Another Generation's Optimism

While researching a project in SE Missouri at the Mercantile Library yesterday I came across a thin volume on Cape Giradieu and pulled it from the stacks, thinking there might be a chance it could be connected to my work. It wasn't, but I found it fascinating nonetheless.
In 1916 a group in the Cape area put together a proposal/plea to have an armor factory located in their region. Although the US had not entered 'the war to end all wars' yet it looks like anticipation was building. At any rate, I pulled out my cell camerea and snapped a few pix from the book as I was struck by the optimism the went along with a belief in 'almost unlimited electric power' from a 'commercial water-power dam.' Here are a few pages of the book.