Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-14

land company for a townsite and fac
tory locations.
In the spring of 1905 the town was
laid out and plated, the avenues run
ming east and west and the streets
north and south. All streets were side
walked just as soon as they were grad
ed, making all told about seven miles
of sidewalk in the town. In recognition
of the valuable services rendered by
the general manager the village was
named after him and called Silvis.
After that the railway company
changed the name of its shops from
New Shops to Silvis Shops which is
so recognized officially
SILVIs SHOPS.
The main line of the Rock Island,
which is double tracked, runs east and
west through the corporate limits of
the village one and one-half miles.
The shops are all located north of the
main line and all switch tracks enter
| ing the yards both east and west
come in on that side. The buildings
and switch yards cover at the present
time about so acres of ground most
| admirably suited for railroad pur-
poses, being high. level table land,
which requires no drainage or filling
in.
The location is one mile east Of the
junction of four railroad systems-the
Rock Island, the Burlington, the Mil
waukee and the Davenport, Rock Is
land & Northwestern-and distant
threefourths of a mile from the Mis-
sissippi river.
There are II large buildings Of the
original plans so far completed, men,
toned briefly as follows:
The power house, which furnishes
electric power and lights for all the
departments; the main building, which
is the largest and of freproof con-
struction, is used as a machine and
boiler shop.
The round house, which is large
. circular brick building, has ample
room for all the engines that are
housed for repairs, of which will.num'
Der several hundred in a single year
being the largest repair shop on the
Rock Island system.
The blacksmith shop has sufficient
capacity and force to handle all the
work required from that department
The storehouse is one of the impor
tant features to be considered in con
nection with the other factors, as il
, is the department from which supplies
are furnished to all other departments
A large ice house is filed every win
ter and Tefrigerating cars are prompt
ly attended TO day or night.
The yard Office is a two story build
; ing in which a small army of mer
is constantly kept busy attending &c
J the vast amount Of clerical work which
+ must necessarily pass through its CT
fee.
, The transfer buildings enter yer!
. largely into the financial interests O
;. the railway company as this is a dis
! tributing point for freigh; and mer
; chaldise and the terminal Of 1--WE d
p visions. Some idea and conception O
the great volume of business which i
= by the knowledge that rs miles o
\ trackage is required in the yards t
= accommodate the many trains that eel
- ter here.
About 1880 people are employees
. in all departments connected to an
2 being part Of this plant, while tn
=, amount of money disbursed by tn
. railway at this point means a grea
= deal to this section OF the countr!
" as the monthly pay roll runs fror
- SIS, 900 to $4,000.
i THE VILLAGE OF snVIs.
l. It would be hard to select a sit
better suited for village, the naturi
D. surroundings and advantages bein
d all that could be desired The tow
ID ship is situated on the south side {
.e the railroad and the lay of the Ian
s. Is gradual incline from north [
N south, the avenues running east an
west, the streets north and soutl
D. First avenue is so feet in width, upo
h which runs the Moline, East Moline
N WATERFOWL interurben street railway
Dr. the eastern limits of the village. Upc
% this avenue are situated the bushes
o. interests which are we'll Representa-
" in the various branches. There al
h. two drug stores, three general store
d. hardware, dry goods and grocerie
Of one dry goods store, two meat market
IN three restaurants, two hotels and boar
is ing houses, one bank. two barb
shops, one shoe shop, one blackEmi
:. and repair shop, two public halls, OF
~. land end insurance Office, two prs
NJ tioing physicians. two coal and expire
Al companies, two billiard halls and a.
%. thirst perlors, restricted to the nor
d, side OF First avenue
en- On Second avenue are two fl
ba churches, Baptist and Methodist d
nominations, the latter having bee
erected in 1911, costing between $50
H and $4,000. On commanding elevate
Al between Second and Third avenu
II stands the hiEh school building.