Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-23
MERCHANTS ON
ROAD RELATIONS
Move to Secure Better Under
standing Between City and
Corporations.
TO PROMOTE MUTUAL INTERESTS
Committees to Act With Club and
Council--Business Men
Give Views.

The Rock Island Retail Merchants
Association last evening held one of
the best and most important meetings
in the history of the organization in
the quarters in the Mitchell & Lynde
building.
Questions of vital interest to the
city were taken up and discussed in
an altogether businesslike manner,
nearly every member present in the
assemb.age, which was representative
of the best and foremost element in
the city, having something of i'm
portance to say. Best of all, action
was taken, live men being given def
mite work to do, and unless all indi-
cations fail, results will follow.
AS previously announced, the main
subject taken up was the city's rela-
ton with the railroads. The matter
was brought up in an address by f
j. Barns, in which he spoke as fol-
lows:
81 desire to call your attention to a
few matters of great Importance not
only to our association but to the
people of the city of Rock Island as
we'll. Existing conditions brought
about by recent changes made by the
various railway lines entering our
city forces the conviction upon me
that the changes already made and
more of a similar nature to come,
will be great hindrance to the future
growth and prosperity of our city.
With the spirit of progress pervading
our city at the present time it is my
candid opinion that no time should
be lost on the part of our association
in taking time by the forelock and
checkmating, if possible, any move
ment tending to retard our progress
brought about by the railway lire
entering our city and enjoying rights
and privileges within our corporate
limits. 1 want to call your special
attention to some of the changes
already made which greatly affect our
city.
Makes City a Way Station.
The Chicago, Milwaukee &St Paul
Railway company originally entering
this city making this their terminal
cine il Southwestern division, now
to Davenport; thence cross the new
bridge to Rock Island. run through
Rock Island to Moline, necessitatipg
the train crew tc come back to Rock
Island and stop at our hotels heI e,
while their trains on the Illinois side
pass through Moline, Rock Island,
cross the bridge to Davenport. max
ing it necessary for the train crew to
stop in Davenport, practically making
way-station of our city. The orig
inal Intention of the Milwaukee road
was to run their Kansas City trains
down on the Illinois side through
Rock Island, but now they intend to
run the Kansas City trains on the
Iowa side through, Davenport, and
through the efforts of our Davenport
citizens in connection with the desire
of the c., NJ. & st. Z. officials they are
going to extend their mail runs to
Davenport, which will have the effect
Of taking employees of the railway
mail service on certain runs to Dav-
export. | am also advised that there
is determined effort on the part of the
Davenport merchants with an object
in view of changing the division office
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Railway company from Rock Island to
Davenport, also the Chicago, Burling-
ton 81 Quincy roundhouse, through
inducements offered by the Daven-
port merchants. With all these facts
confronting our association consisting
of manufacturers, merchants and pro-
fessional men, it behooves our asso-
citation to take immediate action"
L.. 0 L. ~
under way on the Rock Island road
and the losses which are resulting to
this city as well as to some of the
roads employees whose homes are
here, and in conclusion introduced
the following resolution, which was
adopted:
Three Bodies to Act Together.
That the chair be given full power
to appoint a committee of as many
mem bers of our association as he may
deem proper; said committee to act in
conjunction with such com mittees as
may be designated by the Rock Island
city council and Rock Island Club
with view of comforting with the
chief officials of the various railroads
having rights and privileges and such
other railway lines desiring to enter
here. The object being to promote
interests, mutual between the city
and the people of Rock Island and said
railroads. The chair is also author
lied to include the present and future
mayor"
G. M. Loosely called attention to
the effect changes in the running
of the c.. B. & Q. trains has had upon
a large trade which formerly came to
this city from the upper end and from
Whiteside. Previously people from
that section could get to this city and
home again the same day, but now ow-
ing to the fact that the trains run over
the D., r. L. N. w. tracks to Clinton,
they can reach this city only through
Clinton. which practically cuts of the