Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-22
AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
Railroad Companies Get Together
On the Switch Pro-
ject.
ORDINANCE BEFORE THE COUNCIL

a Body-Mayor MednI Talks On the
Matter.
Railroads having rights on First
avenue, and which have been battling
themselves for months. have
buried the hatchet, according to the
statement made by Mayor Medill AT
last nights semi-monthly meeting
of the city council, and as indicated
by the agreement published in last
night 5 ARGUS. The mayor said that II.
). Cable, vice president of the Peoria.
F. &. Rice. superintendent of the Illi-
nois lines of the Burlington. and +. p.
Blair, vice president of the Terminal
company, had called on him and in
formed him they had reached am ami
cable settlement of all existing differ
ences, ahat the Terminal company
would withdraw its suit in the circuit
court against the Peoria which grew
out of a land dispute in the vicinity
of Seventh street, would recall con-
ficting ordinances now before the
council, and that all would be
lovely once more if the council
would allow the Burlington to con-
struct switch track on First avenue
across East Seventeenth street, to be
used in lieu of the present track
(known as the Diamond 10 track so
that the space occupied by the lat
ter can be used by the Terminal com
pany. The ordinance providing for
The granting of the track was pre-
sented and referred for investigation
to the whole council, which decided to
70 over the ground in Il body next
Friday afternoon. Mayor Medill re-
corded himself as opposed to voting
away valuable privileges outlined on
blue prints, but believed the alder
men should always see for themselves
where tracks We're to be laid, and
make it a point that they are placed
in accordance with their ms tructions.
Mayor Medill said to an ARGUS re-
porter today: The track now asked
Dy the Burlington is laid out entirely
lifrerent from the one sought by the
Terminal company, and over which
here was such a storm of objection.
You see, in addition to a switch, the
Terminal company asked a continue
ion of its two main tracks west along
he north line of the levee. The Bur
ington only seeks to cross corner
If the levee on East Seventeenth
street. The proposed track, it is
promised, if granted, will not interfere
with travel to and from the levee, as
he company will be obliged to keep
t always free from standing cars, and
t will not interrupt the levee grade.
Proposed New Track.
The proposed track at the foot of
street does not possess
he Objectionable features that did the
In the first place it is one
rack instead of three as was original
V sought. Instead of practically tax
mo- possession of the levee east of
seventeenth street and running all the
vay to Eighteenth. the track common
es % feet east of Seventeenth and runs
and in a nOrthwesterlv di-
ection across the paved extension of
seventeenth street to the coal track |
vest of Seventeenth street on the riv- |
L front. The track is further down !
he levee than the tracks heretofore |
sked, and il is agreed that it shall |
e laid to the levee's established grade |
nd that it shall he paved between the |
ails. Further, traffic to and from the |
iver shall not be interrupted by |
presumably, is to be
one at night. But there are obiec-
ions to the track for the all sufficient
eason that it would be better for the
evee if it were not there. The ARGUS |
as contended that there should be
very effort on the part of
he council to prevent another
rack east of Seventeenth street.
specially one that runs into
he levee proper. 1t had hoped that
plan might be devised among the
abroad corporations for reaching the
esired river front coal track from
ONE point further west of Seven
zenith. But the corporations claim
uch a project to be absolutely prac
ical impossibility. The council
viii 20 over tie ground Friday after
DON. The proposed connecting
witch will be staked out as it will
ross Seventeenth street. The council
hould investigate the situation thor
ughlv. and ascertain to its own sat
,faction that there is no way that
he switch as desired in the ordi-
ance proposed. can be avoided.
+ the council is convinced
nat the track is unavoidable or
desirable. then it should be granted
n the one and sole condition. not uu-
erstood but stipulated explicitly in
ne ordinance. that the railroads seek
lg the privilege TO thus cross = street
mich the city has already gone to
reat expense to improve and pave. :
simburse the city to any amount such
5 will equal the railroads proper
roportion to the general levee in
royement. The track will mar. if
does not prove detriment to lover
eventeenth street. and the city ought
preserve other street approaches to
lie river other than Seventeenth and
lghteenth streets if this is to be. and
lie railroads that have not yet con- :
ibuted to the improvement must l
} their part. The new levee. which !
yer men. judging from the progress so
2 rnoda GOV = 70 ba the finest on the