Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-24
A WISE FORESIGHT.
The Rock leland Councils Attitude To-
ward the Street Railway Commended.

The Rock leland Councils Attitude To-
ward tho Street Railway Commended.
The Rock Island council builded
better than it knew when it gave
friendly ear to the petition of the
Davenport & Rock Island Railway
company for temporary relief from
further paving. The Davenport pa
pers of yesterday morning all took
the matter up in a commendatory |
manner and it looks as il the other |
cities of the commercial triumvirate |
linked together by this splendid sys-
tenn of transportation would adopt |
the example so wisely set by Rock |
Island and exert similar spirit Of
| liberalitv and friendliness toward j..
The Democrat says: 1.-The same sort
of prayer is to be made to the coun-
ell in this city. The Democrat is
well aware of the fact that there is an
impression, more or less prevalent,
that the company is making money,
whether or no. A number of our
best-known and most respected and
honOred business men, however, have
been to the bottom of the company's
affairs, and they are fully prepared
to admit the force OF the further
claims and statements of NJ. Lard
ner. They have invested fearlessly
and generously, giving the tri-cities
one of the best street car systems in
the west. They have paid in tens of
thousands of dollars annually to carry
the improvements, the paving, and
the running expenses of the company.
in excess of the earnings. A quarter
of million has been spent in the
three cities on the single account of
street paving. Handicapped by the
general stringency, Mr.. Lardner
states, the stockholders find them
selves now compelled to contem-
plate the surrender OF their fine
property to the bondholders if fnan-
, cial burdens are piled up much
higher. Relieved of the burden of
the proposed paving, there is good
, reason to believe that the property
will be carried for the next two yearss
, Compelled to shoulder that burden,
e there Is equal reason to believe that
t the stock will be surrendered to the
r bondholders."
3 The Leader comments: "On the
e whole, viewed from an impartial
i. standpoint, there appears to be moth
ing unreasonable in the position
taken by the street railway COM
pany. There are no two corpor-
: ations in Davenport, not dozen COR
r porations that have paid as much for
brick paving as it has. OF course
t the city has had soft thing in this
j way, but many are of the opinion
}, that it is bad policy ito ride the
willing horse to DEATH or to use an
:, other proverb, ito kill the goose that
& lays the golden egg Better give
the railway company rest for two
:, years to enable it to recuperate from
y the excessive financial strain of the
past, than to keep it on the rack and
!, force it out of existence. The people
& of Davenport in general do not desire
to do anything that would conflict
: either with fair play or civic fore
S sight. They will approve policy
adopted in accordance with both"
), And the Tribune remarks: ut is
understood that the Davenport coun-
:, ell will be asked to do the same. and
there can be no question but that the
:, request should be granted. 1t ha.
/, cost the company 1925, 1000 to take
care of the paving along its lines
;, thus far in this city. The COMPANY
|. has cheerfully gone down into the
pockets OF it's stockholders thus fal
], and forwarded city improvement:
o even beyond its just share"