tuyl and Moses Job were elect
ed aldermen from the first ward
Silas Haight and George Watkins
from the second, and Clark Johnson
and Robert Creel from the third
OF 1T q ND