Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-18
HAS PROVED BOON
interurbans Have Increased Trade
at Rockford 10 to IS Per
Cent.
ALL MERCHANTS PRAISE SERVICE
Would Mean Even More to Rock
Island-Should Be EncOur-
aged.


up the benefits that that city has eX-
perienced from the advent of the in
terurban. \ number of the leading
firms give expression to their views
on the matter and all are enthusiastic
in praise of the convenience of the
new service. The Star says:
Rockford has many who are reap
ing the benefits of the intcrurban
freight and express service, and il can
be safely said that great percentage
has been added to the business of the
Rockford firms since the roads have
been in operation. 1t is VariouSly es-
timated from 10 to p per'cent and the
trade can be attributed directly
to the interurban lines and the facili
ties offered for having the purchases
delivered to them promptly. 1t is
trade that would notscome under the
old conditions of having to drive to
the city and return with wagon box
converted into dray.
All are Pleased.
Wholesalers and retailers join in
praising the lines and the added trade
it brings them and the merchants of
the neighboring places are also in fla
vOr of having it and say they would
not do away with the electric cars
and the freight service for anything.
One merchant from an adjacent city
seen in one of the wholesale houses of
Rockford while the Star man was Sc
curing the opinions of the shippers
said it was the greatest help he had
in his business. lie started on Il small
| capital and was compelled to buy in
small quantities and often. BY the
prompt deliveries now afforded by the
interurban line he could sell down to
the last item in his store and go to Il
telephone and almost before the next
| customer arrived his supply was com
plete. The charges on the interurban
line are so small he could afford to
do this.
The benefit spoken of by all (the
merchants is that with the system of
running the express cars the compan-
les make deliveries for them almost
| hourly. while under the rules of the
steam freights it sometimes took two
! days to get packages to their destina-
ton only a few miles away. The
freight rates are cheaper and they
have tended to bring added trade to
| the city from all directions
Something to Ponder Over.
Here is food for thought for Rock
Island business men. What the inter
urban has done for Rockford il will
| do and more than do for this city.
| Where Rock Island now has a trading
area less than the country lying with
in an angle of 80 degrees opening to
the south and west and extending for
Il distance OF not over 90 miles by the
use of the interurbau the area
would be extended almost twice
that distance, increasing as
the square of the distance from the
city. To be sure the retailers would
not receive the benefits to such a
marked extent as the wholesalers, but
they would find their trade greatly
benefited. If Rockford has had its
trade increased from 10 to - per cent,
Rock Island ought to do even better.
Let the merchants get together and
figure out how much that means to
them and then let them take such act
ion as their business instincts dictate.
There is not city in the Mississippi
valley to which interurban service
would mean more than to Rock ISL
and. and it is time that the matter be
taken hold Cf seriously by the bust
ness interests Of the city. The first
thing to be done is to make the Milan
bridges safe for all kinds of traffic, if
! they are not already so.