ALLENDER'S STEAM SWING
OR MERRY-GO-ROUND

The first steam (coal burning) merry-go-round in the state of Iowa was owned and operated by the Harrison Allender family of near Keota. The Allender home was 2 3/4 mi. northeast of Keota where they had built a special shed for the merry-go-round. Prior to the steam powered merry-goround the Allenders had a horse powered merry-go-round.

In 1892 "the Allenders' Steam Carousal is the delight and admiration of our people and is having a mammoth business. It plays Dixie, Mocking Bird and Ta-ra-ra-boom."

The carousal operated at celebrations far and near, being a big attraction.

By 19I2 Mr. Allender got his dynamo going using the old steam engine for power. When they came to a town that did not have an electric light system, they could go right ahead just the same.

Quoting from The Keota Eagle of August 17, 1916: Harrison Allender's merry-go-round that has been part and parcel of our existence for nearly 25 years, has been sold and it was shipped to Brannon, Iowa. It's like saying goodbye to an old friend.

A SENSATION IN KEOTA

October 18, 1928. Mrs. Sara Burns says that more than 40 years ago (around 1888) a colored woman named Mrs. Davenport moved to Keota and occupied a house on Broadway in east Keota. The woman has been deserted by her husband. She had a son about 4 years old. A few months after arrival here she became mother of a baby daughter, who was the first colored child born here. Dr. R. S. Brice was attending physician and she and Mrs. Charles Hinman were called in to be of whatever assistance they could. The woman was a hair-dresser and also worked out by the day. She worked in many homes and lived here perhaps two or three years. The baby was a sensation in the town for a while, just as Dorothy Mae Jones has been the past two weeks here in Keota. She was born to Mr. and Mrs. Columbus Jones at her home in Keota October 5. Dr. Hinsdill was the attending physician. Dorothy Mae has two sisters, the elder of whom, Bernice, is in first grade in school. The father is one of the paving workers.

Another baby that was a sensation here for a while was the Mexican baby born here about ten years ago to a couple that lived in a freight car on the right-of-way, the father being employed by Rock Island.

These facts will make interesting items in some future history of the town of Keota. We like to get them into print so they can be preserved in the files of The Eagle where some historian will sometime look for information.

TRAIN WRECKS

August 22, 1907. Engine No. 338 arrived from Oskaloosa last Friday morning with six cars of coal shortly after 7 o'clock, passing our section men at the mile crossing west of town. The train crew set out all their cars at Keota and started on their way back to Oskaloosa, for another train, the engine going backwards and pulling their caboose. Foreman Kite supposed the train's destination was Washington and they were pumping down the track two miles west, when suddenly they discovered a train almost upon them. Engineer Thomas Allen had seen the men and was whistling and doing his best to stop, but the rail was wet that morning and noise of the hand car prevented the men from hearing the whistle in time. They hustled and had the hand car turned half way 'round when the engine struck them at about ten miles an hour. The hand car raised the tender, the rails spread, and over the engine went on its side burying the hand car. Kite and one man had stayed with the car to the last. The fireman jumped, but Allen stayed with his engine until all motion stopped, put out the fire and climbed out the cab window which was then on top. One truck of the caboose was derailed but the local freight engine soon pulled it back on the track. Foreman Smithers of West Chester and Crooks of Harper soon arrived with their men and by noon had a track built around the dead engine so trains could pass. A relief train came from Knoxville about 2 o'clock but didn't have the right equipment so went back home. Roadmaster Lee came down that night to look things over and decided to wait until Sunday to raise the engine as there would be but one train to bother them that day. On Sunday a train load of men came and by 4 o'clock they had the engine back on the track, having separated it from the tender. The engine isn't damaged a great deal. They also raised the tender that evening. They think no one will be greatly blamed for the wreck.

Sept. 22, 1910. The local freight from the west dropped a broken beam across the track on the high level between Keota and Clear Creek fill. The express from the west, following the freight, struck the beam and every wheel on the train went off the track. Conductor George McDowell told headquarters he could get the train back on the rails in three hours which he did.

SEWERAGE AND DISPOSAL PLANT

December l9, 1914. C. E. Hughes of Rock Island was awarded the sewerage contract for $15,996.50 and the Offerman Construction Company of S. Omaha, Nebraska, will build the septic tank and outlet for $8,789.35. The work is to be completed by December l, 1915.

March 11, 1915. Contractor C. E. Hughes and his men began work on the sewerage system on South Davis Street. As fast as the machine digs the ditch, workmen lay the l2-inch tile and another machine fills up the ditch. From South David street to disposal plant 15 inch tile will be used.

July 8, 1915. Mr. J. B. Offerman of S. Omaha, Nebraska, started to work on disposal plant for the new sewerage system. They erected a shed and have everything in readiness when the machinery arrives. The plant will be located in a field south of town.

The disposal plant was completed October 23 and required more work than planned. The main tank is 30 x 100 feet and about 15 feet deep. The plant needs but little attention and the final cost was around $9,000. Engineer J. F. Sproate was general superintendent and overseerer and has been here all summer.

October 19, 1916. The sewage system is now ready to be tested. The engineers have checked it and the council has gone down into the manholes and looked at 'em. They say it is all right and as soon as pumping apparatus at the new station is installed it will be ready for the test.

May 4, 1922. NEW LIGHT. Residents of Sunnyside have moonlight every night since the light globe on the water tower has been in use. It's a 300 watt globe and is a beacon that advertises Keota's existence for miles around.

Adding to the above data The Eagle reporter notes that the waterworks system was extended in 1914 or 1915, at the same time the sewer system and disposal plant were put in. The footage of mains was more than doubled, the hydrants more than tripled, the pump was replaced, the wooden tank was replaced with a steel tank on the original tower, to hold about 70,000 gallons. An additional deep well was drilled in the west end but never produced more than 20 gallons per minute and was abandoned in the late 1930's.

The main well in the park began to fail in 1930. Elvin Grimes drilled several 8-inch holes in the bottom of the dug well. These practically went dry in 1936. Dewey Edwards of West Branch drilled four new wells in the park and two in the west end before an adequate water supply was secured. He has since drilled two more wells in the same vicinity and one of these for several years has been the best supply the town has ever had. There are now three wells in the park capable of producing water. The original dug well was cased and the dug part filled with clay and is thought to be capable of being restored to its former vigor by modern methods. It is in the old brick pump house. A frame pump house stands to the east about 30 feet and a well there will produce about 40 gallons per minute. It is the main reserve well, and has an excellent turbine pump. Another frame pump house is south of the old well about 50 feet and the well there is the principal supply. An excellent turbine pump produces 60 to 65 gallons per minute.

The Keota municipal water supply has recently (1949) been approved by the State Department of Health as meeting all requirements as to equipment, maintenance, and purity, and it is probable the town will purchase a standard sign from the highway department advertising the city water here as being state-approved.

In 1958 a new well was dug — 1756 feet deep to the Jordan Stream. This well produced a sufficient water supply at that time, producing 300 gallons per minute.

This water was so hard that in 1961 it became necessary to install a softener plant.