Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-12
Mr.. BLA|R'S SCHEME.
Bridge Promoter Takes the City
Council Somewhat Into
HE Confidence.
TIE RIVER FRONT RAILROAD.


the Uafoliirx Of . rlsn far Ysra and
Waesboass % Well - TsacK Privileges
-Aidsrnsa are lmpesssed With the Un.
dessaking and IL Pessib. lltiss.
Frank p. Blair. president Of the
Davenport & Rsck Island Bridge 4
Terminal company. met the city
council yesterday afternoon. He
was accompanied BY q. F. Loweth,
the csmPsnys civil engineer. and
was armed with blue prints Of that
part Of his enterprise which will hug
the Illinois shore. A petition against
the removal Of the Burlington rail-
way team track on First avenue at
the foot Of Sixteenth street, was read
and favorably considered. on condi.
ton that the railway company stand
the expense OF paving on both sides
OF the track, and ssaad ready to re-.
move 1t at any time ths council 90
ordered. Tho plans submitted BY
Mr. Blair, who has already secured .
right OF way from the bridge on
Sixth street to the Moline limits, pro-
vides for an Improvement, which,
II carried out, will revolu.
tionise things on the river
'front.' aad necessitate an enormous
outlay Of money by his company.
The plan is for q single track from
the bridge to Twelfth street. Here
there 10 o double track. which
ruos through the Peoris roundhouss.
Five tracks begin ut Sixteenth and
c7n;inue to Wcs. Seventeenth, and
again diminish to two tracks. These
continue along the levee to Nine
teenth street, where they cross to
the south and follow alongside the
Burlington's right OF way to ahe
viaduot, from which point Mr.. Blair
says be does not feel that he will ex-
per!enco much difficulty proceeding
on to the Moline limits, mostly over
private property. In the event Of
Me. Blair's plan being met favorably
BY the council, the Peoria round
house will have to be removed. The
city 10 obligated to the Rock Island
q reoris railway to thc extent Of
IS, GOO In case Of such distur bapce,
but Nj. Blair says he will shoulder
the expense. He says he will h.v.
splendid terminal facilities in Mo-
line. Mr.. Blair's plan also provides
Tor the erection OF a fine brick
freight house between Sixteen tn and
Seventeenth streets, on the south
side Of the main track. which will be
constructed on an embankmens.
which will be rip-rapped and pro.
vided with q stone retaining wall.
Contiguous TO the depot will be q
steamboat landing. where freight can
be handily transferred. The plan
OF the embsnkmsns insures an.
proaches to the river shore for teams
and pedestrians. as as present. At
sixth and Twelfth streets. M.
Blair also agrees to stand tie e1 penss
OF raising the south side of
the viaduct, which will be
necessary in case he is
given the privilege OF running .
track under it. In fact. he promises
to Go everything desirable to IL
sure the cisy's approval Of his enter.
prise. which he states will bring
new roads 10 this point. and there
BY increase our commercial facilities
snd contribute to the fame Of the
city As q great railway center. He
agrees 30 have the embankment
work completed by the fret OF
March next in case he is permitted
to go ahead immediately with his
enterprise as presently planned.
Operations On the bridge are being
pushed. and he says will continue
throughout the winter.
The council went over the ground
with Mr.. Blair and Engineer Loweth
from the Crescent bridge to the via
duct. On ressssmbling IL was de-
cided 10 have anothe. meeting on the
subject tonight, and 70 defer formal
action until Monday evening.
Prospect Of Approval.
While Mr.. Blair was Is scrupu.
lousy mysterious as ever Is to she
backing Of the enterprise be 10 put
ting through. the aldermen were
much impressed with his plans and
the assurances he gave Is to their
going through successfully, and
shere does not appear to be any
doubt as to the council giving its
sanction to the rights solicited when
the time comes 10 pass upon them.
The council o~es IL 10 the com mercisl
interests Of the city to distinctly pro-
vide for the protection Of the city's
river front In whatever further priv.
ileges 1t gives for railroad purposes.
and IL is expected to stipuiate tha.
with the requirement OF the splen.
did franchise which is now under
consideration shall 60 the exaction
not only that all approaches to the
river be carefully arranged for in
properly graded and planked tracks
and protected by gates, and tina,
above all things the speedy compile
tion OF the levse be assured. This
does mos mean Ut future day, but
10 accordance with the councils sc-
sion When First avenue Was ordered
paved. asd in conformity with the
Ideas OF Mayor Medill and in Q man
IL