Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-21
Davenport Refuses to Allow Til
City Railway Company to
Lay More Tracks
UNLESS THE FARE IS REDUCED
Possibility of Removal OF Shops to
Rock Island, Where Reasonable
Treatment is Assured.

right to lay tracks on Rock Island
street, next to its barn, unless the
company granted six fares for a
quarter and fve-cent rate from any
part of Davenport to any part of
Rock Island, and General Manager
Lardner withdrew the ordinance ask
ed for. The matter came up at the
last council meeting. held Wednesday
night, and was referred to the com
mittee of the whole. The committee
visited the plant of the street rail
way company Thursday Afternoon
and looked over the ground to see
what was asked for. At meeting
at which Mr.. Lardner was present for
the company, the matter was taken
up in detail and several hours were
spent in discussing the features. The
Tri-City company asked for right to
lay tracks on Rock Island street be-
tween Second and Third streets, in
order to carry out a scheme of eX-
tension in the car repair and building
department.. The plan called for the
exclusive rights to the tracks and for
building along the street. Before a
Lardner arose to explain the situa-
ton. He said that the rights were
asked for in order that the company
might extend its car building de-
partment and gain facilities for con-
structing the cars. He said that il
was the intention of the company
within the next few years to build
some fifty cars and increase its force
of men at work in the department.
To do this il would require a num-
Der of new tracks into the building.
The rights on Rock Island street
were asked for in order that it should
not be necessary to put in the curves
on Second and Third streets. Rock
Island street was less used than were
the other two streets and could be
used to greater advantage. He had
number of blue prints to show the
plans of the company for building
should the Rock Island street rights
be granted. The aldermen spent
some time in looking over these care
fully and all the points were fully
explained. Mr.. Lardner said that the
company might go to Rock Island if
the rights were not granted in Dav-
export, but that il was not desired
to take such action. The company
already employed some - men in
this department and it was thought
that the number would be doubled
soon. 1t was the intention to make
cars after the most approved design
and such as would care for the ser
vice of the company in the three
cities in the best manner. The com
fort and safety of the travellers Would
be looked after.
Has Been Treated Differently Here.
The privileges sought by the COM
pany in the interests of the develop
msnt of its plant were denied, how
ever. although by attempting to tie a
string to granting to them the Dav-
export council indicated that there
was no reasonable objection to what
was desired. Like all the concessions
permitted on that side of the river, adj
was taken of the opportunity
to seize some special benefit for the
Davenport end. If Manager LardneT
were to adopt his mild suggestion
and come to Rock Island with his car
shops, experiences of the past war
rant that he would receive better
treatment. Last spring the Rock
Island council without hesitancy gave
the company the right to lay numer-
GUS switch tracks in Moline avenue in
order that it might have suitable ac-
commodations for a new car house.
and there was no accompanying
promise of a plant such as would
give added employment to labor or
anything of the kind, all that Rock
Island gained by the transaction be-
ing building on the order of what
the company has had in Davenport
for years for the housing of its
equipment. The further interesting
fact worthy of note in this connec-
ton is that Moline avenue, where the
switch tracks are to be permitted, is
perhaps more Travelled than any
in Davenport. whereas
Rock Island street, on that side,
which the company was refused use
of unless it cut its fares for the ben
eft of Davenport people, is a side
street that is little used.
The experience has. been true of all
the company's relations with the two
Rock Island-and it
has been true of Moline, too, for that
matter-has been prompt to grant all
rights, privileges and concessions
sought by the company, whereas Day
export has haggled in every instance
and ordinances only adopted after
tedious delay, and then weighted
down with conditions that would in
sure advantages over those insured
to this side of the river.
Still the company keeps right
on regarding Davenport as the
hub of it's possessions and looking
out for the comfort of its patrons
there first
Too Much to Hope for.
The possibility of the company re-
moving any of the plant that is so
ssee.lI1-eI,r- a r,i.h nrt.d in DaYennorf IL,