Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-09

following j II "a Of the month.
Under the presehc o finance a rebate
of 20 cents is given. Under the new
arrangement therefore the monthly
charge will be 90 cents.
As to Car Building.
The clause with reference to the re-
pairing and building of cars in the
local shops demanded that the COM
pany build here all cars used on its
tri-city system. President ]. F. Por-
ter demurred to these restrictions,
holding that it would be unreasonable
to force the company to build when
it could go into the open market and
purchase equipment cheaper than it
could be manufactured by the company
and in quicker time. He felt that
the council ought to have sufficient
faith in the company to trust it in the
operation of its shops here. The best
proof that 1t did not intend abandon
ing these shops was shown in the &C
quirement of additional real estate on
Fifth avenue on which it contemplated
building a combination barn and shops
to cost $4,000.
On the arbitration clause, Mr.. Por-
ter explained that the company and
it's men had always gotten along sat
isfactorily to both sides in the matter
of wages and hours of work The
contract of the company and the men
stipulated there shall be arbitration
in the event of dispute. Mr.. Porter
said that an arbitration stipulation in
the ordinance would be an entirely
one-sided affair, inasmuch as the COM
pany could be held legally and the
other two parties to the commission
could not: therefore, it was not fair
or reasonable proposition. 1t will be
recalled that the Central Union Tele-
phone company refused to accept
similar clause in its recently adopted
ordinance, although filing an agree
ment, separate from the ordinance,
indicating it's promise to deal equally
with its employees.
The street sprinkling question final
ly was Strengthened out, the council
accepting a suggestion initiating with
General Superintendent J. G. Huntoon
that. instead of the company being
obliged TO sprinkle all streets in the
city over which it's cars operate, to
reduce the territory to embrace Sew
enth avenue and all streets north of
that point. This was agreeable to
the council. The first proposal was
that the company include all streets.
This would be a hardship. the COM
pany answered, inasmuch as it would
compel the running of the sprinkler
into the hill districts and on the Milan
line, etc.
Limit Reached, Says Company.
The sentiment of the majority of
the council seemingly is that the city
has secured about all the concessions
from the company that it can expect
under the terms of the pending ordi-
nance. There was insistent advocacy
of an interurban, to be provided by
the company, to the lower end of the
county, but the company replied that
it could not consider it, even at the
cost of abandoning the request for a
new ordinance with the six year ex-
tension. However, the company has
agreed to permit all interurban lines
to operate over its rails into the CITY
on payment of a reasonable charge
for the use of the same Mr. Porter
has all along advised the council,
while admiring it's efforts to get all it
could for the city from the company. not
to exceed the limitations fixed by the
company. The company was conduct
ed on business principles; it's officers
knew better than any one else how
much could be expended here, and
they wanted the members of the coun-
Gil and the public to believe their
statements. The company wanted to
grow with the community, but it
should not be loaded down with ex-
cessive demands such as would de-
feat the plans that it had for its de-
During the present year,
Mr Porter stated. the company ex-
pected to expend $1,000. 900 in the tri-
cities. and for the next 10 years $780,
600 a year. 1t was looking that far
ahead. assuming that its reouests
would be fairly met by the CITY conn |
ellis.
The ordinance was laid over until |
the regular meeting of the council
next Monday evening. In the interim |
leW copies of the ordinance. embodv- |
ng the various amendments. are to |
e furnished the aldermen. In the |
meantime it is believed an agreement
may be reached on the remaining /
,iause. If the ordinance is to he ac- |
''pted by the council, it is anticipated /
I VIII be done without unavoidable |
ielay, and thus give the company the
opportunity of proceeding with it's
york here
1t is urged by many that as soon
Is this ordinance is disposed of and
he new routing of the Third avenue
'ars from Seventh street south and
vest is determined the Pillow company
will be ready to resubmit its ordinance
or the improvements it desires to
LIN