Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-28
indications That Interur-
ban Has Acquired Cable
and Sherrard Branch
AND FIRST AVE. TRACK
Means Coming of Cars to Twen-
tieth-Tri-City Is Re-
ported Interested.

The indications are that the Rock Is
land Southern has at last realized, or
is about to realize, the ambition it has
had since its line was built, OF getting
its passenger coaches up First avenue
TO a terminus at Twentieth street, and
this without encroachment on the re-
served ground lying south OF the pres
ent Rock Island tracks between West
nth street and the west end. By
the deal which 1t is believedhs prac-
tically consummated, the Southern has
bought from the Rock Island what was
originally known as the Rock Island &
Mercer County railroad; in other words
the branch OF the old Rock Island G.
Peoria line, now part of the Rock Is
land system, and running from Milan
out into Cable and Sherrard, embrac-
ing about % miles OF track.
GETS CARS UP TOWN.
In the event of this deal being sue
cessful, the Southern, as a condition
OF the transaction, Is to have a right
Of way over the Rock Island tracks,
not only to the foot of Fourth avenue
for its trolley tracks, but clear up
along First avenue to Twentieth street.
The Southern. as is known, has used
the tracks OF the Mercer county line
from Southern Junction in since It be-
gan the operation OF its road.
That there has been a deal on Of
some kind between the Rock Island
and the Rock Island Southern has been
apparent for some time. and while
there are those inclined TO the belief
the greater fish was attempting to
gobble the smaller fry, the real out
come. The Argus is reliably informed,
ia more likely 10 be the purchase by
the smaller corporation of q slice OF
the big fellow, for which the latter no
longer has use.
M LONGER 4 COAL ROAD.
Since the coal mines at Cable and
Sherrard became exhausted, the Rock
Island has not found the Mercer coun-
~ branch a paying proposition. Es-
Eentinlly a coal road, the passenger ac-
commodations have been of secondary
consideration TO the freight carrying
proposition, and have been more of a
joke than otherwise. II the Southern
acquires Il and electrifies il, IL can oper
ate II at a minimum Of cost and give
more frequent service into Rock Island
and thus make It really valuable as
set TO the city. There is abundant
business for trolley cars and the bull
of the daily business IN the freight line
could very easily be handled in this
way with an occasional freight train
HAS ITS OWN coal FIELDS.
The Southern has great and pro.-..s
ing coal fields along its line at .Math
erville and at other points in Mercer
county. and on this account 1t ha'
prospered beyond the early dreams o
its promoters. Heretofore all its bust
ness has been handled over the Rocl
Island tracks from Southern Junction
in. and this has of necessity involved
heavy tolls, and at the same time
has been unable under It's agreemen
with the Rock leland to get its pas
senger trains up town, because tn
Rock Island would net permit the cleo
trifying OF its right of way this sd
OF Fourth avenue.
TROLIEYs IN FIRST AVENUE.
Under the new arrangement, tn
Southern would spread IT'S trolle,
wires over certain OF the Rock Islam
tracks as far east as Twentieth street
The fruitless endeavor OF the South
ern to acquire a right OF way Of il
own inside the Rock Island tracks,