Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-11-27
PUSHING LOWER ROAD
Preliminary Survey Ordered at a
Meeting of Merchants As
ISOLATION.
BENEFITS TO CITY AND COUNTRY
Assurances of Assistance From
Farmers if Others interest
ed Will Do Part.

The discussion of plans fora shorter
| road to the lower end of the county
drew a good attendance at last nights
| meeting of the Retail Merchants as
| ISOLATION. Besides the regular mem
bers and the committee from the
Rock Island Club, there were present
Samuel Kennedy and Albert Hartman.
from Andalusia township Bad roads
kept away a large number from the
lower end who had expected to at
tend.
The sentiment of those present was
almost unanimous in favor of the pro-
posed road and it was voted to 60
ahead with the preliminary survey
with the object of finding out the
probable cost of the undertaking.
Farmers VIII do Their share.
Mr.. Kennedy was heard first, and
presented the matter from the farm
ers, standpoint. lie referred TO the
mutual advantages which the city and
the lower end would derive from
shorter and better read, and said the
substantial assistance when the time
came. In his opinion the county
ought to be at least as ready TO con-
tribute to the construction of a road
that will keep trade within its borders
as it was to build road in the lower
end to draw trade to Iowa. Having
been n mem Der of the committee
which went over the ground in 1892
Mr.. Kennedy knew something of the
character of the proposed route and
spent some time explaining the course
he thought ought to be followed.
He thought the present Andalusia
road should be met somewhere near
the west line OF Black Hawk.
For Preliminary Survey.
County Surveyor Treichler, who
was present. on request, stated that
the cost of preliminary survey would
not exceed $50 and detailed survey
would cost from 500 to $3.50. Upon mo-
ton a committee composed of f. b Me
Kown, DIR. j. p. Comegys and l.. b
Strayer was named to cooperate with
q like committee from the Rock Island
Club in raising the cash and attend
to putting through a preliminary sur
vey. Later the same committee, on
motion of l.. Simon, was instructed
to discover, if possible, the attitude
of the board of supervisors and the
city council toward the proposition.
l.. Il. Strayer spoke in favor of the
Improvement of the Ninth street road
as an immediate necessity, and this led
to fresh discussion. AID. NJ. V. Con
cannon said that the city council had
never been asked to do anything for
the Ninth street road and intimated
that something might be accomplished
in this direction if the proper influ
euce were brought to bear. He was
inclined TO doubt that the proposed |
lower road could BE- built on sc |
count of the great cost of the bridge |
at the mouth of Rock river, which he /
placed at $40, coo or more.
w. G. Maucker also had Il pessi- |
mistic view on the lower road |
project. He referred to the pc
culiar disad yantages Rock Island !
lab0rs under il being shut off from
the country upon which it is depend
cnt in such n large measure. He said |
produce is considerably higher here |
than in adjoining and other cities on |
account OF the comparative inaccessi-
Dility of the town from the outside.
This operates against the town both
ways in trade. Much country pro-
duce is brought here from Iowa over
the free government bridge, and the
money paid for it is all taken back to
Davenport 10 be spent. But Mr..
Maucker thought the expense of
new road too great to be undertaken
now and favored making the existing
bridges free and the existing Ninth
street road n good one.
Other Matters Taken Up.
Some other matters were taken up
by the merchants. Resolutions Of
Tered by Secretary Schneider against
patronizing balls, enter
Lainmcnts, etc, not of a charitable
nature by buying tickets and adver-
Using space in programs was referred