Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-22
RAPID TRANSIT.
The License to Substitute ejec.
trieity on the Bridge Line.
ACTION OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

sre@ 1ss 1arspseacy-The Work by u.or.,
C"''e"a' the Elects a. the Fart os Hoo
oes =. Cattle ssa the Fs.ai Success. or the
CsAersakisg-A Peoples Project.
The success OF the project looking
to the substitution Of electricity for
horses n motive power on the
bridge line Of the Davenport 4 Rock
Island railway system. thus insuriny
rapid transit between the cities 81
Rock Island and Davenport. NAV he
APPLY termed the triumph of progress
and the Interests Of the people. over
the ideas Of old forvism and the
single interests Of those who for
years have controlled the means of
transit between these two cities.
u~gi"ninS of the Movement,
The movement in behalf of the en-.
ierprisc and public Improvement had
if> origin in the Rock Island Citi-
zcn> Improvement association. when
ut its meeting April last. the horse
ear service. and ii> attendant short
comings were freely discussed. and
l '"V St">' VI tue ASSOCIATION en-
pressed favorable To the .ub.,i.
tuition of electricity On the bridge
line for horses. thus in>urin- the adj
vantages peculiar 10 the other divi>-
ions of the tri-city system. A mo-
ton was adopted instrncting Prc>i-
dent jackson to name committee To
act in conjunction with similar
committee which the Davenport
Business Mems association wa.
invited to select. Pursuant To
this action Mr.. jackson the fol-
Lowing day named Messrs. Fred
Hass. John Crubaugh and II. T..
Simpson A. the Rock Island commit.
tee. and few DAYS later the presi.
dent Of the Davenport association,
acting upon the suggestion of the
Rock Island association. appointed $
committee composed Of Messrs. :. +.
Smith. h. +. Tillingha>t and A. +.
Cutter. Along in the early part ot
June these committees held a meet
ing. NJ which all the mem
bers were present. and a,
which Fred Haas was elected chair.
man, and A. +. Cutter secretary o
the joint committee. That the adop
tion Of electricity on the bridge line
would he move in the line of pro
gress. and n great advantage to tn,
people Of the three cities. the com
mittee was confident: the only poin'
on which objection could b,
raised was the danger involved
To satisfy itself n to this
the committee instructed Mr.
Haas To correspond with tn,
mayors and boards Of publ,
works in cities similarly situate,
where electric aud cable ears ar,
used. and learn the sentiment on tn,
question of danger. The committe,
adjourned TO avail, his report. which
was presented at subsequent meet
ing. when all the members wer'
present bu, Messrs. Crubamgh an,
Tillinghast. The former was out %
the cifv. and the latter sent his re
grets. The report of Mr.. Hass in
cluded communications from ofticia
authorities At 81. Paul. Minneapolis
Omaha and Cleveland. all vouchins
for the safety Of electric cars OF
bridges. and setting forth that tn,
elements Of danger were no greater
than where horse cars were used.
The committee thereupon adopted
q resolution setting forth that il had
satisfied itself on the question Of the
safety and advisability Of electri,
ears on the bridge. The committe,
members all endorsed this resolution
except Mr.. Tillinghast. who. when il
was presented to him. recorded him
self rs not concurring in the views o'
kihc committee.
The People E~pr~s. Themselves.
The next move on the part
Of the committee was the circu'
lation Of petitions in the three cities
prayiny the secretary Of war to Ii.
cense the change Of motive power
from horses to electricity. The
Davenport, Democrat. ably seconded.
of course. by the Rock Island Union.
opposed the petitions. but. ncverthe.
less. $3.50 people signed sbem in two
DAYS time. Armed with these Mr..
Hsss proceeded TO Washington
and secured the endorsement Of Sen
ators Allison. Cullom and Palmer. as
we'll as the congressman on both
side. of the river. with the exception
of Congressman Il. +. Marsh. Of this
district. Finding that the present
| CONGRESSMAN had been blinded 10y
the ferry interests To the prayers OF
the people he was elected to repre-.
sent, the entire matter was hnaiiy
placed in the hands of e>-Congress.
man Ben +. Cable. who. seeing that
the expression of the people OF the To-
oality was for the Improvements en-
| listed his energies in their behalf
with the result that their petitions
we're answered.
Previously Announced.
| Ten days ago The AEGr> ann0nnc'
ed that the proposition "ouiu DC