Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-03
RAILWAY RIGHTS.
Committee Lays Out the New
Franchise.
DOES NOT AFFECT THE LEvEE

The Portion Along First Avenue Left Out
for the Present-The All Absorbing Oues.
tionCan Now be Settled Forthwith n the
Council Is Disposed to DO It's Duty.
The river front committees having
under consideration the application
of the Rock Island Il Eastern Illinois
Railway company for an ordinance
granting right of way through the
city came to q conclusion Saturday
evening. The ordinance to be pro-
posed 10 the council tonight affords
right of way privilege from Ninth
street to the southwestern limits of
the city, and from Twentieth street,
the present terminal of the Bridge &
Terminal company's franchise. east
to Forty sixth street. This arrange
ment gives the company the cppor-
tunity to condemn its private right
of way and leaving the portion from
Ninth to Twentieth, which the fer
minal company now controls, con-
tingent upon such time as by con-
domination or otherwise it obtains
the consent to occupy it. when the
franchise will apply likewise to this
strip. Furthermore it cannot be
seen that this course can consist
emily interfere with the councils
progress on the levee, although it
may be designed to, which course
would very quickly develop in q
further move to delay progress on
the levee pending Mr.. Blair's con-
venience, which it is to be hoped
will not materialize. This question
was considered by the committees
Saturday evening, however, and
there was no indication of design
to delay, and City Attorney Haas,
speaking on the subject this morn
ing said that there ives nothing about
Mr.. Blair's grades that need delay
the councils movements in proceed
ing forthwith on the levee. The city
ATTORNEYS position has been very
plain on this subject. and he has
stated with emphasis to The ARGUS
that the council can. if disposed to,
proceed with all formalities at to-
nights meeting. But will it?
The New Franchise.
Such protest as THE ARGUS has
made about permitting the levee I'M
provement to be delayed to suit the
pleasure of the Terminal company
has in no sense involved a feeling of
hostility to that corporation. THE
ARGUS has always been the champion
OF new railway enterprises, and it
desires to see them succeed. 1t is
gratified that the counc Gil has come
to an understanding with the Termi-
. nal company's ally, the Rock Island
& Eastern Illinois. The more rail.
ways that can be brought to Rock
Island the better, and Mr.. Blair says
he can bring them. THE ARGU.
admires his energy, his pluck and
his shrewdness.
At the present time the levee is of
as great importance to the city as al
its railway interests. 1t means the
saving of the city's approach to that
natural highway of transportation
and commerce, which will increase
in Importance with the completion
of the canal. 1t means the protec
tion of those advantages which many
other cities in Illinois much larger
than Rock Island would give mil.
lions to possess, the natural artery
which is, or at least, will be made
when the Hennepin canal is built
the regulator of traffic. Let the
railroads have their rights, but tho
council should not, and The ARGUS
cannot believe the present one will
permit the city's great general inter
ests to 60 by default until it is
too late. With an improved proper
ly graded levee there will be plent y
of room for all tracks. The NOR,
of the lawfully constructed ones the
better.
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