Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-08
OUR RAILWAY FACILITIES.
The Various Interests to be Met by
Franchise Grants.
How The Council IL to Provide for
Reaeh hing Two Different Important
Disuicts---An Unprovoked Insinua-
tiOu.

Reae hing Two Different Important
DistIicts---An Unprovoked Insinua-
ton.
The subject of the additional street
railway facilities asked for is now one of
the most uppermost and foremost
thoughts in the minds of the common
council, aud it is. as it should be, one of
the most important. The municipal body
finds itself presented with two PROPOSE
tions for the extension of street car lines
to two different localities from two differ
ent companies. yet they are not dissimi>
lar in the advantages they are to be to the
city. The council. Of course. has de>
sire to encourage both and it Can do so
quite reasonably and very consistently.
One Of these petitions is from the Mo-
line Electric railway for suitable tight
of way extending south on Eighteenth
street from the business portion of the
city by such a desirable route as to con-
meet with the compsny's present termin-
Gus at Paramount park. The facilities
thus tked for reach locality that IL is
very desirable that street railway commu-
nication should be extended to. and
viewing this fact the committees, in
whose hands the matter now rests, will
doubtless agree upon line that will be
acceptable and convenient to all con
cerned
The other petition, and it is one Of
equal importance if not of more. is from
the Holmes syndicate expressing its de>
sire to take possession of the line the
council has retained the right to compel
the company to build from the corner of
Third avenue and Fifteenth street south
on the latter street to Fourth avenue and
west &c Fifth street. But the company
seeks the further privilege OF building
out on Ninth street as far as Eleventh
avenue, and this is the important part of
it as the extension reaches part of town
that is rapidly growing and extending.
and a locality that it is as desirable not
only &c have railway connection with. but
to assist thereby in the building up and
spread ng out of, as it is to help the set
tlemenis on the bluffs toward Moline.
The purpose of the Holmes company, if
the council grants the rights prayed for
here. as on Nineteenth street be-
tween Third and Second avenues, is
to construct through the block last
named and then by building the line
from Third avenue and Fifteenth street
via the latter street, Fourth avenue and
Ninth street to Eleventh avenue.
form IN independent service of this and
the Elm street route from South Park to
Ninth street and Eleventh avenue, COM
ing down via Second avenue and going
back by way of Third avenue. The idea
is to equip this entire branch with cars of
its own, different in color from the other
lines, and run them on regular dfteen
minute time. The company also expects
by resrranging the running of cars of the
red anil blue lines in the lower end to
cover the right of way from Ninth to
Fifth street on Fourth avenue, and to
reduce the time on this avenue as on
Second avenue.
1t is very desirable that these improve
ments be made, and they are some the
Holmes company has had under consid-
Grafton for some time, as was published
in both the city papers some months ago,
the intention being to apply for them this
winter. and build the first thing in the
spring. With these extensions made to
the western and southwestern portions of
the city, and the new route to the south
eastern bluffs built, Rock Island will
have the best possible street car facili>
ties.
The Union seems to be unable to get
over the fact that the Holmes company
got into Rock Island notwithstanding its
vigorous protests. and it insists that the
report that there is q likelihood of steam
being adopted as the motive power of
that company in the til cities, is all
vapor, and it goes still further in its
efforts TO injure the syndicate be-
fore the council. by stating that in the
ordinarc e asked for from the Fourth
avenue line, that ''only horse power shall
be used" This is gross and willful mis-
represe ntation of facts, as the provision is
that the company shall have the right to
use horse power, electricity or any other
power that the council shall allow"
which is true of every ordinance held by
that company. The city council which
what the Holmes syndicate
has done for Rock Island, and is natur>
ally kindly inclined toward it, will not be
misled by anything the Union can say.
The majority of our people consider that
the most fortunate thing that has hap
pened to Rock Island in years was the
advent of the Holmes syndicate, and
many believe the present growth of the
city is due very largely to this fact. The
company has not only verified
every promise it made on com.
ing into the city, but more. and
there is no reason TO think otherwis
than motive power other than horses
will be adopted as soon as one proves
practic al, and there is no we'll founded
reason for doubling that steam is the