Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-07
Keep First Avenue Open to All

Keep First Avenue Open to All.
The Argus news columns Saturday
told of the application of the Rock
Island Southern soon to be made for
an independent franchise up First
avenue. The Messrs Walsh, the pro-
motors, claim that while they have an
agreement with the Rock Island road
for the use of its tracks on First ave-
nue. to the Twentieth street station,
it covers only the freight traffic.
Their right to carry passengers, or 70
run their trolley cars, extends only
as far as Fourth avenue in the west
end of the city, and therefore they
desire a separate line on the same
avenue that their freight will come
in over. for their passenger business.
1t is claimed in the same connection
that it is not convenient to run heavy
interurban cars over the tracks of the
Tri-City Railway company, because Of
the width of the cars, etc.
While The Argus is not seeking to
place the slightest obstacle IN the way
of the Rock Island Southern, or any
other interurban coming into Rock
Island, it cannot see the logic of a
separate line on First avenue for the
passenger business of the road. The
Rock Island road doubtless has its
own reasons for refusing to allow pas
senger traffic over it's lines through |
town, notwithstanding it has double |
tracks up First avenue. But the dis
advantage resulting to the Southern |
can be easily overcome, either by n |
separate franchise through the streets |
other than First avenue under an in
dependent ordinance which would con- |
fine traffic strictly to passengers, Or /
by an arrangement with the Tri-City |
Railway company for the use of It's |
tracks UP Fourth avenue into the bust
ness section, with a spur on Twentieth |
street to the terminal station it is I'M /
derstood the Southern desires to use.
Such a route. for instance, as Mr.. Law
son sought for his proposed Rock ISL
and-Galesburg road. might, it is be-
lieved, be readily obtained or sought |
under a strictly street railway ordi- |
nance The only objection to the |
Lawson ordinance was because of the |
desire to use the road for stock and
other freight cars. This difficulty, N
the present instance, is obviated by
the arrangement with the Rock Island
road to handle freight over First ave-
nue.
The claim that the Southern could
not use the rails of the Tri-City Rail-
way company on account of the width
of cars is hardly in keeping with ex-
Derience in other cities. In Davenport,
for instance. the heavy I. & I. coaches
traverse the tracks of the Tri-City
from the east end of the
city through the business heart OF
the town and there is no trouble or /
to the regular traffic
over the same lines. The same joint
of interurbans and city
lines exists in Springfield, Peoria,
Danville. Decatur and
other Illinois cities, where cars of the
same type as the Rock Island Southern
promises to run are operated over the
ordinary tracks of the street railway
lines.
The objection to another line on ]
First avenue is obvious. The only re-
naming space there for the use of
new lines that may come is sought
Tor Dy Jne DeII llHe pAOJSSI III OiuOA
that it may be held open for the joint
use of all roads, steam or electric, not
now entering Rock Island. To give
away the last vestige of right there
as a special privilege to any one cor
poration would wipe out the last ave-
nue. of entrance into the city for gen.
eraI traffic from the south. This ought
not to be permitted.
AS The Argus said Saturday, let's
give helping hand to the Rock Island
Southern, but not at the expense of
all other roads, whether electric or
steam, that may come later.