Rock Island Argus., 1899-08-21
MR.. .BLAIRISST
Attempts to Engage in Un'
announced Track Laying
Operations.
LEvEE OBJECT OF HIS DESIGNS


Has a Large Force of Men at Work Bright
and Early Sunday Morning to Connect
With BuriIngton-But Is Halted Be
Plans.
Frank P Blair, the energetic pro-
moter for the Terminal Railway COM
pany. was stopped yesterday in what
had the appearance of an attempt to
lay tracks in the new levee.
Blair claimed that he was only do
ing what he had been granted permits
sion to do by the city council. Mayor
McConochie and the aldermen differ
with him. The Terminal embank-
ment skirts the river to the west line
of West Seventeenth street. From
that point it is proposed to cross in a
southeasterly direction and connect
with the Burlington's main track.
which is to be shared jointly by the
Terminal and Burlington eastward. it
is understood. to a point in the vicin-
ity of Broob s. crossing. Mr.. Blair has
levee and has been continually
hC Was lSCClN-
ing the "short end of it, because he
was not allowed by ordinance to occu-
py that valuable strip of river front
that the city has set aside for the ac-
commodation of steamboat traffic.
Attempts Queer Methods.
Saturday afternoon ties were
dumped on the levee and gang
of men was put at work ar
ranging the tracks for the INSTALL
ing of frogs. Mayor McConochie
was notified and announced that he
would put stop to any such busi-
ness. and that nothing further would
be done there until the council was
consulted.
Bright and early yesterday morn
ing force of 25 men arrived on the
scene and were pushing operations at
a lively rate when Acting Chief of Po-
lice Miller, who had been instructed
to keep a watch on the premises, un-
expectedly appeared, and ordered a
cessation of hostilities, for the way
picks were being swung and hammers
pounding and tracks being torn up,
it looked as the railroads for block
were doomed to destruction. Mayor
McConochie and several of the alder
men soon Joined the chief, and it was
not long until Mr.. Blair himself, who
had been apPrised by telephone by
one of his men that operations had
ceased, arrived. He expressed him
city officers, claiming that he did not
mean to take unfair advantage, and
bad decided to do the work Sun
.l1s, 80 La
Peoria, as the tracks of that company
had to be temporarily removed in or
der to make the connection, and to
execute the Job on week day would
interfere considerably with the COM
pany's operations.
Has No Such Permission.
Mayor McConochie informed Mr..
Blair that he did not believe he had
permission to 90 onto the levee, and
anyway, he had no business going
ahead with work of that character
without at least comforting with the
street and alley committee, under
whose supervision all tracks author
lied in the ordinances are laid.
Mr.. Blair came over to Rock Island
this afternoon to confer with Mayor
McConochie further in relation to
Yesterdays episode. To an ARGUS
representative who saw him he de-
clared that he had done nothing more
tempting to put in the switches yes
terday. insisting that Sunday was the
only day that the frogs could be put
in the Rock Island & Peoria tracks.
The company was anxious to lay out
it's yards. he said, and that the oper-
alton undertaken was part of the gem
eral plan allowed by the ordinance.
One of the aldermen speaking of the
matter today stated that Mr.. Blair
had pushed through the council such
a multiplicity of ordinances that it
would require Philadelphia lawyer
to find what rights he did have and
what he did not. The alderman be-
lieved that yesterdays caper was SIM
ply a bold attempt to seize the track
privileges on the new levee that Mr..
Blair has so long coveted, and that
was time for the council to give
him to understand that he has mo
IN mortgage on that property.
It's high time that the council was
having an understanding with the ter
minal people-once and for all time
Flour From Oklahoma
A special train of IA cars that is
from the far west to the At
lantic coast. advertising the virtues
of -four made from Oklahoma wheat,
stepped in Rock Island today, coming
in over the Rock Island road. There
were Is cars of flour and one coach
for the accommodation of the party
the train. Tie train
-, -;;tad OF tho Fifth aveuue deDot