The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-07
RAILROAD WAR.
MATE AND CHEcKMATE."
NIGHT WATCH---EXCITEMENT
AMONG THE PEOPLE---MOR-
MING FINDS ALL QUIET.

rious rumors we're ahoat in that city that
there was railroad war that far exceeded
the Moline riot, and would rank among the
noted fights of Vanderbilt, Gould or Fisk.
The following are the circumstances, from
which it seems the point of law involved is
the right of one road to cross another with q
switch or side track point under State law.
At the time DR.. Hamilton, President of
the Peoria and Rock Island railroad, was In
this city week or more since, we published
the fact that in conference with Mr..
Young, he had granted the Rockford road.
the privilege of laying q side track across
the river front to switch coal trains across
At the last meeting Of the Council, Chas.
NJ. Osborn, Esq, the Attorney of the Rock
ford road, presented on ordinance to the
City Council, asking for the river front
at the foot of Washington street and
adjacent lots as a coal wharf. This was
referred to special committee who have
not yet reported. The permission which Mr..
Hamilton gave to MI. Young was 3 condition
one. He was to confer with R. r. Gable
the resident director aud Supt. of the Peoria
road and decide upon the point at which the
crossing was TO be made. A few days ago
Mayor Buford it is said advised the company
10 put in their crossing at once as it would
only be question OF time anyhow. Previ-
ousIy however Mr.. Pettibone the Division
Superintendent had conversed with Mr..
Gable about it, who told him Of
the agreement made between Mr.. Young
and DR.. Hamilton. Mr. Pettibone then as
sured Mr. Cable that he would not act in the
matter till Mr.. Yopng's return, who was alb
sent east. But he had orders, SO he then
averred, to take the track up on Sunday
that day being selected as they alege so as
not to interfere with the running OF the c. V.
coal trains, although the work could have
been done in two hours during the week
without discommoding the Coal Valley Com
pany. Accordingly yesterday, at a very
early hour, Mr.. Pettibone accompanied by
Mr.. Hill, construction foreman, and a squad
of laborers, made their appearance upon the
to take up the track near Washington St.
Several citizens seeing the proceedings
asked what was going on, and received an
swers that didn't correspond to the interest
they felt in the matter, by reason of their
owning property in that vicinity. So Mr.
Gable was notified, aud at once took meas
ures to run coal.cars up from his depot to
occupy the track.
Mr.. Cables locomotive could be seen some
distance below the Rockford depot, getting
up steam, to which "a train Of empty cars
were attached. This movement was check
ed by running q Rockford engine off the
switch isss below Washington street, in
such a manner as to leave the forward
trucks on the Rockford iron, and the tender
and drivers on the ground IN such a manner
as to completely block the road. The labor
ers hurried up their work and would soon
have had the iron up, when down came a
train of cars from the c., R. l. & P. yard,
and blocked the road in front of the Rock
ford engine, at the same time occupying
the track that the workmen wanted to take
up. These cars were left, and the engine
went back TO the yard. The workmen
we're ordered to shove the cars out of the
way, and did so, and at the same time
commenced picking the dirt away from the
ties some distance below, and we're proceed
! ing to tear up the rails. Mr.. Cable remon-
strated with the men Mr.. Pettibone told
them to proceed. In the meantime Marshal
Mitsch and Policeman Snyder came on the
scene. Mr.. Cable ordered them to arrest
anybody that attempted to take up the track
Mr.. Pettibone, and Mr. Hill, the foreman,
again ordered their men to proceed. "Arres,
those men," says Mr.. Cable, pointing to
Mr.. Pettibone and Foreman Hill, which
was accordingly done.
The laborers then desisted, and the engine
returned with more cars heavily loaded with
coal and all were pushed over the point o
the projected crossing, almost up to th'
point of the Rockford engine. Mr.. Pettibon'
and Mr.. Hill were immediate |,
released. The excitement ths
ensued during the passage of thes'
events which occupied but short time wa
intense. There were upwards of Thousand
citizens collected on the levee arguing tn
matter pro and con. 1t is generally under
stood that Mr.. Pettibone was acting unde
orders, but the right to effect
crossing a. whatever point tn
Rockford road pleased is strenuously de
> MED by Mr.. Cable. The fact that the Rock
ford road have levee privileges on both side
of the Peoria track would, we deem it, Civ
! them the right to cross somewhere. III
city has also promised them as much rive
. front as the Coal Valley Company ha'
: which promise the Council purpose shall b
fulfilled. Mr.. Cable denies their right Q
way across bis track for switch purposes
The Rockford people, moreover, aver thu
the point of crossing selected was the onl
one available. Mr.. Cable takes out q
injunction to-day to prevent their crossin
until the matter is settled by law. 1t va
q pretty little game of chess, this rail os
J skirmish, in which the "coal monopoly
cried ''checkmate," and the Rockford roa
threw up the game.
At dark, each side had four engines
the scene Of action, and, until late at nigh
hundreds were assembled along the lew