Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-15

/
/ This in substance was the assurance
| held out to the promoters of the Dav-
export & Suburban, otherwise known
as the Rock Island. Moline & Dagen.
port Suburban railway company. by
| the members of the Rock Island Club
w7ho1dEScussed the subject last evening
at the regular monthly meetingsof that
organization. A formal expression
was deferred for further investigation
| but there seemed little division OF
sentiment. Just what might consti-
tute an absolute guaranty of the good
faith of the company and what feat
ures were necessary to make a paying
| interurban connecting this city with
the southwest. however, showed a diff
| ference of opinion and was the basis
Of an interesting discussion.
Representing the street railway com
pany were NJ. A. Walsh, who addressed
| the club, and c. c. HipweIl Mr..
Walsh followed much the same line
Of argument that he did before the Re
| tail Merchants association Monday
evening. He stated that his company
| did not desire to secure rights on back
| streets If it is to the advantage of the
people TO have the proposed line on
the business streets IL is even more
to the advantage OF the street railway
| company. However, nothing is being
asked as yet as the company is mere
ly sounding the depth of sentiment and
will have a definite proposition to pre-
sent later if the field proves promis-
| ing.
The investment necessary to build
the terminal in the city, make connec-
| lions across the bridge to Davenport
and carry the interurban to Aledo, as
| proposed, would be over a million dol
\ lars. He stated that the capital is in
| sight if. and if only, the right of way
across the bridges and Rock Island
| arsenal and a franchise in this city
were secured.
UphOIds Good Faith
( In evidence of the good faith of
| his company Mr. Walsh declared that
! those interested had never secured a
franchise that has not been built un-
der and had never sold one out after
it had been secured. 1t was not the
intention, he averred, TO operate a sep
arate city system in Rock Island. How
ever, so far as the lines were built IN
the three cities five cent fares will pre-
vail or four cent fares when the tick
cts are bought in quantity. There was
no objection to a franchise with a
clause FORGETTING all rights prOvid-
| ed an interurban is not built within
a given time. Neither does the new
company ask absolute rights. Mr..
| Walsh was quite sure that there would
be no objection to other lines enter
ing the city over the Rock Island, Mo
line & Davenport tracks provided they
pay their share of the cost of building
and maintenance. Mr.. Walsh said that
his company, or the Davenport & Sub
urban, expects without fail to build to
| Muscatine from Davenport during the
coming summer and he felt safe in as
surfing Rock Island business men that
there would be no delay in building at
| least to Aledo on this side If the de-
sired terminal facilities and connec-
ton with Davenport were secured.
c. F. Lynde questioned Mr.. Walsh
closely in regard TO the promises that
have been made by the Davenport &
Suburban and the reason for the fail
ure so far to build outside of Daven-
port, asking if il were not true that
the right granted by Muscatine would
| lapse this spring for failure on the
part of the company to carry out the
terms Mr. Walsh eyaded the issue
by stating that the interests that he
represented were not Identified with
.fthes Davenport & Suburban until with
in the past six months and that in that
time active building operations had
rot been delayed for a day.
Mr.. senrIe's Views.
c. J. Searle stated that in his opia-
ion any line to the southwest to be 4
paying venture must be extra heavy
and able to handle freight as well az
passengers. To such a line he had
found the country and villages from
here to Aledo stood ready TO extend
every assistance, even to subscribing
for stock In his opinion there is TO
need OF any further facilities for trav-
Ell to and from Davenport but an in
terurban with terminal here is the
greatest need OF the city. He had
learned that the company asking a
way across Rock Island bridge the
| Davenport & Suburban. is separate en-
| tiTely from the Rock Island. Moline &
| Davenport that promises TO ask for
franchise here. Also the company that
has line partly built from Galesburs
TO Monmouth and proposes extending
on TO Aledo is separate from both com
| panies on this end Thus il is clear
that il is not an inIerurban compans
that Is knocking at our doors. and he
would oppose granting street rights
unless no doubt remained concerning
| the interurban end of it,
For his part he challenges anyone
! TO show him an instance where street
Tor steam railway company had ever