Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-16
THE tOCATIyN SETTLED,
The Twin-City Mechanical Exposi-
ti0n Site Selected.
fhe Joint Commute sustafus It's
original Preference as 20 the
Brooks Land SATURDAY
Evenings Meeting.

AnS A"in>|lty CoiumDlan Celebration
and Mechanic al Exposition com mi,tee met
pursuant to lis Wednesday afternoon ad.
journment at the rooms of the Rock Island |
Citizens Improvement association Sstur,
day evening. Chairman Vele presided, and
there was large attendance of members
from both cities, including Capt LYON
at Rock Islsr arsenal, and also President
jackson and Secretary Searle of the
Rock Island Citizens Improvement asso-
citation. The committee having on the
day OF its pre- vious meeting personally in
spected the Brooks site originally recon-
mended, and also the tract, which is a
part OF the same estate situated east of
Edgewood park, the purpose of Sat-
urday nights meeting was after mature
elaboration TO definitely fix the location
OF the expos ton q the end that legal
option might be Secured and the license
to incorporate the Moline & Rock ISL
and Mechanical Exposition association
secured, ane the books Tor subscriptions
to stock opened
1t was reported that William Brooks,
representing the Brooks heirs, had put a
price of 81 500 per acre on the strip east
OF E3gewood park, the offer being con-
ditional entirely on the association taking
the entire 55 acres, and that no part or
parcel would be disposed of at those fig
Tho l.fa 81.
the original 25-acre tract at So. 500 per
acre, and lengthy discussion was enter
ed into as to the merits of the two sites,
in which gentlemen from both cities ex>
pressed their preferences. The two
tracts were compared. the original selec-
ton of the committee of 25 acres amounts
ing in price to $4,000 being spoken of
as more suitable to the purposes of the
committee, on the ground Of accessibility,
being reached by the double track of the
street railway company, with q single
track running on three sides Of it, with
three great railroads running almost
through it, with every advantage for
switching purposes, as well as in view of
all passing trains, with water mains run
ming to the grounds and paved thor
| oughfare OF travel to Rock Island and
Moline. The grounds furthermore, were
in such shape as to be more easily devel.
oped for buildings and track purposes
than the other. A small diagram drawn
By Capt. Lyon, with piece of string rep>
resenting the track, was exhibited TO show
how this feature could be provided, and
Mr.. Cady, the architect of the committee,
| spoke of how the track could be located,
with the buildings on the corners and q
lake scoopei out in the middle. which could
be used as q skating park in the winter.
On the other hand the 90 acres would
cost $50, 500 to commence with. while
with the Whiting and Alday additions
necessary to provide the race track, the
outlay would reach in the neighborhood
of 800, 600 for land alone. while nothing
would be left for buildings, and the
site would not then be accessible for the
purposes. 1t was suggested that it
might be we'll for the committee to aban-
don both sites and go back on the bluff
where chesp per land could be had and that
transportation would come to it,
A motion, however. that the sub-com-
mittee on lands and location previously
selected, be instructed to secure legal
option on the lower Brooks tract was
adopted by an almost unsn nous vote, an
| amendment that efforts be made 10 secure
an option on the upper piece or part OF
it, having teen defeated with but four
votes in its favor. Mr.. Guyer was sub
stituted by Chairman Velie for Nj. Olsen
| on the committee whose place on the
general committee he had taken by reason
of the latter's resignation. and the SUBJ
committee was authorized to call TO its aid
any legal advice it might desire to
secure the legal option on the best terms
| possible, the verbal six weeks option
being perfectly satisfactory to the COM
mittee, but it was deemed desirable to
have it in legal form as an advantage in
securing su descriptions to the stock.
| The committee has some elaborate
plans for its exposition. etc. and the
members are very enthusiastic over the
| ,roerect of the success of the enterprise