Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-22
A BUSINESS TALK
With General Manager st. John of
the Rock Island.
a LEVEE AT THE HARPER.
An Informal Reception by Business
Men 10 the Distinguished Railroad
Mantle Viaduet ana the Union
Depot Briefly Dtscu ssed-..I Est.
ing Conference.

General Manager E st. John. of tn
Great Rock leland Route" whose nam
has becoms q byword in the Commercial
world. and who Is one of the best know
railroad generals In the United States
was In the city for q short interval thi
morning. and held brief levee in tn,
ladies par Ors at the Harper. where May
or McCouochie. President Hass. of th,
Citizens Improvement association, and
large mum Der OF our business men, pait
their respects. Mr.. st. John 10 on his wa,
eastward N his private car Columbia. &C
companied by bis wife. from an officis
tour OF ali the lines of the Rock IslanC
system as Far west as Denver. This morn
ing he WAS attended by r. Fl. Cham.
berlain. superintendent of the Hi
nois division; Division Freight Agent F
NJ. Day, of Davenport: Local Freight
Agent s. b. Stoddard and Local Tickle,
Agent j. +. Cook. and General Superin.
tendent r. B. Sudlo~. and General
Freight and Ticket Agent r Stock.
house. of the Rock Island & Peoria
Considerable time was spent in social in,
tercourse, during which President Hass
very thoroughly explained to General
Manager st. John the dangers of the
Twenty'fourth street crossing. and the
necessity of the visduct. aud the ilway
getes in the meantime. Mr. st. John,
listened very attentively to the de
scription Of the situation as made by
Mr.. Hass. and said that IL was a matte I
that bad not been brought to his personal
attention, but that he would look into il
as soon as he reached Chicago. To an
ARGUS representative who was accorded
an audience. he gave the same assurance
The subje,L he said. was one with which
he was not fully conversed and therefore
could not speak. but that it would be one
OF the frs. things to which he Guild give
his attention on his return home.
Just before taking his leave Mr.. st. John
addressed the citizens present inform ally,
speaking Of the pleasure it afforded him
to have met them and of the object of his
present tour, to cultivate a closer and
more intimate relationship between the
business men and the Rock Island road
here in Rock Island. as at all the principal
cities on the lines OF the system He
was ANXIOUS to know the business
men better, and be believed that
ii this better acquaintance were
established and maintained things that
often looked to the business men as
wrong. and things that on the other hand
often appeared wrong to the company,
would more easily be rectified and har.
monized to mutual advantage. He as =
sured these present that in Chicago the
lstch-string to the general Offices always
hung out and all who would call would
find cordial welcome and an attentive
ear TO any subject that would be present.
ed pertaining to business relations with
the company, or to public good. In
conclusion, Mr.. st. John again stat
ed that he was gratifed to have
met so many of Rock Islands represent
tative business men and citizens.
To these pleasant remarks, Capt. T. J.
Robinson made reply. speaking of the
kindly feeling Rock Island had always
entertained toward the system which
bore the citys name. The city, which wa
the original terminus of the Rock Islam d
road, had always felt pride in the road
not only because OF these circumstances,
but 1t had given it its present president,
who had become acknowledged one of
the most capable men in the country.
Rock Island could therefore recip rocate
the greet ng m ade by the great roads gen
eral manager, that citizens of Rock Island
would always find hospitabIe welcome
at the company's hands. That feeling
was mutual. The captain said that he
desired further to call the attention OF
General Manager st. John to one thing
and he cid 80 In all kindness-snd that
Was the TACT that the company's facilities
for brin 5ing its passenger trains into
Rock Island were not what they
should ne to city which had been
SO pecu isrly associated with the roads
welfare. The city of Rock Island
had given the road abundant land
not only for Its track use, but for the
express purpose that there should be 9
depot down town and more convenient
for the travelling public. The presen,
location OF the depot far remote as 1t II
from the business portion of the city, was
not convenience to the public or an sd.
vantage to the road. The captain hoped
he said, that the Rock leland road would
see It's way clear to remedy this unfortu,
nate condition of affairs. II il could
and would provide central depot. he fel,
sure the road would gain as much as thu
public "a q result
Mr.. st. John replied tn at the company
fully realized all that the captain haC
said. ami that the situation had frequent
ly been discussed in the meetings of the
executive board. He knew the disad,
vantage that was being suffered by tn.
public. as well as the company. snt
while be- could not see how the presen
condition could be altered. as tn e com
psny WIS obliged to improve every op'
portuni.y for time to the Missouri rive