Rock Island Argus., 1900-04-11
CITIES JOIN HANDS,
Business People of Three Com
munities Discuss Unity
of Interests.
DINE AND TALK AT ARM0RY HALL.

Representative Men Come Together and
| Agree That More Can BE Accomplished
by Standing Side by Side Than Working
Observation-Disclosures Able Addresses
Are DeIivered-The Guests.
Business and professional men of
Rock Island, Davenport and Moline
mingled at the festive board at Arm
| ory hall.last night. 1t was an occasion
on which a thoroughly representative
gathering of people from the three
communities came together with the
purpose in view of cementing tri-city
| friendship. both commercial and So
cial. and to Join hands in promoting all
things tending to build up, improve
and beautify a group of cities that has
already become known to the world as
| the metropolis of the Mississippi val
ley: in fact. to help one another, as
| what is benefit to one city naturally
does not 90 any harm to the other,
| for, as the banner stretched across the
south wall of the hall said: I'm Union
There is Strength-Davenport, Moline
and Rock Island
The supper was all that it was ex-
pected to be an suspicious Inaugural
! tion of movement to interest the
| three cities in one another's welfare.
IL was the first in series of suppers
that it is proposed to give periodically
| hereafter, the affairs to be alternated
among the cities.
| About two hundred business men
were gathered about the tables at he
Armory last night. Before the hall
was opened to the guests they chatted
in the council chamber where their
wraps were cared for. and were enter
tanned with music provided by Bleu-
er's orchestra. which, for the time be-
iny, was stationed in the mayors
private office. The march to the
dining hall began about 7:3O tc
the music of the orchestra, which was
now stationed on the stage at the
south end Of the hall. The collation.
was served under the general direc-
ton of II. +. Ritchey, the genial and
efficient manager of the Rock Island
Club. Twenty students from Angus
tana college performed the duties of
walters with grace and alacrity.
| The menu was as follows:
Oysters.
Celery.
| ENoW good digestion ats On appetite and
| health on both.
Consomme in cups.
Sweetbread Patties.
| En- 10Y life while you have breath.
| And look pleasant after death.
Tenderloiu of Beef.
| Roman Punca
| .'Mngles with IA friendly bowl.
y feast OF reason and allow OF soul
Roasted Mallard Duck.
| Currant Jelly.
Lettuce Salad
| Pleasure and &C ion make the hours seem
| short
cnes.s sss Cream cons,. qsFf, Msier..
| When shall we thee meet again"
| Flow of OratorS.
Incidental and subsequent to the
supper program of speeches was
carried out and some truths were
told in regard to the growing import
ance and wonderful opportunities of
the three cities that impressed all
present and set them TO thinking.
| c. F. Dewend, of Moline, was toast
master, and first introduced F. w.
Bahnsen, president of the Rock Island
Club, who spoke words of welcome.
He said those about the tables were
the bone and sinew of the business
community. He had an abiding
faith in the future of this locality.
Rivalry meant progression, but petty
jealousies meant ,retrogression. He
hoped the business people of the three
cities would meet often and cement
the friendship so auspiciously begun.
Epoch In History.
w. K. Moore. of Moline, in respond
ing to the toast, .sTri-City Business
Mems Associations" said the gather
ing marked an epoch in the his
tory of the three cities. The
spirit of jealousy heretofore ex-
isting bid fair to be a thing of the
past 1t was only necessary for the
business people to realize that united
effort meant success. As an instance
of this he referred to the increase by
congress of the appropriation for the
proposed small arms plant at Rock
Island arsenal. which was secured
largely through the efforts put forth
by the business associations of this
locality. Nothing had called so much
notice and admiration from the coun-
try at large to this locality as the
remarkable capacity for turning out
work demonstrated when the country
was in need al Rock Island arsenal
during the Spanish-American war.
Mr.. Moore prophesied great things for
the arsenal, and believed inside of 10
wears we would have here in the three
cities a population of 800. 600 people.
should Stand One.
..The Tri-Cities'' was the subject
assigned to Hon. S. +. Smith. ex-
mayor of Davenport. Mr.. Smith said
the three cities should be one in So
cietv as well as in ways OF business.
All should pull together for whatever
would contribute to the betterment
of the locality. He said he had had a
dream. He had been asleep for 10
years During the dream he passed
Through q great city that was separ-
ated BY big river. Three cities had
been merged and a new name adopted.
"Driebund." There was one mayor
general with two assistant mayors.
i ...-of,-onnos In t.it.- r,nlitics b q a