Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-11
NOW "wHERE ARE Wa ARE.
Two Western Association Cities Forfeit
Franchises Already.


NJ. H. Sexton. president of the Rock
! Island Baseball club, received a tele
gram from Secretary l.. G. Eddy late
yesterday afternoon, stating that the
directors of the Western association
in session at the Sherman house, Chi
cago. on account of the. withdrawal of
Peoria and Springfield, favored the
formation of 6-club circuit. Presi-
dent Sexton doubted the feasibility of
| such a venture, and notified Mr.. Eddy
accordingly.
When the magnates left for home
last night. according To the reports in
the Chicago papers, il was with the
opinion that the association could not
start the season. Several of the clubs
have engaged players. A Chicago
paper says:
at was conceded that unless Rock
Island favored the short circuit there
could be no Western association The
league faced the same proposition as
the national organization. There are
plenty of cities that would like repre-
sentation, but il became a question
whether to start an S-club league with
two weak members or pare the whole
number down to six. The latter plan
was deemed the wisest. 1t was shown
that Peoria could not Join, as there
are no grounds that can he secured.
The six cities proposed for the league
are Rock Island, Rockford, Cedar
Rapids. Quincy, Bloomington and
OtIumwa. a schedule had been
drawn UP and practically agreed to-"
The magnates present yesterday
were J. Stanley Browne, Rockford;
l.. e. Eddy, Rock Island; James A.
Plumb, Cedar Rapids; + p. Adler,
Ottumwa; Kohler, Bloomington. Pres
ident Browne held a proxy for Quincy.
This morning President Sexton held
a conference with a number of local
supporters of the game, whose eXpe-
rience has demonstrated that leagues
of six clubs cannot be made to pay.
The consensus of opinion voiced ut
this conference was that while Rock
Island should not be placed in the po-
sition of opposing any reasonable ac-
ton that would save the league, that
nevertheless n 6-club league does not
seem feasible, and President Sexton
accordingly wired Cedar Rapids and
Ottumwa in reply to inquiries as to
whether this city could be counted in
on n 6-club league to the effect that
Rock Island would stay with the
game on an S-club league, but that
u 6-club league did not seem feast
bic. AT the same time Mr.. Sexton
telegraphed President Browne Rock
Islands position, and urged the
desirability of not attempting to
start the season with less than eight
clubs, and suggesting that if it
really was impossible to get Peoria to
stay that Dubuque, which made such a
fuss when she was dropped from the
at the time it was formed, |
might be given chance now, while |
such cities as Aurora, Joliet and Des |
Moines might be considered in con-
nection with the eighth club.
This afternoon, however, came the |
following telegram to The ARGUS |
from Mr.. Eddy:
Chicago, H., April Ito THE
Rock IsLAND.ARGUs: League composed |
Of Rock Island, Rockford, Cedar Rapids
Bio 1mington, Quincy and Ottumwa.
Lou &. EDDY.
Rock Island has been one of the
most enthusiastic cities in the reOr-
yaniZation of the Western association.
Her $500 guarantee to play out the sea-
son has been in the hands of President
Browne since March 25. There was
10 reason to believe here that the as
ISOLATION was not in first-clasS condi-
ion. 1t was understood that all the
titles had posted their guarantee.
whereas the facts are that neither Peo-
ia nor Springfield had complied with
his rule, and possibly there are others
Who have failed to come up with their
checks.
Rock Island wants baseball. Play
RS have been signed and arrange
nents made to start the season. In
he light of the latest developments,
t is believed we are in better finan-
ial condition than any of the other
owns.
Peoria has been one of the best of
'all towns, and this is the first time
he has been known to show the white
Gather.
Springfield failed in playing a dou-
lie dealing game. After refusing at !
he last moment to come into the
Western, she applied for a berth in
he Indiana-IllinOis, an inferior league,
nd was turned down.
Late this afternoon a telegram was
eceived from Mike Wright, of Spring.
ED, stating that that city had drop
ed out of the leag1e because Peoria
ad failed to stay in. There is still
troEg reason to believe that the
Id league, as originally proposed. I