Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-16
No Railway Through the Arsenal.

No Railway Through the Arsenal.
The quiet purpose on the part of the
Davenport & Suburban railway to OBJ
tain permission from congress to con-
struct and maintain a line of rapid
transit through Rock Island arsenal
between Davenport and Moline. as re-
vealed at the banquet given by the
company Wednesday night, is not
likely to- find favor in any of the three
cities. particularly those on this side
Of the river. What selfish impulses
on the part of Davenport mercantile
interests might stir the people on the
west bank TO endorse such a project.
of course can only be conjectured.
For the Argus own part. knowing
SO well the temper and the pride of
the people of the three cities alike
as regards Rock Island arsenal. it
feels quite confident thar even in Dav-
export. the sole gamer by such a move.
though of pecuniary profit TO the mer-
chant would not materially weigh in
the balance as against public spirit
and established precedent.
There has always existed in these
three cities a disposition and d desire
To- uphold To the upmost the policy of
the government TO maintain certain re-
strictiOns within the enclosure of the
arsenal grounds proper and TO prohib-
il the use Of the arsenal, inside the
gates. as public thoroughfare be-
tween one city and another. Should
the Davenport & Suburban be priv
LEGGED TO lay a track across the island
from the south end of the Rock ISL
and bridge diagonally to Moline, and
to open traffic between Davenport and
Moline, the Tri-City Railway company
would as a matter of course, seek sim
liar rights, and having the rails al
ready down for the use of the arsenal
workmen trains, would experience lit
tie difficulty in getting its cars speed
lily into operation. The upshot of it all
would be that Rock Island arsenal
would pass from the quiet seclusion of
a park where from the time that it
was established the people have re-
garded it privilege to go and enjoy
themselves in the beautiful walks and
drives away from the strife and con-
tention and noise and dust of the Cit
les. Instead of the ideal environ
ments which have given TO the island
its chief charm it would become a
scene of rushing electric cars from
one end to the other. busting with
traffic every day in the week. and with
ar of Z.
mutual nature so far as the cities gen,
orally involved are concerned.
IL will be recalled that when the
proposition to franchise a horse car
line along Fort Armstrong avenue,
the main thoroughfare across the foot
of the island. was first preached there
was considerable depreciation of the
idea, and this Notwithstanding that
Fort Armstrong is a public way. and
outside the arsenal enclosure. When
the time came to substitute electric
power for horses in the operating the
street cars opposition again became
manifest on the ground that cars
should be kept on the island entirely. |
This objection was overruled however.
on the ground that Fort Arm
eled thoroughfare between the three
cities its use for all reasonable pur-
poses of traffic was unavoidable. But /
in strict conformity with a determination /
to protect the arsenal enclosure from
general traffic. when the TRICKY Railway /
company was permitted to extend a
branch line for the accommodation of /
the arsenal workmen To the main
shops IL was with the absolute provis-
ion that the company could make no
use Of the same for the general pub
lie. and that under no circumstances
could il be used as a line of traffic
through the island
So that with the governments posi-
ion so well established and under
stood and the disposition of the people
II the three cities so pronounced on
he subject, there seems indeed. little
ioubt that considerable difficulty will
Re experienced in the furtherance of
my aim looking TO the opening of
inc of street car communication
through the grounds of the arsenal
roper.