Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-27
LLSHOULDB Be HEARD
Discussion Of Rock Island Round.
house Removal Sus.
tanned.
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS VIEWS.
Matter Ought to be Taken UP
at Once With Leading
Officials.

The suggestions appearing in last
the possibility of the Rock Island road
moving a portion of its division head
quarters from this city to East Mo-
line, have met with many expressions
of appreciation from all classes of
business men. a representative citi-
zen, talking of the matter last even
ing, remarked: Il am glad to see the
discussion of this matter, and hope
that our citizens generally will give
the subject attention and use their
influence to prevent Rock Island being
deprived of any of the present advant-
ages. i believe this is subject that
should be taken up with Il Il. Ca
bic, who is now once more res
ideDt of this city, and who
know has a most kindly interest in
the city and all that pertains to its
interests and advancement. Certain
eDcc with the Rock Island than he. if
he could be prevailed upon TO exercise
it. / have been told that Mr.. Cable
has always hoped that the company
would provide a new passenger sta
ton here, but has felt some delicacy
about making a move in that direction
himself because of his known parts al
ity to the city. The company has re
Gently erected handsome new depots
at West Liberty, Iowa City and Allan
tic, Iowa, none of which cities is
half the size of Rock Island, and not
one of which contributes the business
to the road that Rock Island does,
and certainly none has the relations
with the company that this city has
And yet each has a depot that would
be a credit to a city many times its
size.
other improvements Contemplated.
Il understand. further, that the
company is to put up a number of
new dcpOts on the Illinois division
the present year, Geneseo being in
cluded among those to be favored.
And before long the Rock Island is 10
be called upon TO invest vast sums of
money in track elevation and depot
projects in Davenport. All these i'm
provements are needed. but better
are needed here, too.
So thai, all things considered. the
ought. in Justice to Rock
Island, to think of improving what it
has in Rock Island. instead of consid-
eriDg the taking of anything away.
| think therefore that if this subject
was brought before MIR. Cable. who is
still chairman of the executive com
mittee of the Rock Island company,
and the other officers, there would be
a disposition to treat the city fairly,
and the assurance would come that
now here will not be dis
turbed by the enlargement of the
operations at East Moline,
and that we might get 4 new depot as
well.
You know that corporations
have great habit of letting
things go, as long as there is moth
ing said. but they all respect the
people when the latter show that they
are in earnest. We had an example
Of this recently in the telephone agi-
Iation. As long as the public was
willing to submit, an inferior quality
Of service at mores than exorbitant
rates was furnished. But when the
discussion came the company agreed
10 do a whole lot of things that it
might Just rs wellih done five years
ago.
The public should be fully heard
pm the Rock Island roundhouse re-
noval question.