Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-09
THE TIME FOR ACTION.
The levee Warehouse Question
Should Be Disposed of BY
the City.
BUSINESS INTERESTS SAY so

a
| One Corporation, But Let the City Con-
| slider the Commercial Requirements of
| the City's Situation and Provide What Is
| Wanted.
The consensus of opinion among
/ the business men of Rock Island, as
reflected by the interviews published
in THE ARGUS of Saturday, is that
Rock Island is in need of steam boat
accommodations on the river front
and the majority of the shippers and
/ merchants alike believe that it is to
the interest of the city's commercial
welfare and the city generally that the
municipality should provide and con-
! troll the accommodations. The offers
made by the two short packet trade
companies, which are the ones that
the business men say are of most con-
Germ to them, indicate that an invest
ment of 81 there will yield at
I least Is per cent without considering
| the Diamond 10 line, which wants the
whole thing and slice of the levee
thrown in for % years at 81 per an
mum on its own account, but which
| nevertheless, according to Supt. Kill
leen's statement, is willing to make
terms with the city for the use of a
warehouse erected by it.
Best Course to Pursue.
1t is apparent to any mind, there
| fore, that the best course for the city
! to pursue is to erect the warehouse,
if the prayer of the business men is
to be considered and one is to be pro-
vided. 1t is the right course for
more than one reason. 1t is the only
way thst the city can remain master
of the situation and at the same time
| respond to the business interests of
city to emphasize the principle of
municipal control of the investment
that has already been made in the
permanent improvement of the river
front. Beyond all this, the value of
a very small part of what the Diamond
10 company seeks by lease for moth
ing is shown in the offers Already
made by the local packets to pay the
equivalent of Is per cent on a reason
able investment for warehouse privi-
leges. If the rights there will yield
| such returns, why not the city as well
as any private corporation have the
benefit of them? The city has the
money appropriated in regular and
proper form for the warehouse erec-
| ton, the amount of $4,000 having
been set aside in the last annual APP
preparation ordinance.
The Practical Side.
THE ARGUS. as has been said be-
fore, entertained the hope at the out
set that it would not be necessary to
erect any warehouse on the new levee.
1t was felt that the appearance of the
improved portion would be best pre-
/ served by keeping all structures off.
But the levee is designed for utility as
| well as beauty, and when a years ex-
| perience demonstrated that the busi-
| ness interests of Rock Island were
suffering because of the absence of &c
commodations for the short trade
| packets, whose patrons contribute
| largely to the volume of the daily re-
tail trade, the practical rather than
| the sentimental view of the case sug-
gested itself. The business interests
must be considered.
1t was then suggested that float
| ing dock might afford a way out of
The difficulty. But the figures Sc
cured by the city with this end in
view and the views of steam boat men,
all contributed to the conclusion that
such a solution was impracticable
from the standpoint of expense. not
only as it involved the original invest
ment. but in the matter of mainten-
ance. The declaration was made by
one experienced steamboat man that
the cost of a warehouse would be alb
sorbed once in two years in keeping
floating dock in proper state of re-
pair to be serviceable. Notwithstand-
ing all this. the assurance was Of
fered last fall that a movement was on
foot looking to the providing of a
floating dock to the city through
funds raised by private subscription.
but so far this plan has not material
lied. 1t is now up to action.
The Time for Action.
Some months ago it was urged that
the council take the levee question
up and dispose of it, but it was re-
tarded time after time by the protest
atoms of those who have offered
nothing better. aud hence procrastin-
alton disastrous to the business well
fare of the city has been the result.
THE ARGUS is for the business as we'll
as the general interests of Rock ISL
and. The business interests mean the
general interests. The majority of
the business men all over town are
favorable to the city building a ware
house on the levee, and there is no
reason for any further hesitancy in the