Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-09
is HOME PROJECT
Relations of Interurban Railway
to Rock Isl.
and.
LOCAL CAPITALS CHANCE
If 1t is Necessary to Extend Line
Out From This
- City.

| isfactory propositions, financially
and otherwise, of modern times
Where lines OF rapid transit of this
nature have been run TO the rural COM
munities they have invariably paid be-
yOnd the most sanguine expectations
of those interested. Indeed the most
barren country, figuratiyely speaking,
through which an interurban line could
be run has been Immediately trans
formed into fertile plains, and
the desert has been made to bios
som as the rose. There is a peculiar
magnet in the interurbaR enterprise
that creates business wherever the
cars rush.
Take, for instance, the electric line
built through Moline enterprise AMI
capital to East Moline, Watertown and
New Shops Few at the outset regard
ed this enterprise as promising the
| slightest degree of immediate return
on the investment But it was con-
sidered as promising a good thing for
Moline, and so it was pushed along to
completion. What has been the re-
suit? 1t has not only proven all that
was expected of ii in the matter of
material advantage to Moline business
| interests, but, more than that, it has
surprised its projectors and the public
generally by showing a money maker
from the very start. Business along
the line has been increasing right
along, and there is, IN fact, not a dol
lars worth of the stock on the market
today.
| Chance For Rock Island Capital.
| Now the question is. why need Rock
Island be dependent upon Davenport
capital to supply the interurban COM
municatiOn that is so much desired to
the east and south from this city, with
the attendant sacrifice and loss to local
commercial interests of having any
lline that may. come in coupled up WITH
a road designed in the interests of
| Davenport, and the cars whisked over
to that city as soon as they reach the
borders of this city? According to re-
liable sources of information in Dav-
export. heretofore quoted in The Ar
gus. the design of the promoters of the
Davenport & Suburban Railway that
seeks the use of the Rock Island
| bridges and island and a certain num-
Der of streets of Rock Island is that
| llIlC may DG DullI " tllt SOulil me III
Rock Island county. and there make
connections" with the lines coming in
from the east and south. 1t is the de-
sire to realize such proposition as
this that has aroused the business men
on the Davenport side to so much in
terest in the petition of the Davenport
company for another line connecting
that city with Rock Island
Now the question that comes up is
this. If it is essential or even desira-
bic that an interurban be started in
Rock Island to be built out to connect
with the interurbans that are undoubt-
ledly coming this way, why need it be
necessary that a line be brought over
from Davenport to make that connec-
ton? If it will facilitate the coming
IOf the interurbans from the east and
south to have a line extended out from
this city, why cannot Rock Island cap
litalists follow the example of Moline
land other cities and build the road
themselves and thus insure Rock Isl
and being made the hub and terminus
lof the interurban system that should
radiate from this city? Is there any
need of Rock Island being made a way
station for interurban roads coming
into this city from points contiguous
to this city in Illinois? If people who
come into Rock Island on interurban
cars from the territory to which the
business men of Rock Island naturally
look for trade desire after reaching
this city go on to Davenport. nothing
should be put in their way of so do
ing, and there are already plenty OF
means of their going on to Davenport
if they want to. But we do not wan
them switched through here. as they
would be through any way station. on
their way TO Davenport To be franz
and plain. we want the terminus here
IN Rock Island, with the change cars
proposition here if they want to &C
into Iowa. II would be much prefer
able TO have the through car service
extended on to Moline. a city who's,
interests are more in common witt
those of Rock Island. than to run an in
terurban service from the outskirts OF
Rock Island through to Davenport
In the CIty's Own Hands
Rock Island is naturally broad-mindet
about all tri-city affairs. That ha.
been the history of this city. But III,
spirit exhibited in Davenport on thi.
subject has been so narrow and selfish
that this city may take the warnine
and look out for its own interests. es
pecially where the project is up to i
TO decide
WORKING ALEDO END OF PROJEC1
Special Meeting of Council There Il
Consider Interurbaa 10 This city.
According 10 advices frnnl Merca