Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-12
ON UNITING CITIES
Informal Agitation of Old Cues.
ton is Again Taken Up by
Moline Paper.
WAS ONCE NEARLY SUBMITTED
But Prejudice lnterfered With Plans
Discussion of Subject Invited
by The Argus.

AS the result of a conversation
which took place in The Argus office
few days ago, the Moline Dispatch
in the Saturday issue, under the head
ing, What Do You Think of Uniting
the Two Cities?" has the following:
Agitation is again being started in
an informal way on the old proposition
of uniting Moline and Rock Island,
making it a large city of more than
$4,000 population. The Dispatch does
not believe that the joining of the two
towns under one municipality will ever
be brought about. but the subject is
always interesting.
I'm a group of men in Rock Island
the other day, the matter was under
discussion. Beside a Dispatch man in
the group was one of the owners of a
Rock Island paper. 1t developed that
Rock Island newspaper men are very
much in favor of having the two towns
united, but they think that the name
should be Rock Island. And if union
was possible, the Rock Islanders would
advocate provided the name Rock Is
land was selected the locating of a
large new city hall to be built at a
considerable expense within the boun-
Diary of Moline, also a large new post
Office and government building, ana if
possible rebuilding the court. house and
locating them within the boundary of
Moline-that is east Of First street.
THE Dispatch Will gladly print the
views of its subscribers on this propo-
subject. Do not write more than 500
words. If you do not want your name |
signed to the article the Dispatch will |
leave it off. but every letter must be |
accompanied with the information to |
show to the editors from whom it |
A letter always means more |
when it appears in print signed by the |
writer and we advise all who have the |
of their convictions to allow |
their names to appear.
What have you to say about it?''
Once Nearly Submitted.
The discussion of this question is an
Did one, and several years ago, as an
of the Twin-City Columbian
exposition enterprise, the proposition
developed to such an extent that it was
nearly in shape TO be submitted 10 a II
vote of the citizens-more nearly than
most people may realize. At that time
| joint committee of Rock Island and II
Moline citizens held numerous confer ii
snces and a number of leading citizens III
If Moline then favored the proposition
If consolidation under the name of
Rock Island; Moline, however, to re
e11hrDefnainn Fl
and names to remain I'M
changed On this basis. Rock Island
IN the other hand, was to do its part
oward locating the court house, city
lall and federal building near the line
between the two cities, or possibly in
Moline.
Prejudice Ended Agitation.
When matters seemed to be pro-
PRESSING nicely toward submitting the
natter to a vote, narrow prejudice was
.reated in Moline, and the discussion
vas ended The location of the court
louise on the dividing line is now out
If the question, of course, since new
county building has since been erected |
m the old site. The city hall. a joint
ederal building-and both Rock Island
md Moline are handicapped by made
Iuate accommodations for the postof-
ice department-and possibly other
may still be considered as
dement's. The location could possibly
'e jointly agreed upon, and the sites Ii
hosen near the line, or even in Mo-
inc.
Discussion is Invited.
The Argus will be glad to follow the
xample of The Dispatch, and give I
pace to any communication discussing ,
he proposition of uniting the two !