Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-21


teenth streets 1t is as follows:
ITO His Honor, the Mayor, ant
Members of the City Council of Rocl
Island: We, your petitioners, most re
spectfulIy represent that we are citi
zens of Rock Island and reside soutl
of Third avenue, or are engaged il
business, or own property on Thru
avenue or south of same; that tn,
street car facilities on Third avenue
are inadequate and as nine-tenths Of
all the residents of this city live south
OF said Third avenue, better street cal
facilities on this avenue would accom-
modate a greater number of citizens
than If located farther north and far
Their from this large majority of cit
liens.
Should Spread Out.
I'VE further represent that we do
not believe the business of the city
the size Of Rock Island should be con-
/ fined to three blocks Of a single street: :
/ that, in order to promote the extending
of the business center. it is necessary
| to give a wider and better street car
! service.
I'VE, therefore, petition your honor
able body that, in extending the fran
chise for a period Of years to the Tri-
City Railway company, that said COM
pany should be required in said ordin-
ance to double track said Third avenue
from Fifteenth TO Twentieth street,
and that the company be required to
operate the Blue line cars and the Elm
street cars going both east and west
over said Third avenue from Fifteenth
to Twentieth street.
And. further, that the Bridge line
cars shall be compelled to pass over
this Third avenue route at least going
one way"
Second Avenue Meeting.
AS the result of the meeting of the
Second avenue property holders
and business men at the
New Harper Saturday afternoon a
committee Of seven was appointed to
represent the interests of the avenue
at such meetings of the city council
as are called to consider the street
car ordinances.
DR.. Joseph De Silva, as chairman of
the meeting. appointed E. H. Guyer, |
chairman, l.. P Best, H. E. CasteeI. |
L. Simon, Phil Mitchell. Eli Mosen-
fielder and H. E. Kreu. This commit !
tee proposes to broaden out its cam |
paign and take it upon itself to see |
that not only is the present routing of /
the cars through the business district |
but also that before an
ordinance is granted to the street car
company that it make some promise
towards building interurban lines to
the south and west.
Mayor McCaskrIn Talks.
Mayor George w. McCaskrin was
called into the conference and asked
o express his views on the proposed
changing of the route of the Fourth
avenue and Long View lines from
second to Third avenue. He explain
I'd that the proposition was not one (
originating with the street car COM I
ANY, but was his own suggestion TO
he company and the city council. He {
aid that he was led TO make the sug- !
.estiOn by requests from a number of '
'hird avenue business men, who felt {
hat the interests Of the city demand '
d less Capitalization on the part of I
he street car service. Mayor McCask- '
in expressed a belief that the Third
venue interests deserved some such t
and announcement. but at s
he same time he said neither he nor [
ne city council would act in the mat a
7r without taking into account any t
dvice they might receive from other '
usiness interests. G
VIII Present Resolution.
Accordingly it was decided to pre-
7nt 10 the council the resolution
dopted by the meeting before Mayor =
-cCaskrin spoke. This resolution was -
the effect that the street car lines =
ow using Second avenue be not h
hanged to run on Third avenue. The +,
was directed to present rea- r,
ms why this would not be for the +,
est interest of Second avenue and .
lie city in general, and to have these II
asons ready when the matter comes n
, in the council meetings. h
superintendent J. G. Huntoon of the ..
ri-City Railway company spoke TO h
e Second avenue business men in f.
gard to the proposed change and
Id that the company stands neutral in
e matter. 1t is immaterial to the COM Il,
ny whether the cars run on Second b,
Third. but he limited that before n,
lg the congestion of cars on Second W
enue may force a change in the III
utfng of one or more of the lines 7,
w centering there. The company. al
viewer, is willing to remain there al
: the time being, provided that is al
lat the city wants. nc
cI