The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-20
Must Rock r.lard Take Back Seat?


Island built the first gas works, had the
first macadamized streets. secured the
first railroad, established the first daily
newspaper, had the first power press,
built the first street railroad, established
the first water works. and has generally
been ahead of its neighbors 10 public
matters. 1t is manifestly falling behind.
Davenport has its Gne Opera House,
its Academy for Young Ladies, its
Academy of Sciences. its Mercy Hospital.
its Home for Fallen Women, ard is gener-
ally ahead of Rock Island in public and
charitable matters. And Moline. too. is
way ahead in the matter of public lee
lures and public library building and fine
school and church buildings. Do the
people of Rock Island intend to remain 10
this condition ?-or will they awake and
get up alongside of their neighbors? 1t
is for them to say. If Rock Islanders
don't want to remain in this behind-the-
age condition, the first thing for them to
do is to aid in securing frst-class opera
house. The Burtis Opera House has done
more to give character and good name to
Davenport than any other one thing. Of
course it was bad investment for DR..
Burtis 1t has never paid him interest
on the investment-but it has been big
thing for the town. Why do we get no
first class entertainments? Because we
have no place for them. People will not
go to Darts Hall. The stage is too small
for anything; the scenery is ausgespielt;
it is poorly lighted and ventilated. and has
no modern mode of managing the light;
The seats are horrid; the noisy stairway
and slamming of doors and bare floors are
source of continual annoyance to stage
and audience; and in case of fire or panic
it is positively dangerous. Can people
be blamed for not going there? Can good
companies be blamed for not coming here ?
Is it any wonder that our best citizens GO
out of town for amusements and entertain.
ments2
What is to be done? As an investment,
an opera house won't pay How, then,
are we to secure one? Simply by the
people giving some evidence that they
want one. The property holders and
business men could we'll afford to give
its cost to any good man who would
build one and manage it properly. They
would be more than compensated by the
increased value of their property and the
increase of business. People who owl
property, and who have business places
or dwellings to rent should consider this
point. But they need not give the entire
SUN. They can secure FIRST class house
equal to Hooley 10 Chicago, if they viii
raise money enough to purchase good
site fer it. If they don't care enough
about it to do that, it is not likely that We
shall have good house. There would b.
no money in it, to the man who may
build and run it-but we think the hous,
can be secured in that way.
How is that to be done? What il
everybodys business is nobody's business
and who Is to start it? We suggest t.
the young gentlemen of the Athletic Clul
to take hold Of the matter and call on on
property-holding citizens and bushes
men and see what can be done. Eithe
. thar, or let the property holders and bust
ness men get together and decide 70
themselves what to do. We suggest th
CLUB because it is one of our public organ
izations and can easily appoint a commit
tee to attend TO the matter of raisin
funds and securing the site, and negotia
! ting with the gentleman who may b
= induced to build the house