Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-22
CLUB FOR CAR MEN
Tri-city Railway Company Fix
ing Up Quarters for
Employees.
ROOMS LOCATED IN NEW BUILDING
Old Structure Now Entirely Given
Over to Manufacture and
Repair Shops.

|
and occupied, the employees of the Tri-
City Railway company on this side of
the river will be provided with facil-
ties for the employment of their lei
sure time that will render their lot
vastly more attractive than it has
been in the past. The quarters for
the men on the second floor at the
north end of the building will be
roomy and comfortable, and provided
with a modern club room equipment.
The mems quarters and offices will
occupy the second story fer the full
width of the building, and extending
| back from the avenue TO a depth of
about forty feet. Along the south
side there is a hall running about half
way across and reaching the rooms.
In the east end the offices are To-
Gated. There are three rooms set
apart for Il. \. Hill, the supcrintcnd-
cnt on this side. and his assistants,
two small ones and large one. They
have toilet room attached. Passing
west one comes first to the mems
dressing room, which will be fitted
with lockers, one for each employee.
| Opening into this on the south side
there are toilet rooms, the latter be-
ing provided with bath tub and show
er baths. West of this Is the reading
| room, large and well-lghted place.
Still further on and occupying the en-
tire west end of the building is the
gynInazium, 30X55 feet in area.
Equipment of Gymnasium.
1t is the latter that will interest
many of the men most. Here will be
placed all the standard paraphernalia
for the development of the physical
man, such striking bags, turning
poles, dumbells, Indian clubs. etc. The
management also intends putting i'm
a couple of handball courts, and as
the room * of ample size, the moro
strenuous members may take up
basketball, or langbaII. These things
will he furnished by the company. not
entirely out of philanthropy, but as Il
business investment, ii having been
demonstrated that the cost of equip
ping such place is well repaid in bet
ter service and greater promptness on
the part of the employees. For those
who are of Il studious disposition, the
reading room will be supplied with
reading matter including newspapers
and periodicals..
Rooms Well Finished.
All the rooms in the new building
are provided with high ceilings and
are well finished. The floors are of
hard pine and double, being laid over
paper to give greater warmth in view
of the fact that the lower story will
be open and cold during the winter.
The gymnasium is not plastered, but
will be sealed. Double swinging doors
open between the rooms of the mems
quarters. The woodwork must have
another coat of varnish and the steam
pipes be connected with the boiler in
the old building before the new quar-
tiers will be ready to occupy. None
of the furniture nor the apparatus for
the gymnasium has been received as
yet.
The idea of a gymnasium for the To-
cal street car men is not entirely a
new one, such a place having been
fitted up on a small scale in the gar
ret, formerly the haymow. in the old
building. Ordinarily there are some
thing over so men employed here who
will he in a position to use the club
rooms to greater or less extent.
Development of Car Factory.
The car manufacturing plant now oc-
cupies practically the entire old build !
ing, no cars being stored there unless |
they are undergoing repairs. As soon
as the offices are removed into the |
new building, the corner they occupy |
will be arranged for the storage of
material for the car builders.
The blacksmithing department. is |
located near the main entrance OPP
posite the offices, and the southeast |
corner of the building is devoted to |
the repairing and repainting of the
cars. Some of the summer cars are |
now being painted and put in shape |
here for next seasons use. In the de-
partment where they are set up there |
are now four ears in the course of |
construction. One. a Bridge line car, |
No. 2O6, will be out in about week. |
Another for the Blue line on this side
of the river has been enclosed and
the body coated. The frame for an
other is finished and the bottom for a |
fourth is being put together. The |
shops are now employing 50 men, and |
are turning out cars at the rate of |
about two n month. As the process |
of manufacture becomes reduced to
a more perfect system, the rate of |
manufacture with the same force will |
be considerably increased.
The Tri-City Railway company is |
just one car short of complete equip |
ment of the big new cars on the |
Bridge line now. and it will be pro-
vided in very short time.
Monarch over pain. Burns, cuts, |
sprains, stings. Instant relief. DIR.
Thomas Electric Oil. At any drug /