Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-09
MATTERSOF MOMENT
Three important Undertakings
Before the Rock ISL
and Club.
LAST NIGHTS MONTHLY MEETING.

The New Theatre and the Interest of
Local CApitaIists-The Good Roads Con-
vention and the Plans for 1.-THE TeIe-
phone Service. the Committees Report
The Rock Island Club at its regular
monthly meeting last evening re-
ceived committee reports. relative to,
and discussed and acted upon numer-
Gus matters which the club has had
in hand, of Importance to the city and
community. The first of these was
the new theatre enterprise. The
com mittee on this subject, through it's
chairman, j. j. LaVelie, reported the
visit to this city of two different thea
tire promoters, and of the enthusiasm
of both over the opportunities the
CITY offers for the establishment
of a frst-class opera house. The
committee had made thorough inves-
LEGATION as to the standing. financial
and otherwise, of both these gentle
men through correspondence and per-
sonal visitation to cities in which
theatres had been erected under their
direction and in accordance with the
plans proposed here, and had found
each in every way reliable and most
highly endorsed. One of these gen.
tlemen in particular had gone so far
as to select a suitable site in Rock ISL
and on which to erect theatre and
secured his backing to engage in the
enterprise, but the committee had
since learned of the purpose of local
citizens to undertake the execution of
ha hot
more costly building would be
erected than was contemplated by
either of the outside gentlemen. Being
DESTROYS that local enterprise and
capital should be employed where
such am bition is found, and feeling
that the committee mission was to in
sure the project rather than the means
to attain it, Mr.. La Velle stated that
the committee felt that its object had
been attained with the securing by
the local gentlemen of the option on a
desirable site and the accompanying
assurance from those so interested
that they meant business. An eXpla-
nation in detail of the scheme to have
been employed by the outside pro-
jectors was given, and the COM
mittee announced its willingness
to continue its work in con-
nection with the local capitalists. or
abide the action of the local people
for suitable length of time. as the
club might desire The report was
received and approved by the club,
and upon motion the committee was
continued.
The Good Roads Convention.
The subject of the forthcoming
good roads convention and harvest
home festival was next taken up, and
G.. w. McCaskrin, who had been en-
ployed to take up the matter of COR
res pondence on behalf of the joint
committees of the Rock Island Club
and the Merchants association, made
an extended report of the work so far
under his direction. the
sending of invitations to Postmaster
General Smith and Secretary of Agri-
culture Wilson, of President McKin-
ley's cabinet. with assurance that one
of the gentlemen would be present.
The presence and cooperation of Gov.
Tanner, Senator Mason, Attorney
General Aiken, Congressman Prince,
Senator Payne and Representatives
Hurst, johnson and Cole from this
district was also anticipated. The |
road and highway commissioners of
the various counties included in the |
district to be represented at Rock ISL |
and had also been notified. Mr.. Nc |
Caskrin reported having made a can
vass of the sentiment in the country, |
and found the farmers much inter |
ested in the gathering and it's object,
and he believed that no less than |
10000 people would be present in |
Rock Island on the date of the con-
vention. Sept. 9. President Bahnsen
stated that through the Western Pas
senger association rate of a fare and |
a third for the round trip to points
within the territory ordered by the |
had been secured. r. |
Champion, of the committee on
finance, stated that the canvass for |
funds had proceeded successfully and |
had already in sight half the amount
stipulated as essential to properly |
provide for the convention. The |
club accepted the reports and con-
tinued all committees acting under its |
authority acting jointly with the
association to make the J
gathering a success.
-x- -ErEDun~E crDrUrE !