The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-23
AT WAR.
The Milan street Railway and the
G. ID. & Q. and Rock Island 4
Peoria Roads at Logger
heads.
The Street Railway Attempts to Cross
the Railroad Tracks, Which
Causes the Trouble.

Sunday in Rock Island is generally
leuiet and peaceful. and 1t very seldom
Happens that anything occurs out OF tht
general routine of church and Sunday
lschool duties. Yesterday, however {
slight exception to the rule took place
/ and for time it looked as if considera-
BILE s.fuss" might be expected, but the
muss finally quoted down and nothing
terrible happened.
| At the next to the last council meeting,
leave was granted TO the Rock Island 4
Milan Street Railway Co. to extend THEN
track to the rivers edge. In so doing
they would have to cross the railroad
tracks of the C., B. & @. and Rock Island
& Peoria roads. Early Sunday morning
force of men commenced the work of
putting down newrails, and proceeded to
extend the track as contemplated. The
reason Sunday was selected for the work,
was undoubtedly because no trains were
RAINING, and they would not have the
difficulty they would necessarily expert
ence onaany other day. As it was, they
had more difficulty than was expected.
Work had fairly begun, when the c., B.
& @. employees telegraphed to. their Su-
peIintendent at eBeardstown of what was
about to trapspire, and asked what was TO
be done. They received an answer to
block the crossing and stop the work if
possible Accordingly two loco
motives, one from the c.,
B. & @. and the other
belonging to the Rock Island Peoria,
pulled up TO the crossing and stopped
directly over it. and the engines refused
to bulge an inch, This somewhat irrita
ted the street railway folks, and they sent
scene of conflict Marshal Miller and
one or two policemen were also on hand.
Things began TO assume an interesting
aspect, and crowd gathered around the
belligerents. At this juncture the railway
combination had little the best of the
fight, their locomotives holding the fort
effectively. On the arrival of the Mayor
he ordered the engineers to clear the
crossing, as they were violating the city
ordinances by blocking the street This
they at first refused to do, when the
Mayor ordered the Marshal to arrest them
if they did not comply with his request,
After considerable parleying the mandate
of the Mayor was obeyed, hut not until
an understanding was had that the street
railway should not make the crossing
then, but wait until this morning. when
Mr.. s. c. GRANGE, superintendent of the
c. B. and @. would arrive, and confer
ence could be had with him. Rails were
LAID to the tracks on each side, but no
crossing was made. Work was discon
tinued at noon, and no further excitement
occurred
ARE THEY RIGHT?
The question was frequently asked if
the Rock Island & Milan street railway,
had right to build crossing over the
railroad tracks to the river The crossing
is controlled by the city, and permission
was given them by the council. which |
fully entitled them to extend their track |
hey made mistake in not notifying the |
railroad companies of their intention, If |
hey had done so everything would have |
been satisfactory, and all trouble would |
have been averted AS it was the |
railway officials did not fully understand |
what was up, and the fact that they were |
doing the w ork on Sunday, made them all
the more suspicious that all was not
he C. B. s. @, the reporter learned that
ais road did not make. any objection to
he crossing, providing the work was done
light, and proper connection made. The
crossing, which his company would not
allow. He said there was no doubt but
that they had right to build it, and all
lis company wanted was to have the reg
liar railroad crossing made.
The object of the street railway com
Dany to extend their track to the river, is
o carry coal to the boats, and also flour
md wheat from Sears mill. Nothing has
,een done in the matter to-day. and Mr..
france, who was expected, did not arrive
his morning The outcome of the whole
natter will probably be that a good cross
ng will be made, which will be satisfac-
DRY to the railroad companies.
Superintendent Scott, of the Milan
treet railway, remarked this afternoon
hat his company would not put in frog
rossing, as desired by the c. B. & @.
olks, and if they wanted such crossing,
hey could put it in themselves From /,
his we should judge that there is likely ;
D be some trouble yet as the railroad {
olks insist that the crossing be a frog a
ne, such as used on all railroads. |