The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-04

ALL ABOARD.
The Street Railway Bill Passes the
Senate.-ROck Island will not
be Fenced in, but viii have
Communication Mt all
Times and Hours.

way between Rock Island and Davenport
passed the senate. The bill passed the
house last session.
The citizens of the tri cities could hard>
ly hear more welcome news than this, ex
cepting good Hennepin canal news. 1t
assures the building of that which has
| long been desired and worked for by the
citizens of Rock Island, Moline and
| Davenport, and which would have been
secured long ago had it not been for the
interested opposition of the ferry com
pany 1t will not be necessary hereafter,
so soon as the railway is built, to wait for
a ferry boat in summer, walk around the
bridge or pay from 25 cents to 81 in the
fall or spring for riding in 3 hack, or to
walk around by the bridge During the
winter warm conveyance will be ready
at all times to carry passengers between
the tri-cities at saving of half the usual
price when sleighs are running, and when
| the sleighs are not running this same
street car line can be depended upon at
all times.
The increase of the facilities for inter
communication by the building of the
street railway has been urged by all but
those narrow minded men who could see
no further than the end of Their purse
strings. Rut the people generally will be
benefited What if one or two or half a
dozen are hurt, if one thousand, two
thousand, fifty thousand will reap many
| advantages. A few business men may
object TO the street railway but the broad
| minded merchants who look to the bottom
of question are all in favor of it. A
few think it will attract trade to Davcn-
| port. Many think that Davenport mer~
chants cannot hold out any greater ln-
duCements than ours, and if they can
will be more than handicapped by the
time and money it will take to oct over
| there.
The bill which passed the house and
senate contains the following provisions
BE it enacted by the senate and house
of representatives, of the United States of
America in congress assembled: That
the secretary Of war be, and he is hereby
authorized and empowered to permit the
| location, building and keeping Ia repair
upon the Island of Rock Island, in the
state of Illinois, and upon the arsenal
| bridges connecting said island with the
cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Isl>
and, Illinois. in such manner as he, the
secretary of war, may deem fit, and so as
to interfere as little as may be with the
use of said island by the United States for
4 national armory and arsenal, a contin>
u0us line Of double track railway, at the
expense Of the Davenport and Rock ISL
and Street Railway company; which CONS
pany shall !have the privilege of running
their cars on and over said railway at
their own expense, under such rcgula~
tons and restrictions as to times and
manner of running the cars and rates of
/
time to time prescribe. Provided, that
| the rate of fare for employees of the United
States at the Rock Island arsenal, from
Rock Island and Moline, in Illinois, and
Davenport, in Iowa to the arsenal shall
not exceed p cents for one passenger for
one way Provided further that the rate
Of fare shall not exceed o cents for one
passenger for one way during the hours
from until : o'clock in the morning and
from 5 until : o'clock in the evening
The secretary Of war is empowed to sus-
pend or revoke this privilege and to re-
move said railway at any time in his dis
erection.
Section ? That the secretary of war
is empowered to establish and enforce
such rules and regulations as he may deem
fit, for collecting from said railway com
pany, and for holding, expanding and ac~
counting to said Davenport and Rock
Island railway company, for the moneys
required for and expended in carrying out
the provisions of section one of this act;
and the decision Of the secretary of war
rs to the amount of moneys therefor shall
pG it'tl uiu bluuIIS On Sstlu runway Gpin~
pany.
Section 3. That if any person or per-
sons shall willfully and unnecessarily OBJ
struct or impede the passage on or over
sand railway Or any part thereof, or shall
iniure or destroy the cars or any property
belonging to said company, the person or
dcrsOns so offending shall forfeit or pay
for every such olfense the sum of $50 to
said Davenport and Rock Island Railway
company, and shall remain liable, in al
dition to said penalty for any loss or dam
age occasioned by his, her or their acts as
aforesaid; and that the suits therefor may
be had in the courts of the United States
having Jurisdiction: Provided, That this
clause and penalty shall not apply to or
restrict or affect in any way the officers
or employees of the United States govern,
ment on said island in any act of theirs
for the maintenance of good order on and
for enforcing the rules and regulations
pertaining to said bridges and island, and
for enforcing the regulations Of the sec
rotary of war for the government Of said
railway thereon.