Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-10

F. t. Myers, president of the Rocl
Island Retail Merchants association
Heartily endorsed Mr. Larkin's idea OF
1.-THE solution of the impending difficulty
in the inducement of new factories to
come to Rock Island. "Give us more
track and terminal facilities in the
lower end" said Mr.. Myers. land il
will be an immense aid in inducing
more factories to locate here Absorb
the switching charges there. by means
of a competing line and you open the
way to greater Industrial develop
ment."
Plan Already Under Foot.
In this connection President Medill
explained that a joint meeting of the
the manufacturers and railroad COM
mittees of the club had recently been
held with representative of the Rock
Island road who came from Chicago
to go over the ground with the commit
tee, and who had assured the joint
committee that the road enjoying the
exclusive track rights in the lower end
would be glad to cooperate with the
committee in giving other and compel
ing roads track privilege down town.
President Winchell of the Rock Is
land, a plan providing for the use of
the Rock Island tracks by competing
lines. on a rental or other advantage
Gus basis. General Manager Grant of
the Davenport, Rock Island & North
western, over whose tracks the Bur
lington and Milwaukee now reach the
Crescent bridge. Mr.. Medill further eX-
planned. had conferred with the repre-
sentative of the Rock Island on the
proposition and approved of it. and it
was believed the solution of the lower
end track problem will be accomplish
ed in a very short time.
4 Commercial Agent.
Charles McHugh spoke extensively
on the need and advantage of a COM
mercial agent to represent Jointly the
Rock Island club, the Merchants asso-
citation. and the city council, TO be paid
a sufficient salary to command his en-
tire time, and whose duty it shall be
not only to look after new factories
and boom the city in every way pos
sible in drawing attention TO it. but to
see that it is not Disseminated against
in the matter of freight rates.
Land il Available.
II. E. Casteel, in giving his hearty en-
dorsement to the idea of more track
facilities to the factory district as the
first essential 10 the city'S develop
ment, said that this accomplished the
land proposition would readily adjust
itself In a word. the land would be
available on as liberal terms as the
as proposed with SO
much public spirit by Mr.. Denkmann.
Then let us be in acr as well as spirit
loyal to the town. said Mr.. Casteel.
forgetting petty jealousies. Let us
have more boosters and less knock
ers.'
The four propositions looking to the
city's development having thus been
laid before the meeting-better track
facilities to the lower end, land for
factories, building accommodations for
small factories, and commercial
agent whose exclusive duty shall be to
look after the industrial and mercan-
tile development of the city, an enthu-
siastic discussion followed as to ways
and means. Mr.. Denkmann in his sug-
gestion of the plan had likewise pro
posed the means, and all the speakers
the idea
Plenty of Opportunities.
/. S. White laid before the meeting a
relating to the bringing
of an important new industry to Rock
Island, and spoke of the terms under
which It could be secured. Senator l..
S. McCabe gave assurances of his will
lingness to cooperate in whatever
might be decided upon for the encour
agement OF more factories and the pro.
viding of accommodations for the
same. Phil Mitchell spoke along the
same line. also calling attention to
what had already been accomplished !
bringing new industries to the lower
end of town. S. S. Davis pledged his
aid and cooperation in every undertake
ing looking TO the building up of Rock
industrial interests.
The discussion centered mainly on
the track proposition which was admit |
ted to be the key to the situation. II.
w. Crawford of the Burlington said
It was not his purpose TO talk shop on
such an occasion, but to his mind the
most feasible way of reaching "A solu-
ton of the track problem was in ar
ranging for visit of the vice pres
dents or other high officials of the |
Rock Island. Burlington and Milwaukee |