Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-31
THE NEW RAILWAY.
ThelEiectric Route Considered by the
Citizens Improvement Association
The Twenty-Fouith street and
second Avenue Idea Abandoned.


various routes proposed by the Molin,
Central Electric railway, for getting into
Rock Island for its present terminus a
Paramount Park. east of South Park, wa.
attended hot only by President Hass and 9
large number Of members, and other citi.
zens, but by Mayor McConochie and g
number of aldermen. President Hass
called the meeting to order. and E. FL.
Guyer, one of the directors OF the Moline
Central Electric road. stated the presen,
status Of the road as regards coming into
Rock Island. He named the various
routes under consideration, and said the
company had secured the majority of
frontage on each, and that the company
was willing TO accept an ordinance on
any Of these routes. The most desirable
route he said, would be one via Twenty
| fourth street and Second avenue, but
there had been opposition to that
route, and the next preference Of
the company was via Twenty-
third street and Fifth avenue. He
then enumerated the advantages to &C.
crue from such road and rapid transit,
snd at the same time took occasion TO at
tack the Holmes system. He promised
good equipment if desirable route was
secured. and assured the association that
1t was the last opportunity the city would
have to secure this road.
Mr.. VIM. Jackson SPOKE very favora-
BILE TO the project. He knew of no local
enterprise that so CONNIE nded itself to
the public. Rapid transit was the great
question of the day. He felt kindly to
the Holmes syndicate and while its rights
| should be protected it should not be al
lowed TO stand in the way of local enters
prise entirely. The new company should
be encouraged and its advance urged and
pressed. 1t ought not to be given a right
of way to the bridge or along Second
avenue. nor on any other thoroughfare
where the traffic would be ia such com
petition as to ipjure both companies.
Mayor McConochie was called upon to
express his views and he said he WAS
present as a listener and not to talk
He would say though that the new COM
psny would be treated fairly by the couu-
Gil, which had shown itself willing to
encourage all deserving enterprises. The
Holmes syndicate had treated the city
fairly, and had shown its desire to cheer
fully aid in all public improvements, and
while the council felt kindly toward the
syndicate, it would of course give the
new company all the assistance it could
consistently.
Aid. Schroeder expressed the same
views as those advanced by the mayor.
He would be favorable to any company
that would give good service BY pop,
ular route.
Aid. Hampton thought the matter had
resolved itself not into question as to
whether the road would be built, but
question as to the route. He was not in
favor of Twenty fourth street or the Sec.
ord avenue proposition. The Holmes
syndicate had been a God send to Rock
Island, and had not only provided first
class equipment, but had aided in every
suggested improvement. The Holmes
syndicate had the right OF way on Fiji
teenth street from Third avenue to Fourth
avenue and west to Fifth street. by the
provisions of its present ordin ance. and
the council can require it to occupy the
right at any time. Any route that would
not conflict with these or any other rights
he would favor.
Mr.. Guyer again spoke. His company
would be glad to adopt the Twenty-third
street and Fifth avenue route. and had
secured the majority OF the frontage to
it. The only weak point was on TWEEN
tY>third street. He accused the council
Of treating his company unfairly as TO
Elm street but his company would like
to 60 down Fourth avenue to the factor
les in the lower end. Then he went into
an attack upon the Holmes system, &C.
cused it of enjoying princely fran
chise here and failing to provide anything
but cheap facilities and slow time. Mr..
Holmes, he said, was not a believer in
electricity, and had no intention of
equipping his lines with it. He had
spread the report that he intended putting
in storage batteries, but that was his old
game. He accused MIR. Holmes of at
tempting to throttle enterprise wherever
he was interested by providing inadequate
and cheap facilities.
DR.. W. A. Paul spoke enthusiastically
for the electric road, and outlined many
benefits that would come from its con-
structiOn.
Aid. Howard also made remarks fa-
uorable to the project if constructed by
a suitable route.
Messrs. A. M. Blakeley and s. j.
keator spoke from the standpoint OF
property holders, and during the further
discussion it was suggested that arrsnges
ments might be made by which the COM
pany could purchase the Holmes line
from Elm street to Third avenue and
Nineteenth
MIR. l. s. McCabe, as director in the
Central, slated that his company would
he glad to make such transaction.
Finally President Hass, DR.. w. A.
Paul and Will r. johnson were selected
as committee to confer with the TWEEN
ty>third street property holders and de-
eide in some way upon an acceptable
route and assure the building of the
road.
One thing was accomplished by the
meeting, and that was that the Second
avenue and Twenty fourth street propo-