Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-22
MOLINE

Increase of the Johnsons. - There
have arrived in Moline figures on the
census of the local houses of johnson,
Carlson, Anderson, ct al The report
shows a decided increase over previous
figures. There are some interesting
comparisons, statistics used In arriv-
ing at the various conclusions being
taken from the directory issued this
week by R. l. Polk & Co. and the one
issued year ago. According to the
directory count there are 65 more John
sons in Moline than was the case a
year ago. The number of Johnsons
listed for Moline this year is Sos, last
year 500. The most marked increase
has been among the Carl Johnsons,
who number 80; the 1909 directory
showed IL. The long honored John
Johnsons number 33 this year, an in
crease of 8. There are still more
Charles Johnsons in Moline than any
others, as they number SO this year as
against 35 in 1909.
Closing Movement Spreads.-Because
dry goods stores of Moline were closed
Wednesday evening for the first time
in many years there was a noticeable
decrease in the size of the crowd which
traversed down town streets. Many
were on down town streets from force
of habit, and they woke up to the new
order of things when they came face
to face with darkened stores. Expecta-
10 hoA 1ayy fV,rr
crowd of next week will be further re-
duced, as merchants handling lines
other than dry goods indicate that they
will fall in line within the next seven
days. Secretary William Carstens of
the Moline Retail Merchants associa-
ton, who is a faithful worker for the
cause of Wednesday evening closing,
reported that the down town hardware
dealers have pledged themselves to
close on all Wednesday evenings in the
future. Six merchants have signed the
agreement, which becomes effective
next week. Two hardware dealers,
whose stores are located on the out
skirts, could not be reached by phone,
but they are expected TO fall in line.
This means that the following will
close their places Of business next We'd
nesday: Dry goods merchants, hard
ware dealers, butchers. The Wednes-
day evening closing of butcher shops
was inaugurated a year ago. Clothing
stores closed at 9 O'Clock last Wednes-
day evening, which is one hour earlier
than has been the case in the past OF
the 30-odd grocers in the city all but
two have signified their willingness to
inaugurate Wednesday evening clos
ing. One of those holding out is Ioca-
ted on the bluff; the other is in the
down town district. Workers for We'd
nesday evening closing believe that the
standpatters will capitulate when the
mid-week night closing machinery gets
in good working order.
%
Sorry Looking Sultan unusual con-
troversy has developed as a result of
the robbery of May TO- when w. A.
Meese of this city and William H. Blue
dorm of East st. Louis found them
selves in predicament on a Burling-
ton road Pullman car following a visit
from a thief who makes a speciality of
lifting" mems wearing apparel, prin-
cipally their trousers. Word comes
unofficially that the Pullman company
and the Wells-Fargo Express company
are engaged in a correspondence battle,
innocent cause of which is Mr.. Meese.
The local attorney was loser at the
hands of the trousers thief" to the eX-
tent of new suit of clothes. AS the
clothes failed to show up, he took steps
in due time to secure damages. No
body will ever know how IT was done,
but the Pullman company eventually
secured the original suit and restored
it to Mr.. Meese. And sorry spectacle
it was, -spotand-coal-dust evil
dence being that it had clothed the
body of a knight of the bumpers" for
several moons or so. Since recovering
the garments Mr.. Meese has sent them
three times to the cleaners-dry, ben
zine and gasoline-who have gradually
worn the cloth thinner and thinner
strenuous efforts to remove
the trade mark of he who possessed
them during the period in transit.
With this abundant proof that the suit
was greatly damaged, Mr.. Meese pre-