Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-12
WE ARE THANKFUL.
Just Appreciation Shown Of the
New Bridge Order.
of Thanks Voted to Secre-
tarv of War Proctor, Chief OF Ord
nance Benet, and Congressman Gear
for the Permanent Opening Of the
Government Bridge.

The ARGUS is in receipt of the follow
ing resolutions of thanks from Secretar
Denison, of the Davenport Bushes
Mems associations:
WHEREAS, The Honorable John III
Gear has by his persistent and energeti
efforts united the cities of Davenport,
Rock Island aud Moline, and has greatl
benefited the people of this part of tn
states of Iowa and Illinois by securin
from the war department an order open
ing the government bridge at Rock Islam,
for all business purposes; and
WHEREAS, The people of this part O
tie states of Iowa and Illinois feel them
selves greatly indebted to the Hon. Johl
II. Gear for his untiring efforts in thei
behalf in this matter; and
WHEREAS. The people of this locality
feel themselves also indebted to the hon
orable secretary of war for the careful at
tention and consideration that he ha!
| given this matter which ia of so much In
terest to them, and
| WHEREAS. The citizens of the cities
aforesaid deem themselves under obliga,
| tons to the chief of ordnance for his ia,
vorable recommendation that section oil
| the rules governing the said Rock Island
bridge be repealed; and
WHEREAS, A remonstrance has been
filed at the war department by parties in
terested asking that section of said
rules be restored and the bridge closed
for certain business purposes as it has
been heretofore; now therefore be it
Resolved, By the citizens of Daven-
pert, Rock Island and Moline, through
their respective mayors, city clerks and
the presidents and secretaries of their re-
spective Citizens association that the
thanks of the people of this locality be
rendered to the honorable secretary of
war for the careful attention aud
consideration that he has given to their
interests IN this matter by repeating
section of the rules governing the
sad Rock Island bridge, and by refusing
TO take any action upon the remonstrance
filed at the war department in relation
thereto; and he it further
ResolOed, That the thanks of the citi>
Zens of the cities mentioned as aforesaid,
be rendered to the chief of ordnance for
his favorable recommendation which
he ped to secure for them the opening of
the said bridge for all business purposes,
and for his refusal to recommend the res
toration of section five of the rules gov
erning sand bridge; and be it further
Res0lged. That the thanks of the peo-
pie of this part of Iowa and Illinois be,
and the same are hereby rendered to the
Hon. John III. Gear, of Iowa, for his
earnest and pers 'stent efforts in their in
terest in the matter of securing the
opening of the Rock Island bridge for all
business purposes; and be it further
Resolved. That these resolutions be
published in the daily papers of each of
the said cities. and that copy thereof be
sent to the honorable secretary of war,
the chief of ordnance and the Hon. John
III. Gear.
c. \. FicKE Mayor of Davenport.
doI l.. HEEEET, City Clerk Of Davenport
W. ID. PETERSON, President of the Business
Mems Association of Davenport.
He -RS Y DESIsON. Sc Rotary Of the Business
Mems Association of Davenport.
w. MCCoNoCnIE. Mayor of Rock Island.
Ro BIT. koRHLER, City Clerk of Rock Island.
FRED HAss President OF the Citizens Improve
nlent Association OF Rock Island
L. }. MEDILL. Secretary Of the Citizens Improve
n nt Association Of Rock Island
T.. a. VESSEL, Mayor Of Moline.
CHAs. & CARLSON, City Clerk of Moline.
W. C. BENNETT. Prest. Bus Mems ssh, Moline.
10 n. PoRTER, Sec'y Bus. Mems n, Moline
The above resolutions unquesiionably
reject the sentiment of every citizen of
the three cities, except those directly in
terested in the ''remonstrance" referred
to. This, as may be easily guessed.
comes from the ferry company, whose in.
tiuence had been successful for years in
having section 5. referred to in the reso,
intions, inserted in the regulations gov
ern ing the bridge, which reads.
b. Railroad freights including freights
shipped to and from points in Iowa over
in Illinois, and freights shipped
to and from points in Illinois over rail-
roads in Iowa, are not to be hauled over
the wagon roads of the bridges unless
these freights are for the Arsenal or the
United States.
There was suspension Of this rule
every winter as soon as the ferry was
to tie mp by reason of floating
ice, but when the channel opened again.
section 8 was always enforced, much to
the editicstion of the ferry company.
In hopes of gaining an insight into the
ma nner in which the order securing the
opening of the bridge for bus
mess of all character was established, an
ARGUS representative called upon Presl
dent Fred Hass. of the Improvement as
ISOLATION, this morning at his Office
in Star block. While reluctant to talk
much on the subject, Mr.. Hass volun>
teered the following:
When l was in Washington in Feb
ruary, / induced Congressman Gear, of
Iowa. who is an old-time friend of min e,
to go with me to the secretary of war to
see what could be done towards getting
an order issued for the permanent open
ing of the bridge. The secretary told US
he had ordered the bridge opened to all
travel, but when l informed him that it
would be closed again as quickly as the
river was navigsble, he said he could see
no valid reason for not making the order
and promised to do so.
This was about February 12,h. Gen.
Benet did not submit the order to
Secretary Pr octor until the 21st of
March, no viewer. and on the Gath
the secretary approved it, and April
LIST it was reissued by Col. Whit-
ternore, when it went into effect. This
is all have to say about the matter, but
think the people of Davenport, Rock
sllnd and Molina ore To he connrafnlatad