Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-07

his Is INC DcllLIOH 1IOh llC NUN
Island Retail Merchants association
which is in the files of the municipal
Assem- bly,, but has not yet been acted
upon by that body. The impression,
however, having been created by some
that the spirit of the merchants here
favored warehouse. regardless of
how it was secured, or who controlled
it, THE ARGUS has taken the pains to
interview as many of the business
men and others throughout the bust
ness district as possible in the short
space of time allotted. From the re-
suit it finds that the correct inter-
probation of the merchants petition
is that the city should build and con-
troll The warehouse, and the prepond-
erence of opinion is that this is the
practical, best and ust course to
pursue. Here are the views of those
of Rock Islands business men who
were seen:
L. SMcCabe-I deem a warehouse
on the levee an absolute necessity.
The best wav out of the difficulty as
it appears to me is for the city to
build the warehouse and conduct it
on terms of equity to all steamboat
"Oulu uO
stance favor the city giving away any
special privileges to any steamboat
company there. The city must re-
main in absolute control. Fur
thermore we must treat all the packet
lines alike, and if any one of them re-
fuses to come in on terms which seem
best for all and the entire city, we will
have to get along without such COM
pany. While, as l said before, the SIM
plest plan that presents itself to my
mind is for the city to erect the build
ing, yet any compromise that NAV be
effected that will serve all packet
companies equally and Justly and still
reserve to the city the control of the
warehouse, would meet with favor
by me.
New Idea Suggested.
Eli Mosenfelder-Of course we need
steam boat accommodations. Let's en-
courage all river traffic. The more
boats that land here, the better.
have a suggestion-but l don't know
how other people feel about it-and
that is for the building of a pier, the
CITY to share with the steamboat COM
panies in the erection of the same and
the city to have control. A pier such
as / would like to see constructed
would be both metropolitan in APP
pearance and substantial. Landings
could be effected without Interrupt
ton, too.
Henry Krell-I believe Rock Island
ought to have a warehouse, but not
for the benefit of any one steam
boat company. All packet lines
should be treated alike, and the city
should control.
NJ. c. Rice-By all means give US a
warehouse down on the river front.
1t is my idea it should be erected by
the city, but if this cannot be done,
let the steamboat companies join in
putting one up. Don't allow one
company to build AMI not another.
One warehouse is enough.
G. H. Kingsbury-My position is
the city should build and control the
warehouse.
George Bennett-Let the steam boat
companies build a warehouse and in
return for the levee privileges give
the city an equal share in the owner
ship of the building. the city, of
course, to control the building at all
times.
l.. G. Eddy am in favor of the
city building and owning the steam
boat warehouse. l don't believe in
special privileges on the levee.
Fred Woltmann-My idea is that a
building that would accommodate all
the steam boats could be built on First
avenue. don't see that it is necessary
to erect a warehouse on the levee.
j. L. Noftsker-It seems to me the
best plan is for the city to build and
control the levee warehouse.
VIII Ullemeyer-By all means, the
city should be master of the situation.
1t should erect the warehouse and
charge the steamboat companies for
the use of the same.
P. S. Wilcher-If we are to have a
warehouse, and l guess it is generally
conceded one is needed, the city should
have a voice in the control of it One