Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-15

Of disagreement between said company
and companies, desiring said service,
same shall be submitted to the state
board Of commissioners OF railroads.
Says 1t Would Perpetunte Monopoly.
The ordinance was laid over. May
or McCaskrin suggested that the bring
ing of the Southern into Rock Island
meant connections with five more rail-
road lines, including the Iowa Central
and the Santa Fe. H. E. Curtis, attor-
ney for the belt railroad, addressed the
council. He explained what a public
belt line meant to city situated as
is Rock Island, especially in view of
the fact that the Rock Island road con-
trolled the trackage to the west end
factory district, and the only hope of
opening that territory to competing
lines was in furnishing accommoda-
lions such as were insured under the
belt line arrangements. I'VE have
been making steady Roadway in secur-
ing a right of way for the belt through
the old town, extending from Eleventh
to Seventeenth Streets Mr. Curtis
over half the needed frontage on First
avenue. Ours is a peoples project.
We are not crOwding matters. We
are dealing with our fellow citizens
They are as much interested in what
we are seeking to do for Rock Island
as we are. We are reasoning with the
owners of the First avenue frontage
They are beginning to see with us the
absolute necessity for the belt line, if
Rock Island is to go ahead industrial
ly. We do not want to condemn any
mans property We would sooner
pay him a better price for it than a
jury would give him. in order to have
peace and satisfaction in our project.
because, as l have stated, 1t is to be
for the benefit of the people and the
city, and not for the benefit of any
corporation or set of men. No selfish
interests enter into the belt line
Not Room for Both.
1.-The strange feature of this South
ern procedure is that the Washes
should seek to traverse the same route
that the belt line is following on First
avenue. 1 tell you, gentlemen, there
is not room for both of us. If the
Washes secure the passage of their
ordinance as it presently reads, the
belt line is killed: that is. it would be.
if we surrendered the rights we con-
troll there now by option or purchase.
It seems to be pretty we'll understood
that the Southern is owned by the
Rock Island road. 1t is easy for you
to reason the thing out for yourself
that being the case. This move on
First avenue on the part of the Walsh
es is aimed at the public belt; its pur-
pose is to throttle rail competition in
the west end of your city. The Rock
Island road has a trackage monopoly
ing wedge. The Washes bob I'D now
with their ordinance for no other rea-
son than to perpetuate the monopoly
of the Rock Island road in the west
end. | can't see it in any other light.
It's a business move by the Washes
and the Rock Island road. So it is a
business move on the part of the cit
liens of Rock Island. If the Washes
are sincere in their desire to get their
electric trains into the heart of the
city. let them do as other interurbans
will do in the future-come in over
the belt line. We are ready to furnish
hem with trackage facilities they are
seeking up First avenue, but we will
never allow them to forever block the |
vest end factory district, as 1t appears
hey are now attempting to do in the |
interest of their parent corporation"
Walsh Claims Independence.
]. w. Walsh, president Of the Rock |
sland Southern, replying to Mr.. Cur
is, said the Southern was built in |
good faith; that It's request for a |
for it's electric trains |
nto the city was nothing new. He
explained the lease for the use of |