Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-30

growth of our manufacturing indus
tries. with which the public is more
or less advised, there are several
manufacturers who through personal
investigation have been impressed
with the possibilities of Rock Island
as a location and it is hoped that
early in the New Year favorable con-
illusions will be reached
Gust year ago the Central Machine
& Metal company, located on Seven
teenth street between First and Sec
ond avenues, removed to our city and
though of modest proportions the COM
pany is much pleased with the results
it has so far attained and anticipates
steady growth in its business"
Belt Line is Next.
Mr.. Levi might have added the plant
of the Standard Oil Cloth company,
which. while not brought here directly
through the influence of any local
agency, was aided in reaching a
proper appreciation of the advantages
of the location by the officers of the
Rock Island Club, this having been
previous to the formation of the in
dustrial commission. Numerous other
nave ICGclNSu CASOuI
ment from this source, and just now
President w. A. Rosenfield is nego-
tiating with the board of directors of
the Marseilles Manufacturing company
in the hope that the company will
finally decide to move its plant to the
west end factory district His only
competitor is East Moline. but that
town is putting up a strong fight 70
land the prize But the main work
of the future year for the industrial
commission and coordinate bodies, and
for citizens generally, is the building
of the belt railroad. On the consum-
nation of this project hangs the turn
ing point in Rock Islands industrial
and commercial future. The defeat of
the project, happily only a remote pos
sibility, would set the city back %
years. The coming co the city of
number of railroads and the location
here of additional industries hinges
on, the building of that line. Industries
before they will consent to locate in
the west end factory district demand
competitive railroad facilities. Those
facilities can be obtained in zone way
only, and that is by the construction
of the proposed belt, which shall be
open to use by any railroad, steam or
electric, entering the city.
Obstacles Must be Removed.
The committee that has been en-
trusted with the formality of obtain
ing the right of way for the belt, as
expected. has met with some opposi-
ton. From Seventeenth street west
to Eleventh, owing to an old town
reservation. it is necessary to acquire
consent of the fronting property by
purchase of ownership. Each owner
of fronting property has been offered
a reasonable price for his or her con-
cession. Some have given options,
while Others have been disposed to
hold out stubbornly. The committee
has been patient in its effort to dis
suade the suspicious ones and those
who are refusing their consent on the
grounds that the price offered is not
what it ought to be. The suspicious
are that some private interests are be-
hind the belt, which is absolutely
ridiculous. 1t is a public project pure
~ and this statement can be substan-
tiated by any one who cares to take
the time to look more fully into the
matter. The belt is to be built; this
is a settled fact, and the people who
are standing in the way of this enter
prise, which is promoted for the well
fare of the city and of the whole
people, may as well reconcile them
selves to that fact now as later.
Jury VIII Fix the Price.
No handful of men are to be allowed
to tie up the city of Rock Island. It
is just such obstacles that has held
the community back, and it is high
time that a stop be put to it. The
right of way committee proposes Civ
ing all concerned ample time to weigh
the situation. and if they still refuse
to sign for the belt the only recourse
open to carry through the project will
be resorted to-condemnation. n
such an event jury will fix the price,
and the owner will have to be salts
fed with it, even though it be less
than that offered by the committee
and this is not unlikely.