The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-30
OUR FUTURE.
Rock Island Bound to Grow and
Prosper.

In conversation with one of our citi-
zens the other day, our reporter casually
remarked that things generally did not
boom in this locality like he would like to
see them boom. The citizen replied that
he thought our outlook was quite as
favorable as other points, with very rare
exceptions. Solid, stable growth was more
to be desired than spasmodie advances,
What especially was wanted to improve
the situation as well as possible
was for property holders to fit and
paint up, repair their old sidewalks,
show their local pride, so that when
strangers called to see us we would look
trim and neat. The citizen continued,
that if if he had money to invest he did
not know another locality he would more
willingly seek Than the one in our midst
The natural location, the great govern
ment arsenal, the immense water power,
the inexhaustible fields of coal near US,
our great net work of railroads, the
wealth and manufacturing interests
already here with other great powers of
development-if all these interests do
not in time make this point of great
power and trade, there can be no just
estimate made of great results end his
tory does not repeat itself. Take, for
| instance, continued the citizen, the great
arsenal alone, as one point. When this
is finished and fully equipped for work it
win have capacity for employing six
teen thousand people. This is an army
alone All these people must be fed,
clothed and housed. True, this great num-
Der may not centre here this year, next
year or for some years, but of course they
will some time. and when that time arrives
! then in fact we will have boom. The
great advantage the arsenal will some day
give us, has never been fully appreciated
by our people. Some will tell you that
water power is played out-that steam
has superseded it, The time is coming
when the difference in cost in the use OF
water and steam for manufacturing pur
poses, will prove q great item. Water
will be in demand because the small pei
cent of difference in favor of water. will
be an important factor in establishing
profits Profits are being reduced every
year, and small per cent. 10 great mau
featuring business. as competition con
linues to grow closer, will soon be worth
looking after. When any one wishes &c
sell is always the best lime to buy-anC
when people are seeking TO make pur-
chases is "a good time to sell. On thi:
basis now is the time TO buy. Ask any
man who has been here twenty or thirty
years and tell him to point out TO you
any man who has had real estate invest
ments during that time, and who has LOST
money through those investments. The
men can't be found. On the contrary
now many citizens can be found who owe
their prosperity greatly TO their real estate
| investments here. In conclusion the cit
izen remarked that the future of thi:
point in his opinion, was big in develop
ment, and that whatever croskers might
say he had the greatest faith in our PED
pie coming out all right. What is greatly
wanted is judicious energy and nerve il
investing the capital we can command
In aid of this our citizens association
can be power.