The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-07
Monday. November z. 1881.
The City Council, this evening, will b.

The City Council, this evening, will be
called upon to either grant or refuse the
c. B. s. @. railroad company the right of
way over First avenue near Fifteenth
/ street. The railroad authorities desire
to erect q round house on the north half
OF the block bounded by First avenue
| Fourteenth street, Fifteenth street and
Second avenue, and to reach this property
| from their main track on First street the
right of way is asked to cross the av-
enue.
| There are many and serious objections
to such request, which will be apparent
to any citizen on their mere enumeration,
and the members of the city Council will
do well to weigh carefully the objections
and claims of such move before passing
upon the same in an official capacity. The
proposed round house is to be located in a
block where many private residences are
located. The noise and other disagreeable
features Of such a building will render
those residences less njoyable than would
be the case IL such round house was not in
case the property will depreciate in value
and an injustice will be done the owners
| Of such lots and houses by granting the re-
quested right OF way;for it is obvious that
| If the company cannot cross the avenue
| with track, they viii not seek to erect a
| round-house on the south of that thorough
| fare,
There is no doubt that round-house, or
| in fact any railroad building that employs
men, is good thing for city and every
Legitimate effort should be made to secure
its location in Rock Island; but no public
right or street should be surrendered, when
other property can be obtained by the COM
pany, on which the round house can be
erected without injury to private property
or Inconvenience to citizens. The propos-
ed site of the round house on First avenue
is in close proximity to the Central Pres
byterian church. Other edifiees OF wor-
ship, such as the st. Joseph's Catholic
church. the Christian Chapel and the I'm
tied Presbyterian church are located in the
immediate vicinity, not one of which is
more than 400 feet distant. All these
churches will be annoyed by the noise of
escaping steam and repairing necessary in
building Of that character. This will. be
the case every Sunday morning and eve-
ming, while the residents of that
locality will also suffer such inconvenience
during the entire week.
The obstruction of First avenue by hav-
ing track crossing that thoroughfare with
engines constantly coming and going from
the turn table located near the round
house, will render the avenue impossible
for teams and driving of any description.
However, all these disadvantages might
oe borne If there was no other ground
upon which the round house could be To-
Gated. The c., B. & Q. possesses sufficient
river frontage north Of the railroad tracks,
with the right of filing in the river, SO as
to create artificial land, to erect dozen
round houses of the size contemplated.
This ground could be made out into the
river and protected from the high water
and ice for sum little in excess of that
reported to have been paid for the proper
ty south of the avenue. This is owned by
the c., b. & Q. and round house could
be located thereon and it would prove of
injury to nobody, and of great benefit to
the city. If such location was made
there would be no necessity to break up
street; there would be no damage to pri-
vate property, and it is certainly to be hop
ed that the council viii give the c., B. & O.
authorities an opportunity to change their
plans by refusing to grant them the right
of way across First avenue.
Saturday the star route thieves opened