Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-24

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am not clear as to just how far the
city could go in stopping public
travel but / am inclined to believe
that this plan is not good one. One
thing certain, this city is responsible
for every human life that is taken, or
property that is destroyed by reason
of criminal neglect, and it would be
no surprise to meet with either of the
above accidents on account of the un-
safe condition of one of the bridges
at any time. Now we are confronted
by this obstruction: Wait-there is p
case pending in court now, and that
will show who owns the bridges
Milan has sued Rock Island: wait
let us see the result; wait-and we
Will be waiting not months but years
before that case is settled. The to-
tai amount of that case is for 500
claimed by Milan as due from Rock
Island as tolls. That is all it is on
the docket. away down the list. No
27S, on the law side of the circuit
court, among 597 other cases. without
ITS issues Joined should il happen to
come within the call for trial. Its
chances are not good to be tried soon.
1t is safe To say that it will not be
| tried for year or two, if it shares
| the fate of other cases of similar
| character. And should it be tried
within year and an appeal taken,
it would take another year to get
an opinion. and then on account of
some technical error the case would
have to be tried over again. and such
n delay as this means much to the
| N al 70 - ~ ~
l state now that | don't consider
this case any solution of this mat
ter in any manner, shape or form,
but that ii only serves as a stump
to get behind for excuses. Now let
some action be begun in the city coun-
ell under the guidance of the city
executive and the result will be the
solution of this problem. And the
merchant and the citizens generally
will commend the work and the re-
suits in traffic will repay tenfold the
small expenditure necessitated, and
Rock Island will be in the near flu
ture metropolitan in fact.
Future OF City at Stake.
am seriously convinced that the
future business interests of the mer-
!
something should be done. | am in
formed from personal knowledge tina;
immediate steps are being taken to
procure an interurban electric line
that will leave Aledo and wind
around through our county and
touch Milan, following Rock river to
a point adjacent to the city of Mo-
line, where an attempt will be made to
get into the city, and if the past rec
ord is any criterion of the present.
this proposed line will be hailed with
re joicing instead of opposition by
the citizens of Moline.
Now | can see in Moline greater
area to draw trade from than Rock
! Island. and we must not be idle when
there is an opportunity to encourage
| inlets of commerce and not get ia
tally dismembered by permitting the
last yestige of our country traffic to
be taken from us. To whoever the
promotion of this new line is due,
our business interests should make
an effort to gather them into Rock
Island under favorable conditions in
their franchise, and not submit to
have our rightful opportunities taken
from us by reason of our apathy.
\ city can be best li<ened to n gil
gantic jelly fish. with its tentacles
reaching out in every direction,
gathering in food and sustenance for
its growth and development. So it is
with n city-the avenues extending
miles in every direction, gathering
trade and commerce. 1t is sure t1
produce Il gradual development that
/ - =
not so with Rock Island. We are alb
soluteIy devoid of such inlets of
trade save in one direction. ana this
taken away we are forced to exist
within ourselves. And such n con-
dition of affairs foretells the great
ness of a city, and we could never
hope to be the city whose limits
would extend to Rock river and its
southern boundary stop at the inter
section of the Mississippi with the
river. four miles away.
Concerted Effort.
In conclusion, | would say that
there should be concerted effort on
the part of the people. giving their
attention for moment toward this
problem. and when the report is re-
ceived and the will of the ma jority
expressed there will be no longer 4
wrangle as TO who owns the bridges.
But with proper preparations having
been first made by this city. manda-
mus will lie compelling the public
legislative body of the county and
township commissioners to taka
these bridges and manage them as
our agents. and irrespective of indi-
viduaI or corporation the greatest
good to the greatest number will be
YOUR reward.
GEORGE w. MCASKRIN.
! summer Complaint