Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-12-31


Rock Island city and county have
Jared well in the year 1906. There
have been no serious calamities affect
ing the people as a whole-no scourges
of disease nor accidents in which
considerable number were killed or
MANNED. All parts of the county have
enjoyed unusual prosperity and now
enter upon the new year with an out
look that was never brighter.
Rock Island, like its sister city, Mo-
line, has maintained a steady rate of
progress in population and material
resources. Both have claimed more
prominent place in the world at large
than ever before. There has been no
unusual strife and the people have
been generally orderly and contented.
Probably the most significant event
of the year in Rock Island, viewed in
the light of future possibilities, is the
movement which originated at an infor-
NAL meeting of the Rock Island Club
and resulted in the forming OF the In
dustrial commission and the donation
by the Weyerhaeuser syndicate of 30
acres of land for factory purposes IN
the west end of the city. At this meet
ing it was given as the general opin-
ion that the key TO industrial greatness
lay in additional railway tracks to the
west end factory district, and the close
of the year sees substantial progress
toward this END with every indication
that the coming season Will witness
the plans in hand carried out.
Another matter of far-reaching i'm
portance TO this city and its near neigh
bors was the merger of the utilities of
Rock Island. Moline and Davenport by
a single company involving a consid-
Grafton OF SS5OO.0 900. This not only
assures the perfection and expansion
of the street railway and power and
lighting systems. but it has directed
the attention of eastern men of wealth
to the promising local field. and will
without question eventually result in
Industrial advantages scarcely dreamed
of at the time the transaction was con-
summated Several millions of local
capital is also set free with the pros
pect that it will be reinvested here in |
4 form TO give employment TO hun
dreds of workers.
well advertised through the meeting J
here of the Farmers National congress
in October. the assemblage being OF Il
character that rendered its presence of
more importance to the community
than surface appearances indicated at
the time Those in charge of arrange
ments have reason TO believe that the
visitors were entertained in a manner
that reflected credit upon the city and
the state.
In other ways 1906 was marked by
several events that will stand out in
the years to come as making for good
or i'll or as of sufficient Importance
otherwise TO distinguish them.
Two cases of unusual interest have
been before the courts. the Maggie muir
der case which was disposed of and
the Mackin will contest, which is still
pending. The former was remarkable
in that a technicality stood in the way
Of and eventually prevented what is
popularity held adequate punishment for
one of the most dastardly crimes ever
committed within the borders of Rock
Island county. The Mackin will con-
test has already set a new record for
the length of time it has occupied in
court and the expense involved in its
and defense. and the issue,
by the recent ruling of Judge Gest set
ing aside the original verdict, is now
placed exactly where it was before
rial was begun.
Standing out in a different light are
he series of burglaries that kept Il
arge portion of the people of the city
n a more or less apprehensive frame
If mind for long period, and the es-
,apades of Mayor McCaskrin in his
,ndeavors TO discharge what he con-
,eived to be the functions of his of