Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-27
FINDING THE WAY.
To Bridge the Chasm and Pre-
serve Navigation.
A LIFT SPAN SEEMS LIKELY.

A LlfT MAN SEE4S LIKELY.
Temporary Trsstle to be Complstea and
Cleaning up: the Rabblsh Keep on the
Island-rhe lee.
How will the draw span be put in,
railroad traffic maintained and navi-
cation protected
That is the momentous question
before . conference held all today ON
the island regarding the catastrophe
which overlook the Phoenix Bridge
company Tuesday In the destruction
Of the north wing of the draw span
and portion of the steel construc-
ton. Chief Engineer John Sterling
Dean. Of the Phoenix Bridge com.
pany. arrived last night from Phila-
delphia, and today he with Resident
Engineer Mercer and Supt. Milliken,
Of the same company. Assistant to
the President Parker, of the Rock
Island road; Col. A. r. Buffiugton,
Designing Engineer Modjeska, Resi-
dent Engineer Conner and Superin-
tendent Of Bridges Robbins on behalf
OF the government. have constituted
the council of war. There were va
rious plans submitted from the
pontoon and jack knife to the
lift bridge and all were dis.
cussed from the most practical
standpoint. and late this afternoon
the lift span seemed most likely to
no 0dnnt0A o1thovvvk . R,,N
decided upon. The idea is to pro-
tect the interests of all concerned as
far as possible. The draw span will
be built on the piers it is thought.
To Get Trains to Running.
Last evening the fragmentary
pieces Of steel attached to the wreck
Of the tower of the draw pier were
torn off by means of dynamite. and
the wreck cleared as far as posi-.
BILE to permit the reconstruction
Of the tressle to admit the pas.
sage Of trains. This, it is believed,
will be completed by Saturday and
trains will be running over it again
by Saturday night.
Keep on the Island.
Early this morning Col. A. r. Buf.
fington, commandant at Rock Island
arsenal. gave orders to Superintend-
emit of Bridges Robbins to prohibit
all people going on the island who
had no authority to be there and the
consequence has been that the guards
have been turning bsck people all
day. The order, it is stated. is in
the interest of public safety and to
prevent hindrance with the work.
River Men Buzzlug.
Several of the river men have al
ready began to buzz about the ears
of the Phoenix company and the gov
eminent, and have made threats
about what they will do when navi-
CATION opens if the bridge is not
opened. This is neither praise
worthy spirit or one that will be up
held by the government nor by public
sentiment. The Phoenix company
has been overtaken by misfortune,
and no matter what the cause, it is
doing all it can to solve the problem
before it in a manner prejudicial or
detrimental to none, and The ARGUS
believes it will come out all right in
due time.
All Wires Working Again.
The power wires of the Tri-Citv
Railway company were finally all
connected up this morning and the
cars on the Davenport side started at
1l:SO o'clock for the first time in 4S
hours. The telephone service is
again in fairly good shape. although
all the wires are not entirely re-
stored.
Establishing Communication.
Additional relief to communica-
ton between Davenport and Rock
Island came this morning in the
arrival of the Myrtle ON the scene.
The boat is the little pleasure craft
Of Capt. w. c. Collins, of Moline,
and only succeeded in getting down
here after battling q day with the
ice and lowering her smoke stacks in
order to clear the bridge. While the
boat was damaging to the skiff-
running business. there are many
Of them still plying back and
forward and apparently doing
. profitable business. All day
long hundreds of people have been
attracted to the river shore, which
presented quite a lively sight.
Passengers from Davenport for
the east are thereby furnished
with acceptable accommodations.
The Rock Islands trains are all
started from the Twentieth street
depot pot. o -, o., 49,, .
the northwest is taken over the Peo-
ria to Galva, thence over the Bur-
lington until its own line 10 tapped.
Freight for the west and southwest is
handled from here to Clinton BY the
Burlington. Then down to Daven-
port by the B., c.. B. & N. At
Davenport the trains are made up
and sent on the same as when they
we're made up in Rock Island. About
six OF the Rock Island crews are
stalled in Davenport.
The Newly Leased fsrry.
The Quincy ferry which President
7. j. Robinson, of the Davenport &