The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-26
Communicated
TIE BRIDGE ACROSS THE RAILROAD
TRACKS

There is, at present, few of our citizens
who are all Of a sudden impressed with the
notion that they cannot survive unless they
have q bridge thrown across Illinois street,
and eventually ruin the eastern part of that
street for all time to come.
They use, as pretext, for their dishonest
schemes. the necessity OF maintaining their
trade with the Island. This trade is carried
on with one of our butchers, q baker and
one or two grocers in this town, who deliver
their goods on the Island at their own
expense, and have never complained OF any
difficulty in getting on or of the bridge.
Notwithstanding most of those families who
now reside on the Island will be compelled
to leave In the spring, consequently this
argument, when properly tested, will have
very little effect
Wnen the bridge was in contemplation
across Sylvan Water, the c r. l. 2. Z K.
Compa pledged themselves to the Govern
ment to remove all distractions, as far ss
practicable, to the approach to said bridge.
1t was further designed that at the compile
ton of the new bridge across the river, the
depot would be removed to the eastern
terminus thereof, and that all switchirg and
making up of trains would be done on those
new tracks east of Arsenal street.
These men who were loudest in their de
clamatons in favor of permitting the Rock
ford road to enter the city by way of Illinois
street, stated to the public that trains on
this road would be transitory Of no serious
obstruction to the approach to the bridge
These statements are proven to be fact
and yet, in the course of q very short time,
these same men tell US these roads are an
uuendurable nuisance, and can't be tolera'
ted.
In regard to the statement that men and
horses are being scared and wheels torn of
by the rails, we know from observation that
these statements are entirely false. We see
teams at all times of the day, hauling as
much as IS or so bushels of coal On the
Island, over these tracks, without any dam
age 10 themselves or their wagons. We also
notice some of the heaviest loads OF iron and
lum ber pass over with o like result. But
some of our people cannot conceive the idea
of passing over the same place in carriage
or buggy without being scared or discom
moded.
| Now, to come down to naked facts, thi;
sudden cry for this bridge across Illinois
street, and the railroad tracks, derives ltt
origin from a different source altogether
There are few of our worthy citizens who
own extensive property up about the juno
ton of Arsenal and Orleans streets. who
would look with complacency on this grand
project of eternally blocking the upper enc
of illinois street from either ingress OF
eeress to Davenport, and by means of thi'
bridge transfer the same up around those
frog ponds on Orleans street, and thereb,
render valueless the proceeds of many years
labor of our industrious citizens who live III
Illinois street.
We earnestly beseach our city authorities
to consider we'll this matter before they giv'
their sanction to any measure that wouif
tend to ruin one portion of this city for th'
benefit of another.
| APRoPERrY OWNER.