Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-02-24
THAT UNION DEPOT.
Rock Islands Great Need
Again. .
THE suPRExE COURT DECISION,

Tae Project Gaining Ground = Probable
Rcsn'ts Of Compelling the e., Il. lSP.
To Maintain . Depot on twentieth stree.
-D~pot Grounds. Etc. - General Rau.
road Notes.
The question Of union depot is
again in the mind Of every proores-
sivc citizen If Rock Island. Year bv
year the subject has been taken mn
and discussed. aud arguments pro
and con presented on all sides. and
progressive minded citizens have
never lost faith in the ultimate sue
cess of the proposition.
City Attorney j. l.. Haas was seen
by an ARGUS representative TODAY
regarding the law in such cases. and
from him it was learned that the c. r.
l. z. could be compelled to build
add MAINTAIN Il depot in the COM
pany's yards on Twentieth street.
Cities cannot compel a. railroad
company to erect a union depot,'
said MIR. Haas. ..but il NAV insist
that the road carry out the proyis.
ions of the act under which i, gains
entrace to the city. The c. r.. /. &P.
Railroad company's depot grounds
were fixed at Twentieth street. while
in 1867 the depot grounds Of the T..
i. 4 =. were fixed between EIGHTH
aud Fourth streets. but in 1873. with
the consent of the council. the X. I.
X +. was allowed to run to the c., X.
!. Il L. grounds on Twentieth street.
Now. then. since the depot ground
of the c.. Il. I. Il T.. rs fixed by tho
city council. and To which that
company agreed was Twentieth
street. and inasmuch as that com
Pany built and used depot on Twcn-
tenth street when it came into the
city. the only question now is to
compel il to maintain the dcpo, on
that street"
The company may. Of course.
build 200 de?o,s. il il wishes on
property of its own. and through
which il has the right of way. but
il must keep up its dcpo: on
the grounds laid out bv the
council and approved by it. ox-
Ocpt in cases where it is granted
permission by law TO move its de-
pot. This permission the &. r.. I. x
=. was not given.
In speaking of the case of the Hi
nois Central Railroad COMPANY V.
the People Of the State al Illinois. n
petition for q mandamus. Mir. Haas
said: The case was filed April Il.
1891. in the circuit court of Alexan-
der county. and tried ut the Nav
term of cour, ia the city of Cairo.
The substance of the case was SIM
ply that train. known as the ..south
bound fast mail train" refused to
run to the depot. between Ohio lcvce
and Second street. in Cairo. but in
sisted on crossing bridge short
distance above the town. The
railway people maintained that
mail ears being attached to
their regular passenger trains.
they could not run down 10
their depot without delaying the L..
S. mail. The ease was tried. and
the court decided that they must
run their passenger trains to the de-
pot in the city. and that il they
wished to facilitate their L. $. mail
service they must make mp train of
mail ears alone but their passenger
coaches must come To the depot.
The railroad company prayed an APP
peal and it was granted. The SUI
prcmc court held that Where rail-
wav company has fixed the terminal
point OF its road in Il town or city. it
cannot afterward change it without
the proper Legislative authority
$50" said Mr.. Haas. There is no
question as to the legality OF the c..
X. ]. 4 T. railway company being
compelled to erect depot on TWEEN
tieth street"
The case cited above is one which
suits the case of Rock Island admi-
rably, and in view of this fact, it
may transpire that the much talked
of depot ON Twentieth will be erect
ed. Once this is done, il will al
most surely follow that the ether
roads will find it to their advantage
to- Join forces with the c.. X. !. & =.
and erect handsome union depot.
one Of which Rock Island will be
proud.
General Railway News.
The G.. NJ. & st. =. has solicited
the aid of its employees to establish
hospitals IT all the principal points
on its lines for the purpose of care
ing for all sick and injured employees.
The system is the same rs that now
in operation on the Wabash and other
roads. The company agrees to.pay
certain amount towards the estab-
lishment and maintenance of the hos
pitfalls and the men are to contribute
rs follows: All employees under $50
per month salary. IS cents per
month: all under 500 to $50. so
cents per month, and all over Sl0o.
81.
The electric headlight is new and
novel plan and is being used on q
grea, many roads. The cost to main
tain them is about the same rs oil
lamps. and the light may be seen from
one to three-fourths OF mile.
The reads adopting electric head
\ Iivhss dn mot rfsc switch liShtS