Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-14
COUNCIL MUST
STAND BY CITY
Adoption of Plow Company Or,
dinance and Reservation of
Belt Line Rights.
THE POPULAR SIDE OF IT
Aldermen Should Give Factory Need.
ed Room and Take Up Southern
Franchise Request Later on.
MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE BEFORE
THE COUNCIL IN NEXT



THE COUNCIL IN NEXT
FEW DAYS.
Ordinance closing certain streets ir
the west end adjoining the property oil
the Rock Island Pillow company to en-
able that industry to expand and dou
Bile its capacity.
Ordinance of the Rock Island South
| ern railway for right of way into the
city through the pIow company's tract
and up First avenue.
Ordinances for extensions of Tri.
City railway lines in the city, and into
the suburbs.
Central Union telephone ordinance.
At the regular meeting of the city
council this evening the ordinance of
the Rock Island Pillow company for the
vacation of four streets leading to its
site in the west end of the city to per-
nit of the projected development of
the plant may and may not be put
upon its passage. There is every in
dication however, that the plow COM
pany will get what is desires when the
ordinance is again presented. The ap-
pearance Of the Washes, representing
the Rock Island Southern, on the
scene Saturday, and protesting against
the granting of the proposed ordinance
on the ground that it would affect
their plans complicated matters some
what. but it is hoped these complica-
lions will be removed
The pillow company has either &C
quired by purchase or option all of the
real estate that 1t will need to &C
commodate the new buildings that 1t
plans to erect. The only objection
from the people in the First ward was
to the closing of Seventh street, at the
foot Of which, on the river shore, 1t IS
hoped eventually to establish a bath
ing beach and public park.
Seventh to Remain Open.
When this situation was put before
the officers Of the plow company they
showed their acquiescent spirit in con-
senting to the withdrawal of the re-
quest for the vacation of Seventh.
Now what is asked is the vacation of
Second avenue to Seventh street, and
Fourth, Fifth and Sixth streets to
Third avenue. Other matters, such as
grievances of owners of abutting prop
erty, etc, the company is in position
to handle. The simple question be-
fore the council, IL would seem. is
whether that body Is to allow the pillow
company TO do business in it's present
location or whether 1t is to compel
the company to remove its plant 1t
is a serious question, one that affects
the future welfare of the community
and one on which no member of the
council can afford to take middle
ground.
Southern Ordinance to Fore.
Saturday afternoon and visited
the pillow company site. The
aldermen were met by J. +.
Lardner. general manager of the
company; S. S. Davis. treasurer. and
c. F. Sharpe. assistant manager. and
the situation was thoroughly canvass
ed. The aldermen Immediately saw
the necessity for the company having
the streets asked for. The Walsh
brothers, w, E c. and M A
promoters of the Rock Island South
ern. were on the ground also. The
Washes had automobiles on hand and
took the members of the council over
the proposed route of their electric
interurban line from Eighteenth ave
nue. into the business center of the
city. The Rock Island Southern will
have an ordinance before the council
this evening asking for a franchise
west of and paralleling the Rock Isl
and tracks from Eighteenth avenue
north to Third avenue, thence east on
Third avenue to Seventh street, north
on Seventh street 10 First avenue and
thence east on First avenue to Seven
teenth street, the latter thoroughfare
to be the terminal of the electric
trains.
Should Not BE Confused.
After the inspection trip the alder
men held an informal session at the
city hall. which was attended by the
Walsh brothers and the officers of the
pillow company. Mr.. Lardner i'm
pressed the council members that
there was no connection between the
pillow company plans and those of the
Rock Island Southern. and he wanted
that they be considered separately BY
the council. s. S. Davis of the pillow
company made reference to the fine
Italian hand" of the Walsh interests.
and there was a lively tilt as to
whether the Rock Island Southern was
an independent concern. or whether
it was backed by the Rock
Island road. This the Messrs
Walsh emphatically denied. They
stated they already had ex-
pended over one million dollars in
building their line; that it was their
own money: that they were not con-
trolled by any interest that did not
appear. and that they meant to own
and operate the Southern after its
They said they would
make the desired stipulations in the
ordinance they would present to the
city council. They claimed that the
Rock Island road. on whose tracks