Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-05
CITY MAY MAKE A
MOVE RIGHT AWAY
Mayor Schriver Says Commits
sion Is Likely to Take Up
Street Improvement.
IN THE BUSINESS SECTION
Property Holders and Business Men
Favor Keeping Abreast of
the Times.

Yes, 1 think the commission will
have TO make start in the matter
of repaving the business streets, a."
said Mayor Schriver in discussing the
all absorbing topic in Rock Island.
1.-THE board of public improvements
of the municipal body will, l think,
IN the near future, map out a dis
trict to be repaved and proceed with
the preliminaries essential to acquire
the estimates and make beginning.
While certain Of the property hold
ers with whom 1 have conversed are
mot entirely in sympathy with the
Improvement, 1 believe for the most
part all interested are, and I re-
aIize that Rock Island would never
have made beginning in the matter
of permanent streets, had the spirit
of objection been needed. For my
own part I am heartily in favor of
improving the business streets and
that without unnecessary delay.
IT am likewise in favor Of repav-
ing the neglected portions in the
central residence section, and while
we are talking about that there are
q number of streets as well as ave
nues that will receive attention"
SENTIMENT ALL ONE WAY.
If members of the municipal COM
mission will take the pains to con-
suit the public spirited citizens of
Rock Island they will ascertain how
general is the feeling in favor of re-
paving the streets of the city that
are sham efully in need of overhaul
ing Other cities Of Rock Islands
class are going ahead and improving
their business streets and people who
have become accustomed to the de-
cay that has been going on for sew
eral years scarcely understand the
dilapidated conditions that exist.
John Bengston, who has just re-
placed the granite walks about his
buildings at Second avenue and Sew
enteenth streets, spoke of this TO an
Argus representative the other day.
81 did not realize how badly the
paving on Second avenue had worn,
said Mr.. Bengston, Notwithstanding
that / am in the front Of my store
all day long. until it was necessary
for me TO walk out in the street
while the new walks were being put
in. Surely Second avenue is in
very bad condition. The brick paw
ing, the first that was put down, has
served it's purpose very nicely. The
only better material is in Market
square. but Second avenue Is in need
OF improvement. and I believe that
Rock Island, the first of the three
cities TO inaugurate substantial
street improvement, should at least
keep with the procession"
4 SUGGESTION TO THE CITY.
NJ. II. Sexton, president of the
Rock Island Business Mems asso-
citation, in conversing on the sub
ject OF repaving Second avenue with
an Argus representative, said, Il do
not see what there is to hinder the
commission in going ahead right
now. AS l understand it the COM
mission has the power TO assess the
cost OF the intersections against the
property benefited and If this is the
case. the commission need not de-
lay for the citys portion. Al all
events there is nothing to be gained
by procrastination. Let the commits
sion wake up and make start. Let
It map out, say FIVE blocks on Second
and five blocks on Third avenue, and /
form the whole into a paving dis
trict and proceed. ! believe the
property holders will favor the i'm /
provement as they have always done
in the past and once the city gets
the work going il will spread to
other thorOughfaTes