Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-03-22
LEVEE PRIVILEGES.
The Proposition to Make Them
Just and Equal On New
Water Front.
QUESTION OF THE WAREHOUSE.

payers and to the Divers Steamboat In
terests, Present and Future, Which 1t
Must Not Ignore-Confronted by q Per-
picking Situation.
The levee warehouse question thus
| resolves itself:
First. Is it desirable under any
| circumstances to have a warehouse
erected on the new river front?
Second. If so, is it desirable that
more than one warehouse be permitted
on the new river front?
| Third. If one warehouse is permit
ted to be erected on the new river
front, will it be possible to prevent
other warehouses in the same terri
tory. if not at present, in the fu-
tture?
In answer to the first suggestion,
THE ARGUS has but to repeat what it
said at the time of the completion of
the levee and mas since reiterated,
that the best policy would be to keep
the levee clear of all incum brances, to
permit no private or corporation priv
| ileges there. whether in the nature of
tracks or buildings. This course
The Argus has sustained as the
safest to be pursued, if the
city proposed to retain in proper con-
dition, for the uses for which it was
designed, the district improved in
permanent, substantial and attrac-
tive manner
phase of the situation. The bus
mess interests of the city, which
the levee improvement was made
/ 70 nd no
complained that because of the
lack of warehouse accommodations
| these same interests are suffering.
not because the big through line
packet line had seen lit to levy a boy
colt on Rock Island, but because of
the damage to trade that comes TO
Rock Island by the short line boats,
by reason of the absence of protected
freight facilities on the river front.
Upon this suggestion from the bust
ness men of the city. the thought
that naturally presented itself was as
TO how best to meet the conditions
that had arisen, and at the same time
keep possession of the property
improved. In other words, how
could the city proceed in a way that,
while meeting the demands of the
business men, would not involve a
sacrifice of the general public welfare,
and the operation of what would
prove nothing less than an outrage
upon the taxpayers generally, whose
money had gone into the improve
ment.
Replying to the second question as
to the desire of having more than one
| warehouse on the river front, it is
only necessary to state that there is
probably not citizen of Rock Island
who would be willing to consider such
proposition for an instant 1t would
| simply mean the waste of all that has
been expended in preserving to the
| city and the river interests, the legiti-
ma water front.
vital Questions Involved.
Now, as to the third proposition,
| which appears to. involve the
most vital questions at the present
time. that is if the city valves it's
right to control the levee, and permits
any portion of it to be surrendered,
| by lease or otherwise, how will it pre-
vent the awarding of other similar
privileges, if not now, in the future?
1t strikes THE ARGUS that the council
has one of two duties to perform in
the premises, either to make it's action
of last Monday night broad enough to
indicate that there is to be no
building whatever ere cted en- the
levee, or to meet the demands of the
business men and build the ware
house. But the cession of a foot
of ground on the improved river front
to any corporation ought not to be
seriously considered.
The report has been circulat-
ed that the proposition to respond
to the merchants petition by the
erection by the city of a warehouse
was defeated through the influence
of selfish interests in q small degree,
and the representation that certain
citizens had become so worked up
over the levee warehouse project
that deposit of $500 had been made
where it would be available for legal
recourse 70 hinder the city in pro-
ceeding upon any course that would
involve the further expenditure of
money on the river fl ont. As far as
the selfish interests are concerned.
it is hardly necessary to say
that, whether great or small,
they should not be permitted
to deter the council in any course
| that would serve the common good.
No Fear of the Bugaboo-
Regarding the threat of legal pro-
cedure, The ARGUS is not fully pre-
pared to accept the idea that any
citizen or citizens would go to
that extreme. For its own part,
The ARGUS has never been ter
riied by the parading of the
injunction bugaboo. or disturbed by
the wall of the obstructionist. If the
city is being controlled by any such
methods. the fact might serve as one
reason for the council going ahead. in
order that the public may know just
who under such narrow pretense
should be welding such tremendous