Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-31

z A great deal of building has
been done IN the city of Rock
Island tnai kgs The last year. represent
iRa "a f4aate expenditure which
-, bfpbably to none of the
~ Ia When the costs of all
Y &fther begun or finished
are summed up, the
M Iflost two millions, TO
SAral 1880 Chief among the
'rluns }1EfSmprovements of the
q Eve Best block, which was
use uoye 4 tEd az cost of over $4,000.
= pffiiding. which is occupied by
the Yoang & McCombs department
= slJTeA was started in 1905, hut it was
feS alfshed until this year The
Robinson estate made such thorough
remodeling of the First National bank
block on Second avenue and Eigh-
teenth street that to all intents and
purposes it was changed into a new
building. The remodeling cost in the
neighborhood of $4,000. New and at
tractive fronts were built for the stores
which occupy the Second avenue side of
built, as were the upper stories, and
the inside remodeled
E'2ne new hotSR
Rock Island retained its own in the
possession of a leading hotel for the
tri-cities when during the past year
the New Harper house was opened 10
the public under the management of
Carl. Mueller. The Harper house had
been eclipsed to some extent by the
building OF new hOstelries in both No
line and Davenport and is prestige
as the leading hotel of the three cities
has suffered. The ownership Of the
property changed hands June II, DR..
Joseph DeSilya becoming owner. and
soon afterwards it wGs leased to
company headed by William Betten-
doTf, Carl Mueller, a. F. Anderson and
H. a. J. Mcdonald, and extensive plans
for remodeling and refurnishing were
adopted.
For several months the bqtel was
closed to the public. during which
time an army of workmeI was kept
busy, and when the house was re
opened again Aug. IS 1t tools its place
as one Of the finest hotels west Of
Chicago. The 1eSsees had expended
in the neighborhood of $4,000 in -e-
fitting and refurnishing the house and
everything was made up 10 date in
every particular A new cafe on the
first floor had been added and the old
dining hall on the second floor changed
into banquet hall The cafe was
dedicated Nov. y. at which time it
was first revealed to public inspection.
Denkmanns Donate Library.
Announcement was made Jan. %
that the heirs OF the late r c. A.
Denkmann had decided to give to An
gustana college the sum of 100000
to be turned into a library dedicated
to the memory of Mr. Denkmann and
10 be known as the Denkmann Memo
rial library of Augustana college. /
Work on the new building commenced
in the fall and the foundation has been
built and the cornerstone viii be laid
with all due ceremony sometime next
month. according to present plans.
Another fine Improvement in the
building line is one authorized by the !
board of education when it decided to !
erect a new fireproof school building (
to replace the present Grant school, /
which is Il frames structure. The new +
school will be ready for occupancy !
when the fall term opens next year. /
1t is to cost about $4,000.
Much other Building.
The buildings mentioned above are I
not all the Improvements made in this
line during The year There has been (
erected or completely remodeled dur
ing the year no less than 100 build
ings This number includes dwelling
kouses, store buildings and whole bust
ness blocks. Besides these there were
new shop buildings and store rooms
such as those erected by the Rock
Island Sash & Door works and the
Rocl, Island Lumber company to re-
place the much less valuable structures
destroyed in the first last year.
One of the biggest works started
during the year is the immense factory
buildings on the old Gordon tract in
tho east end of the city. These build
s*sngs are TO be used Or the Monitor
Drill company. branch of the Mo
fEnei PleE company. and when they
s ere icernFIeted they will furnish a place
of aployrnent for nearly thousand {
men The total cost of the new build /