Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-01-24
RAIL WAY EXTENSIONS
Tri.City System Finally Reaches
Terms for Purchase of
Moline Central.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS PROMISED

Late Acquisition to be Attached to
Elm Street and Through Cars Put
on, and New Franchises Are to be
Sought In Both Cities-Means q Big
Outlay.
Notable changes and extensive i'm
provements in the street railway sys-
tenn in Rock Island and Moline with
the opening of spring involving the
purchase and operation by the Tri-
City Railway of the Moline Central,
negotiations for which have, as is
known, been in progress ever since
local capital succeeded to the control
of the railway lines of the three cities,
and many other transformations, are
now practically assured. The pur-
chase outright of the Moline Central
by the Tri-City company has at last
been contaminated, all but consum-
mated. the final formalities depend
ing only upon the adoption of certain
ordinances by the city coun-
ellis, and as this essential action is as
good as certain. the deal NAV be con-
sIdered as settled. The ordinances
applied for IN Moline and considered
for the first time by the council as 4
committee of the whole last evening,
| involve not only the transfer of the
Central franchises to the Tri-City
company. but an extension fol
u period of 25 years OF
all existing franchises of the Tri-
City company, on condition that a
number of improvements be made
i'll the service consequent upon tho
new arrange ment. 1t will be neces-
sary, as portion of the Moline Cen
trail franchise extends into Rock ISL
and to have similar grants here, too.
and, the TIi-City company is prepared
to apply for them on the same condi.
tions that il has asked for privileges
heretofore. that it will give the people
up-to-date service at all times and
Will improve the same as rapidly as
practicable.
Not since the consolidation of tn,
street railways of the three cities
which brought TO each of the cities
the advancement and modern i'm
prOvement that they have made in
the past 10 years, has the sys, ell
promised more for the cities on which
1t depends than it does now. Ano
these are not idle promises. The
capitalists of these three towns have
been taught by the Chicago men who
brought the lines of the three cities
together and developed them
and the three cities with them
that the way to win the confid
ence o. the people is to take then
into your confidence, tell them all
about what you will do ii they will dc
s., Il y
The outside capitalists have
as well as the righteousness, of keep
ing faith with the people. and the
home men are DESTROYS of showing
| that past relations may be continued
rs far as they are concerned. AL
| that they ask Is that the people
| through the councils. give them the
assurance of an opportunity to realize
on their investment, and earning:
will continue to be applied on the inn
provement of the system until it is
made as nearly perfect as enterprise
and liberal outlay can make it. A.
far as it can be figured now it will
take about five years to complete al
the improvements, that are in minC
and for which appropriations are tt
he set aside each quarter until the
work is completed. Here is a list OF
the improvements that the company
pledges to make if the councils vii
exercise toward it the same spirit o.
fairness and good faith it has toward
its predecessors:
improvements Promised.
Another through line to the cas-
end of Moline via the Elm street anG
bluff route, with scent fare cleal
through.
Such changes, if desired, il
the present route of the Elm
street cars between Nineteenth
street and the junction with
Seventh avenue as may best meet the