Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-12
ASK NEIGHboRS IN
Time for Rock Island to Take Up
the Annexation Props
uganda.
ADJOINING TRACT READY
Careful Consideration of Question Viii
Show Mutual Advantages TO Be
Derived.

IF the city on the south is being plat
| ed and opened to settlement, the
question of annexation of part OF
| South Rock Island naturally suggests
| tself. There are many good reasons
| why the populouS district from Thir-
ieth street west for a quarter or half
mile south of Eighteenth avenue
should be part of the city of Rock Is
and. They apply both to the residents
If the area mentioned and to those of
the city as it is presently constituted.
\ mere increase in physical size is one
If the least of these from the Rock Is
and standpoint. Our southern neigh
)ors have little TO lose and much to
gain
OF course it may be urged that Rock
STAND has no voice in the matter; that
annexation is impossible if those whom
is desired to annex are not willing
md that there is little use of agitating
he question from this end of the line.
May Not BE Informed.
Let us see about that. Possibly the
people of that part of South Rock Is
land lying next the city limits are not
which they may come into the cor
Doration. Perhaps they think they
will be heavily taxed TO pay for the inn
provements the city already has under
way in its present limits and TO reduce
the bonded Indebtedness. Perhaps
they fear that their children will have
access to the graded schools, which
all parents in the district in question
greatly desire, only by sending their
offspring long distances to the schools
now operated in the present limits.
Perhaps they are doubtful whether
they will be given street lights where
they are needed for an indfinite period
They may have the same apprehen-
sions regarding watermains. Possib-
iy, too, they would like to know wheth-
er, in the event annexation carried
would be done to open and
improve their streets. There may be
i number of other things troubling the
mind of the average South Rock Is
landers to whom the subject of annex
alton would be preached
should DC Easily solved.
These problems all should be cap
able of comparatively easy and entire
ly satisfactory solution from the NUM-
cipal standpoint Not one OF these OBJ
jections, which are the main ones that
stand in the way of annexation, but
can be made an argument for coming
nto the city. Facts and assurances
IAN be presented sufficient to convince
the average South Rock Island voter
or property owner that it is to his in
terest TO be a resident of the corpora
ton or to have his property within the
city limits Let Rock Island explain
what it is ready to do for the district
when it is annexed.
OF reasons why the city should be
anxious to include the territory to the
south there are plenty. In the first
place the city is growing rapidly and it
has about reached the point where its
must be carried outside
the present limits. That growth,
which in reality belongs to Rock Is |
and. is in progress now and the MUM |
2ipality has no control over the man.
her of it. Additions are being laid out |
streets opened and grounds graded |
without any authority or disapproval |
If thep lans or the work. The streets |
nay or may rot meet those of the |
,ity later when annexation finally be- |
zones necessary. They and the alleys |
nay or may not be of the proper width. |
may be laid where they will |
rave to be torn up. Houses may be |
,uilt where it will be necessary to