Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-12
MEANS GREAT THINGS
Does Davenport Believe the Ter.
ninal Does to That
City.
THE NEW BOOM ALREADY ON.

Chicago Newspaper Correspondent Pre-
diets, for the Iowa Town a Phenon-
email Growth to 10000 When Trains
Get over the Lower Bridge Now APP
preaching Completion.
The Chicago Record received from
Davenport an extended article apropos
of the new lower bridge. in which it
is said: What road is going to use
the new bridge?' is the question in
this city, and as vet there are only
one or two men here who know and
they won't tell. The Mississippi
river bridge that has been in process
of building between the lower ends
of the towns of Davenport and Rock
Island for the past two years is APP
preaching completion. 1t is asserted
that the bridge will be finished in the
early summer and opened to traffic.
The builder and the head of the whole
enterprise is Frank p. Blair, of St.
Paul, but associated with him are cap
italists in Chicago and other places.
Not a word has any of them uttered
regarding the purpose of the bridge.
1t was first proposed. four years ago,
as a necessary part of terminal sys-
touch the three cities OF Davenport,
Rock Island and Moline. though it was
suggested ut that time that such Il
bridge would afford a fine opportunity
for new roads To tap all three of these
towns. Today. while the fact that the
bridge will he of great advantage in
the interchange of cars among these
roads is not altogether dropped out of
-. 81 L.
feature of the scheme in the discus
sion of the enterprise. The salient
point of it all now is the great future
that is now coming 10 the city when
that new road gets in here This is
spoken of with knowing air that
amounts to the practical assertion
that there is another great railroad
system, in addition to the four that
now touch this point. waiting for the
laying of the last rail in order to en-
ter and start regular AoUm in these
cities. but not hiutas to the identity
of that road can be had from any
source. Mr.. Blair declares that he
has a surprise almost ready to spring
on the town, and one Of the Chicago
capitalists who was here a few months
age yentured the mild assertion that
within five years Davenport would
have a population of 100, 600 instead
of the IS. 900 that it has todav-ali
because of the activity that Will be
engendered by this bridge and its Pc
sulting enterprises-bu they give no
details.
The community is engaged in dis
cussing the direction from whichsthe
new line is to come and in guessing at
its name. 1t was long ago suggested
that the Big Four system might eX-
tend to Davenport from Peoria, 80
miles away. The direct entrance of
the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy to
Davenport and the establishment of Il
short line from the three cities to Chi
cago, with n possible western extern
sion to its present main line near
Fairfield, Iowa, IS another suggestion
that has considerable credence. The
Burlington now has the shortest line
between these cities and Chicago, but
changes of cars and delays are needed
to make the trip. neither of which an
nOyances is included III the direct
main line runs of the Rock Island.
However, if there were an easy en-
trance to Davenport, it is suggested,
the Burlington might come in here
it now terminates in Rock Island
and if it were to do this it might put
on a regular Chicago passenger SER
vice that would be of the best.
The fact that the Rock Island
roads officials are not pleased with
the part they are playing is evident
1t has been charged that the Rock
Island system has done all it could
here on the ground and elsewhere at
the fountain head of the funds that
are entering the enterprise-to hinder
the building of this bridge and the
system of tracks connected with it OF