The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-18
THAT DIAGRAM.
The Union and the Ferry Company.

The Union, having been worsted upon
every point of Legitimate argument in its
opposition to the horse railway over the
bridge, in senile obedience to Capt. Rob
inson and his ferry monopoly IN its issue
of Sunday, deseends to the publication of a
false diagram, misrepresenting the route of
the railway, and showing on its face that
it is intended to mislead and deceive.
The new railway will in no manner inter
fere with the facilities of Moline and the
eastern parts of Rock Island TO reach the
business portion of the latter. The
greater portion and almost its entire bust
ness will be derived from connecting the
business centers of Rock Island and DAY.
export in connection with the present
railways, portion which the Unions
false diagram wholly ignores, and this is
the manifest reason why the ferry
monopoly is straining every nerve
to defeat it That there is
public need for the railway is shown
by the assertion of the Rock Islander that
other parties are anxious to obtain the
privilege, and that Capt. Robinson himself
had made frequent efforts TO obtain it;
and by the renewal of the attempt to
obtain the right to run an omnibus line
over the bridge The latter was killed off
| by Capt. Robinson and his ferry. just as
he now seeks TO kill this enterprise.
The Union pretends to be in favor of
the proposed bridge below the city, but
all know its masters opposed it when
likely to be located SO as to interfere with
the ferry, bat it is railroad bridge only
and uncertain and in the far future. and
if 1t can be used to kill off the preseL
enterprises, then will be time enough to
turn about and oppose it by and by.
Horse cars are operated without trouble
over narrow bridges to Milan. but this
short sighted organ of an exclusive interest
would have lis believe that the govern
meut bridges have shrupk in dimensions
since Capt. Robinson's bills were before
congress, when it had never !. word to say
against them Neither has it ever had a
word to say against Capt. Ro5inson's man
attempts TO prevent the bridges being
opened to the public, but defended him
in his scheme 10 make it toll bridge. 1t
draws great consolation from the fact that
the military authorities at the arsenal
have sometimes thought favorahly and at
other times unfavorably of a horse railway
a fact which 10 an unprecedented mind
would deprive either opinion of mitch
weight
All sorts OF specious arguments are
used, for it is anything To beat the present
enterprise, and let the future be fought
when it comes. 1t knows that the gov
eminent of lis own motion outside OF
private enterprise will never build and
operate horse railway bridges; hence il
weakly seeks by any claptrap to produce
the impression that the public does moi
demand further facilities for its enormous
travel. Capt Robinson and his ferry
have had their paid attorneys for days pas
. working with the aldermen and trying to
ffr them to misrepresent .heir constitu-
encieS AMI in some way take action in the
city council unfavorable to the peoples
) wishes. But this is so transparent that il
will not succeed, bat only damn any oil
cial weak enough to allow himself to b.
| used in such way. These attorney,
have been Interviewing the few dealer
jealous of our neighboring cities anC
getting them to write to Washington OPP
posing the railway, well knowing that tn
masses Of the people never think of dom!
| any such thing, and so these dealers woult
, produce the impression that they are tn,
, people. when in fact if they offer fai
trade, no person in Rock Island is goin
| to spend money aud time in going +
, Davenport to buy, and if they allow othe
merchants to be more entcrprising an,
$ undersell them, the buyers will go owe
/ the bridges aud the ferry and So defea
} their selfish views anyway. Such sense
less clamor does them no good. Bat they
q are few at the best, very insignificant
G faction Of the voters of the city, and Il
/, all know, are set on by the selfish monop
Y oily which has so long controlled the ferry
e and waxing great and rich ont of il
| profits, assumes a right to the whole rive
: and all means of crossing 1t pursue,
f just the same course and violently oppose
e the building of the bridges in the frs
| place, and afterward their being opene
to public use, and has sought TO clos
/ them by the expedicnt of a toll gate since
and so will continue its selfish ends mt
, finally quoted by the popular wave whic
D will overwhelm it and forever settle tn
e matter in favor of the people heyon
, further controversy, for that will he tn
t effect of the bin row before congress.
HERE AND THERE.