The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-09-23


THE NEW PEORIA DEPOT.
Sometime ago the city wanted Mr.. Cable
to give up his present depot grounds, in or
der to have chance to offer better facilities
for other roads to come into town. Mr.. Ca
BILE was perfectly willing to do so, and pur-
chase other grounds. in the lower part Of the
city, for depot, provided the city would va
cate the ends of the streets running through
the land he might purchase on the river
bank, at the lower part of town, and pay him
for the brick building on his present depot
grounds. This was very liberal on his part;
and the city could get back the money for the
engine house from any other road which
wanted the grounds.
The city also wanted Mr.. Cables coal
yard removed from the levee, in order to
make room for the increasing business there;
and he wanted to remove it to point where
he could have more room, and where ne
could build a dock from which coal could be
dumped from cars into barges-but he want
ed to retain some central place in town, from
which to deliver coal by carts, to city Gus
toners and the people wanted this, also, as
it would give them their coal considerably
cheaper than if it was hauled from the pro-
posed coal depot at the lower part of the
city.
The city owes Mr.. Cable some forty or 6f.
ty thousand dollars, and asked him to make
proposition to compromise the debt-to take
less than its face, and to make proposition
to settle all matters of Indebtedness, law
suits, depot grounds, coal yards, etc., and he
did so. The city accepted his proposition,
and then quibbled and caviled about carry
ing out and completing it, and, at last, re-
fused to carry it out, but passed an ordin-
ance which did not come up to the agree
ment between the parties. That ordinance
was not accepted by him.
Mr.. Cable now makes another proposition,
embraced in proposed ordinance, to be
found in the council proceedings, in which
he is still more liberal to the city, viz: He
proposes to allow the city to collect wharf
age from ell boats landing at his proposed
coal depot, at the lower part of the city, pro.
vided they do any other business there ex-
cept getting coal but he shall have the
right to exclude boats from doing other than
coal business on his own land, If he wishes
to do So This is right.
He also proposes to take up with five
years privilege of selling coal on the public
grounds below Eagle street, instead of a per
manent right, as he first proposed and as
was agreed to by the council.
The ordinance is all right, with one ex
ception. 1t ought to state distinctly that his
five years shall commence on the expiration
of his present lease on the levee above the
ferry landing, whether ne occupies it or not
and that he shall remove his office, scales
and switch, any time after the expiration o
Eve wears from that time, on six months no
tice. With this change the ordinance is al
right, and ought to be unanimously adopt
ed.
And if adopted the city would get rid of {
troublesome law suit, get back the Peori'
depot grounds, get the coal yard removed
from the levee, and get her debt nearly ex
tinguished.
We think. if this ordinance should b
adopted, with the amendment suggested, tn,
city would be many thousands of dollars bet
ter off the moment it shall be passed. Anc
we think it would be almost if not quite
unanimously Endorsed by the people, as the
best thing we can possibly do, and very
liberal thing on the part of Mr.. Gable.
By accepting the proposition Mr.. Cabl'
has made, and passing the new ordinance
the city will save over $4,000 in cash, ant
settle every matter of dispute between tn
parties. Ought it not to be done 1t seem
to us that every man in town would sa.
"yesn Bailey Davenport, and several 9th
influential parties who have heretofore op
posed any settlement proposed, now strongl,
favor this and hope the aldermen will unsn
imously adopt it. The best interests of tn
whole people demand it. sr