Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-13
NOW IS CHANCE
TO Get A ROAD
AN Conditions Favorable for In
terurban Rock Island So
Badly Needed.
EVERYBODY IS INTERESTED
Steps Should Be Taken at Once 60
Present. Some Definite Propo-
sition for Line.

ftOCk lBlanQ mas a DStISE CuaAC6 uOW
to. get an interurban to the lower end
OF the county than at any previous
time The farmers OF the lower town
ships are stirred on the subject as
they were never stirred before. Rural
free delivery and the telephone have
helped an evolution which has brought
them to the point where they are de-
handing rail connection with some
city. Several years of good crops and
good prices have made them prosper
GUS, and they are ready to give more
right of way and greater financial In
ducements to get a road now than ever
before.
And the financial situation is another
hopeful feature For the last Tires
years It. has been practically imposst-
BILE to finance an interurban Of any
sort in the money markets of the east.
Now, however, there is capital looking
for this class OF Investment and there
is every reason to believe that the
field here Is considered an inviting
one. Those who have studied the sit
uation carefully are morally certain
that some sort OF road viii result
Tie RE6SeuL IuOV6n0uLs
Our Need Greatest.
Rock Island, more than any other
city hereabout, needs this road, and
for reasons that are well known, but
something must be DONE and that soon,
or the prospect OF getting It will be re.
mote. A definite proposition for ter
minals and to take q good sized block
fnP r40nl- min ~, a~Do0&od oDd oho,11d
be gotten in form to present without
delay. It is a matter that concerns not
only merchants and manufacturers,
but professional men and property own
! ers az well, and all should be given an
! opportunity to extend moral and f1nRn-
| ciaI support. 1t should be put up to
the people. each according to the ex-
/, tent Of his Individual interest, and an
are interested.
Muscatine Is not saying much, but is
going ahead cinching the line for that
city. The executive committee ap-
pointed at the meeting at Buffalo Prai-
RE a week ago has been, invited to pay
a visit to the Iowa town and investi-
gate Its proposition.
Rock Islands interest being even
greater, this city should be up and do
ing. A good way to get things started
would be to call mass meeting to be
held at some convenient place, where
there can be a free expression OF
views. By all means, let something
be done
Where we WoaId Gain.
AS an example OF what an interwban
to the lower end of Rock Island county
would mean to this city as a means Of
making the cost of living less may be
cited the case of an apple grower at
Illinois City. This year the orchard
belonging to this man bore about 1000
bushels Of prime apples. With indif-
ferent wagon roads and the nearest
! shipping point more than 10 miles
away, the owner found It was impossl-
! BILE to market his crop at a fair re-
! turn, and therefore he sold what he
could to the neighbors, made cider Of
q large quantity, and allowed the re-
mainder to rot
| II there had been interurban facili.
ties near, the apples would have been
shipped to market If the road had
j terminated here, this city would have
(
more Rock Islanders would have eaten
apples this winter.
The same circumstances apply to
vast quantities of other products of the
Soil. Hero Is a fertile area Of more
than 100 square miles which is waiting
for access to Rock Islands markets
The people are ready to do their share
IN getting these facilities. They re-
alize that with an interurban road their
farms will be more valuable and that
their income per acre Will be increas-
ed, not to mention the added convent
ence that will accrue to them. They
are ready to give not only moral en-
couragement, but their good, hard cash
ITO help build a road
Coats More Here Now.
Here in Rock Island, where we are