Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-31
A PROSPEROUS YEAR.
One of the Brightest in Rcck Isl.
and's History.
What 1850 Has Witnessed In the Wa,
OF Improvements, Briefly Enrm.
ernted---A Season TO be Proud OF.

| ernted---A season 20 be Proud of
Tonight at 12 Old Time will have AGAIN
run his sands and retired-another jour.
ney frought with glory and ignomln7,
fame and obscurity, fortune and poverty,
contentment and misery, honesty and
deceit, religion and skepticism, fidelity
and infdelitY. churches and saloons.
liberality and bigotry,' kindness and bru-
tality. sympathy and stony-heartedness
purity and impurity; charity for all,
charity for none; peace forever, turmoil
interminable; good will to man, and III
will to all his kind.
But this is only generalizing. Locally
speaking we have no reason to look bacl.
over 1889 with spirit other than Of en-
thusiastic qualification. Rock Island mav
well view with pride the works of Father
Time in the past 800 days and
speed the parting guest with an af-
tectionate feeling. II Is very doubtful IL
Rock Island ever accomplished more in
single season in the way of substantial
progress, than it has in the one that has
now so nearly run its course. The AR
Gus will not attempt the task which has
characterized its New Years issue in
years past, OF burdening its columns
with statistics and other matter calcu.
lated to brace up the local pride This is
not essential this year. What has bee
done in Rock Island since 1889 made its
first bow. is too well.kuown and under
stood TO need more than mention. as one
Chances hack over the year with s4tisfac.
ton for the past aud well-founded hope
for the future. The record may be
summed up briefly rs follows:
A system of substantial street i'm.
provements by special assessment involv
ing an outlay of $4,000 at the outset.
aud the thorough paving of the main
business thOroughfare of the city.
The declared determination on the part
of the council TO extend the good worl
in all directions as soon as spring opens
and the designation of twenty>six more
blocks already which are to be So i'm
proved.
The adoption of uniform system of
sidewalk improvements bv special assess
ment and the omplishment already Ct
work in this direction, which far sur
passes anything that could have beel
contem plated in this line.
The outlay OF full half a million dol,
lars in general building improvements.
including several substantial business
blocks and the adoption Of plans fer
more business buildings the FIRST thing 10
the spring
The enlargement of efficiency in vC-
lice and fire department ussges-such rs
give promise of a paid system in the lat
ter department. with the advent Of the
next municipal year
The adoption ofthe park commissions
ordinance and the determination by the
council To Ueautify the parks and make
them in every way attractive.
A more generally favorable business
outlook. ard the promise of more aud
varied business houses
The encouraging prospects for more
n anufacturing industries.
The success Of the project AS regards
the, viaduct at Twenty fourth stree.
which is assured at the present session
of congress
The greatly improved street car facIl
ties between here and Moline and To ia,
venDOrt. reducing the time on the main
lines to seven and a half minute cars, and
the prospects OF an electric line running
back from the business part Of the city
souiheasterlv TO the east Rock Island AMI
Moline bluffs.
The increase in business At the post
Office which is a reliable criterion OF the |
ciry's growth, involving the necessity Cf |
pLttIng on two additional carriers during |
the year.
The improvement in the public school !
system and the erection OF one new |
building at cost of SO 600.
The erection OF one new church At a /
cost Of $50. 900. the starting Of the $40 |
900 7. NJ. c. A. building and the exper-
dture of SIS 600 in general improve |
ments in religious edtices
Such in brief is a mere outline OF what |
Rock Island has done for itself in tle !
past season and it is hardly necessary 10 /
state that any part of the work not com.
pleted will be pushed to contamination |
early in the spring. If another year
chronicles as much for Rock Islands aC-
vancement. the city will have shown a
growth thst few cities can boast o.. !
There is good reason to believe that the |
year 1890 will reveal even more Of the |
triumphant spirit of progress. en-
terprise, home pride and-healthy, sol d
growth well bIaced and of kind that
will tolerate no retrograde movement.