Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-26
SWITCH IS REJECTED.
Council Refuses More Rights That
Do Not Help Levee I'M
proVement.
OUTCOME OF YEsTERDAYsMEETING

mittee of the Whole. the Aldermen De-
cIining to Vote the Desired Privileges,
When the Companies Fan to Take Adj
vantage of a Preferred Opportunity.
The Rock Island city council yester-
day afternoon recorded itself as OPP
posed to railway encroachments on the
levee, after thorough investigation
of the situation, rejecting the ordi-
nance of the Burlington road provid-
ing for coal track extending in a
northwesterly direction across East
Seventeenth street to the water edge.
Accompanying Mayor Medill and the
aldermen on their trip oyer the pro-
posed track location were +. &. Rice,
Superintendent Of Illinois lines. III. ID.
Mack, division agent, and G. l..
Walker, attorney, all of the Bur-
lington; II. S. Cable, vice president of
the Peoria, and +. p. Blair, vice presi-
dent of the Terminal company. See
ing Just where it was the intention to
construct the rails convinced the al
dermen all the more that such a grant
would be a serious menace to the ap-
pearance and usefulness of the leyee.
The aldermen made a thorough sur
vey and study of the ground as far
west as the PeOria's old roundhous Sc
property, and returned to the council
chanbe satisfied that the de
sired track could be located west of
where proposed and with equal adj
vantages to the Burlington, although it
might slightly inconvenience the Ter
minal company in crossing its prop
erty.
On reassem bling, the council went
into committee of the whole, with
Aid. w. c. Maucker in the chair.
Consideration of the Burlington's or
dinance being the principal business
before the meeting, Mr.. Rice was
called upon. He said that the city
could never restore to his company
what had been taken from it in the
REIMBURSEMENT of the coal track to
the Terminal people. A good job had
been started in the Improvement of
the levee that the city should well feel
proud of, and Mr.. Rice did not blame
the aldermen in wanting to keep it
clear of railroad tracks. His company
was willing to unite with the council
in solving the pending problem, but
what his company wanted was track
on which coal could be delivered to
the steamboats,. If the srea M boats
could not coal here they would go
across the river and take on their fuel.
Solution Suggested.
Aid. Fender suggested that the
Burlington lay its coal track north
easterly through the terminal yards
west of East Seventeenth street and
utilize the latter's most northerly
track for steambOa purposes. This
could easily be done, he main
tanned. Mr.. Rice admitted that the
execution of Aid. Pender's plan was
not an impOssibility, but he contended
it could not be done without seriously
interfering with the Terminal COM
pany's operations.
Aid. Gall also thought it would be
possible for the Burlington to build
its track so that it would reach the
river from the east on a curve, going
around the east end of the Terminal
company's depot. Mr.. Rice said this
would be physical impossibility.
Aid. Gall suggested that the Termi-
nal and Burlington companies be
heard with reference to donations to
the levee Improvement. Aid. Aster
said he had long heard of golden
promises on the part of the Terminal
company, and he would now like to
hear definitely what it intended do
ing. Aid. Fender stated that he
voted for the levee with the under
standing that all the interested cor
porations should contribute toward
the cost. But he believed a few of
them had forgotten there was an i'm
provement in progress.
Mr.. Rice said he had no idea the
granting of the coal track had connec-
ton with donation. He had heard
of his company contemplating making
a donation, and it might come vet,
but when he could not say. All his
company has been doing was making
concessions In the past it usually
had done its share in all public enter
prises and he thought ought TO be
trusted to do it in the present in
stance.
Mr.. Blair said it was true his COM
panv had promised 50, 600 to the levee,
but that was when it had a prospect
of two tracks along First avenue and
other privileges which had since been
taken away from it. This changed
matters altogether. His company had
also promised To do some filing gratis:
true that was. too. But the Peoria road
jumped in and had done the work be-
fore his company. Dir. Blair, in a
word, was not satisfied with the man
ner in which he was being treated.
Delays had cost his company severely.
He was making valuable improve
ments without cents cost to the
city. All he asked was to be met half
way by the city and he would see that
mis- company did the right thing.
Mayor Medill said the levee i'm
provement was undertaken on the as
sumption that the several corpora
tons should contribute The
Peoria road and the Ferry company
had done their share. but the others
lad failed to keep their promises
AID. Law head said he would vote
.rrnin-t an ordinance thai MoIild en-