Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-05
RUMOR is GROWING
Santa Fe Said to be Actually
Planning Line to Tap This
Locality.
ovERTUREs FOR PEORIA PURCHASE
Some Changes That May Effect Out
come-To Come Next
Summer.

Rumors come and go. but the one
relating to efforts on the part of the
Santa Fe road to effect an entrance
to-the tri-cities appears to have come
to stay, and each day it assumes an
appearance of greater reliability. I'm
fact it is confidently asserted in
some quarters that this big system
will have line coming this way from
Peoria by the opening of next sum
mer.
There are a number of circum-
stances that render this worthy of
belief. In the first place the appoint
ment of II. ID. Mack as general agent
of the road in territory now un-
touched by any of its lines is very
suggestive. There is no way in which
the portion of the state of Illinois
assigned to Mr.. Mack can be better
reached from the existing lines of
the Santa Fe than through one run
ming this way from Peoria. In the
second place il is conceded at Peoria
to he 4 fact that the road has ac-
quired or is about to acquire full
track rights into that city over the
u. & p. L., which is a long step this
way. The company that can over
come the obstacles presented by the
Pekin Terminal ought not be ham
pered by anything likely 10 be en-
countered this side of Peoria.
Would Buy the Peoria.
In the third place there are strong
reasons for believing that overtures
have been made by the Santa r. for
the outright purchase of the Peoria
road, i'm spite of the fact that this is
fatty denied by the officials of the
latter company. 1t is possible that
the relations between the Rock Is
land and the Peoria roads viii be
someN 'at altered by the new policy
recently adopted on the larger road
and much business may be thus di-
vertcd from the present channel to
the Rock Islands own branch run
ming direct from Bureau TO Peoria.
The story comes from the latter city
that such has been the case to Il
noticeable extent of late. While the
Peoria is recognized as one of the
best paving short lines in the coun-
try it is possible that its earning
power may be reduced through n
change of attitude on the part of the
big system To which it is tributary
to such an extent that its owners
viii lee willing to part with it for Il
reasonable figure.
Santa Fe's Objects,
In regard To the particular reasons
that are influencing the owners of
the Santa Fe in their desire to tap
this territory there appear to be
three standing out with especial
prominence. There *. of course.
strong inducement in the territory
itself. Then the chance for a con-
nection with the Milwaukee, non
competing system, is worth consider
ing. especially in view of the aug
mcntcd Importance the line of that
road running through here viii as
sumo when the Kansas City cutoff
goes into operation. Finally. the OPP
portunity is offered to get back at
the Rock Island for its recent inva-
sion of the Santa Fe's native stamp
ing grounds i'm the far southwest.
For this latter reason il is to be cN-
pccted that the Rock Island will not
hesitate to throw every possible bar
rier i'm the way of the acquisition of
local rights on the part of the invad-
ing line.