Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-17
RAILWAYS RESENT.
Not Satisfied With Committees
Track Plans.
WILL BE FURTHER OoHs1DERED.

track fIdOSs
WILL BE FURTHER CONSIDERED.
Omclals and Aldefmen to Have Another
Conference and Endeavor to Arrive 1t .
More Amleabls Agreement-DolnEs Of
Last Nights Council Meeting.
There is yet q wide difference of
opinion between the railroad COM
panies and the aldermanic committee
regarding the First avenue track
rights. In fact, the railroad officials
refused to acquiesce in the arrange
ment planned by the committee. in
timsting that the courts would be
resorted to if necessary. The COM
mittee didn't look favorably upon
such a move and at last evenings
council meeting Aid. Foss, chairman
of the committee. recommended that
the report adopted at the previous
meeting, which ordered all of the
Peoria's tracks removed save a cou-
pie and deprived it of the use of First
avenue for either switching or stor-
age purposes, be referred back to the
committee. The council was agreea-
BILE.
There seems to be no question
! but what that was quite a radical re-
port against the Peoria railway"
continued MIR. Foss. 1.-The commit
tee looked over the situation hastily
and reached conclusion before it
thoroughly weighed the essential
point-protection OF our commercial
interests. Now think conference
between the railroad men and the
committee instead of the council
would be better. We do not want to
have any trouble over this matter.
We want to dispose of it in q way
satisfactory to both the city and the
railway companies"
Aid. Foss stated that the commit
tee had arrived at the same conclu-
sion about the Burlington's tracks as
it did with the Peoria; that both
companies were complaining, and
that report covering the whole sit
uatiOn could be made later on.
Letting 1t Lag.
There is q disposition among GER
tain aldermen to create the impress
sion that there are more needful i'm
prOvements than that .of the levee.
Such talk is ridiculous-a mere sub
terfuge. 1t was asked at last even
ing's meeting what was being done
about this matter because the city
attorney was busily engaged ut pres
ent. 1t is hoped that at the next
meeting something definite will be
done.
The New Ferry Franchise.
A petition from the Twin-City
Ferry company asking franchise to
operate ferry between Rock Island
and Davenport was read by Aid. PEN
der and referred to the license COM
mittee.
The Davenport city council con-
vened in special session at o'clock
: yesterday afternoon and readily
granted the license with landing
at the foot of Brady street. The
authority either upon the part of
the municipal or county authorities
to license another ferry to land at
Rock Island depends entirely upon
the exigencies Of the situation. I'm
der the municipal code the council
must deem it necessary for public in
terest to license another ferry to land
within three blocks of an esta blished
ferry, and the state law makes it OBJ
ligatory that no ferry shall be
licensed to land within a mile of an
established ferry so long as such es-
tablished ferry is competent to do
the business and its owner complies
with all the provisions of the act
lgoverning the same-unless the
county board shall deem it necessary
TO establish another ferry for the
public good. So that after all, the
entire matter of licensing, both as to
the city's province and that of
the county board seems to rest
with the discretion of the council
and board of supervisors, respec-
lively. Without unjustly criticising
the service of the long time ferry
; company, it has not put itself out to
cooperate in the public improve.
ment Of approaches to its franchise
that a corporation enjoying the priv
ileges it does would be expected to.
Indeed the disgraceful condition OF
: the levee and the spectacle hour after
hour and day after day of over-taxed
horses attempting to land from the
boat has been shocking to all hu.
name tendencies and has finally
aroused the indignant feelings of
which the new company is the legiti-
mate result. In a word the old ferry
company has acquiesced most cheer
fully in the indolent disposition OF
the council to let the levee go by de-
fault, a course which, despite all
that can be said and urged for the
public good, seems to continue to
be followed. If the city turns deaf
ear to the best interests of the pub
lie, md the ferry company will dc
nothing itself, then let us have q
company with enterprise enough to
put both to shame. Let us have the
4 a