Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-02
HINGES ON A ROAD
Small Concession That is Delay
ing Contamination of
Big Deal.
GRAVE MISTAKE BEING MADE
Property Owners Should Offer En-
enlargement to Enter
prise.

at would seem that many people in
this county fail TO see the full signifi-
canoe of the developments now posi-
BILE in Pleasant Valley" said u citizen
this morning.
IF ever opportunity came to the
citizens of Rock Island county that
chance is here and it behooves every
man, woman and child to seize the
forelock and if possible not let the
opportunity escape. In view of the
actual situation cannot but feel that
a grave mistake is being made in any
attempt to place obstacles in the way
of the railroad which is saying that
its shops are considering Il location
with us.
suppose the Rock Island road
should say to each of % or so sta
tions on its line that it would locate
its shops where free land would be
furnished, highway be changed.
taxes he RENTED and a bonus of
100000 be offered. The most of such
stations would compete. Keen rival
ry and competition would be develop
ed and Moline and Rock Island would
make the fight of their lives for the
prize, realizing that since the coming
of the first railroad to the Mississippi
river no such pregnant possibility
has been obtainable for this locality.
"All such rivalry up 10 this time
has been eliminated. No donation of
land or money is asked. No freedom
from taxation is limited at. For 700
acres of land in Hampton township
(the largest township in Rock Island
county, il is proposed to pay in cash
an aggregate sum larger than the
seSsed valuation of the entire town
ship. To the individuals who receive
this money. if it shall be paid, viii
come Il value far in excess of the
worth of their holdings and profits
which they never dreamed possible
when their possessions were acquired
these profits varying from mOder-
ate sum to a comfortable competence.
Ready to Pay.
THE cash is ready to be paid over.
Immediate investment can be made of
the proceeds of the sales and the 10
cation Of the proposed shops will
bring thousand chances to invest
these proceeds advantageously.
Something like a million dollars is
to be expended at once. At least Il
employed as rapidly as buildings can
he erected and machinery installed.
An army of workmen viii be needed
as soon as frost is out of the ground.
The shops that may come are the
kind that must be operated through
good times and panics. \ city will be
builded as soon as timber and stone
and brick and mortar can be got to-
ha Of
Island to the crossing of the Pleas
ant Valley highway by the d.. II. l. q
n. w. tracks there will be 10 solid
miles of city with no division between
East Moline. Moline or Rock Island.
except imaginary lines. Every land
holder in Rock Island county viii have
the value of his land enhanced. Every
citizen without land will have oPpor-
tunity TO work and to prosper and to
bequeath honest. remunerative en-
pIoyment and prosperity to his chill
dren.
All this is offered without labor or
effort or money or lands or favors or
sacrifices of any kind from the citi-
zens of this commonwealth. 1t is
merely asked that a highway be NOV
ed at the expense Of the railway and
NltlOhi one tlOildI vi tOSi w tiIt
dweIlers in this favored land. If the
change in the highway involved Il de
tour of five miles to every resident of
the upper end of the county, the di-
rect benefits accruing to each would
repay the cost and Inconvenience a
thousand fold.
at is understood that some people
are moved by considerations of the
location of the proposed bridge into
Henry county to raise objections TO
the highway change.
Should Be CInched Now
1.-THE railway development contem-
plated will bring more dollars to the
pockets of these people than 20
bridges. The railway development
can probably be cinched now, if it is
not driven away. The bridge at best
is but an uncertainty at present and
may never be built.
~ Rock Island system of shops in
the hand is worth 20 bridges in the
BUSH
'"Take notice that as yet the rail-
road has not bought, and it is under
no obligations to buy foot of land.
'''The development of n day may
change the ideas of the management
or othcr parties antagonistic to this
locality may acquire power, or IA host