Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-04-05
TOLLS ARE HIGH
Railroads Demand Two Cars of
Crushed Rock for Bring
ing One Here
CHESTER PENlTENTIARY
District Within Radius of rs Miles
Getting Benefits Whole State
Pays For.

The statement that crushed rock is
furnished free by the state from the
Chester penitentiary through the high
way commission to all road officials in
Illinois upon investigation is found 70
be as a general statement true. 1t
can be done and is done where the
railroads are willing to haul the stone
and take their pay in the same COM
modify. Not all the roads, it seems,
are willing to do this, particularly
where the rock must pass over two o.
more lines. and the terms demanded
by the companies are such that bring
ing stone to Rock Island county would
be rather an expensive undertaking.
So far none has been transported more
than IS miles from Chester, and the
territory within that area is receiving
the benefit of a provision that the
whole state is paying for indirectly.
Light From the Warden.
Inquiry on this subject has been
made of the warden of the Chester
penitentiary and the answers have just
been received. The questions and re-
plies follow:
/. How much rock has been pro
duced at Chester for road making uu,
der the new law? Answer 23,16311.
yards
2. How much has been shipped to
highway commissioners or individuals?
Answer, 12,439 yards to highway com
missioners. 2.771 to railways for haul
ing, 5,SS2 to individuals and 2,0771a
for prison roads.
3. How much has been accepted in
payment for freight q free rock by
the railroads carrying Same? Answer.
2,771 yards.
4. Has any foreign line (railroai
not running into ChesteD accepted
rock in payment for freight? Answer,
yes
3. What is the most remote point
ped? Answer. st. Clair and Franklin
counties. about rs miles.
G. Would it be possible, in your
opinion. to pay more than one road
for the same haul of rock, as suggest
ed in the fourth question--to pro rata
the rock as they would cash pay
ment? Answer, 1t is possible: we did
it in the shipments to Franklin county,
but it is much more difficult when
more than one road is interested.
Statement of Commission.
The office of the state highway CON-
mission says:
In some instances where crushed
stone has been shipped from Cheste"
the railroads have been willing to ac-
cept rock in payment for freight The
amount has varied with the haul from
one car of stone for every two or
three shipped to one of stone for each
car shipped. So far no general ar
has been made with the
although we expect to do
in this matter before long.
We hope to get general rate fixed
by the railroad commission for the
whole state, but the matter will be
taken up with the individual railroads
before any general arrangement ha aS
been made
The law says the state highway COM
mission may" arrange with the rail
roads to haul stone the roads to take
their pay in stone, but the statement
that the roads have 70 do SO, or thas
the state can make them do SO, is in
correct, as crushed rock has not yet
been made legal tender in Illinois.
Some efforts have been made to get
free rock into this county. but the
roads concerned demand two cars fo-
themselves for each one they haul
here.
Should BE More Crushers.
The location of the crusher at Ches
ter appears to be favorable for coun-
ties within rs miles, but to make the
law of equal benefit to all parts of the
state a crusher should be located at
every $50 miles. Until this is done
crushed rock is being produced for
the territory near the prison at the
expense of all the other taxpayers in
the state, and if the limit of useful
ness is 75 miles, crusher at Joliet
would do this county little good. Of
course it is possible TO secure car OF
rock for remote locality at a cost of
two or three more cars to be given Co
the railroad. 1t would be good poll
tics, possibly, and it would not be bad
for the railroad, but the people might
not appreciate these advantages.