Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-07-03

furthermore contends that the rights
the Burlington desires comprise the
last remaining key TO the belt line,
and hence has maintained that the
cession should be accompanied by
guarantee from the road acquiring
these valued privileges 50 essential TO
future developments OF the entire fac
tory district; that within q prescribed
time, It viii complete the extensions
such as will lead IL further than Sew
erth street and thus insure an inlet
and an outlet for all roads that may
come TO Rock Island hereafter. Il is
Of the future as well az the present
The Argus is thinking. and it feels
that the time to bind 3 road 10 do its
duty 20 the city. Is when rights are
/ accorded 1t by ordinance.
Mr. Davis brought out a strong
I point III support Of this very Couten-
tion when he answered q suggestion
made in behalf Of the Rock Island.
that track arrangements might be
made with that company in lieu Of
! the pending ordinance. Mr.. Davis re
+ ioinder was that efforts had been
made for % years to make such q deal
with the Rock Island without avail
and tbs manufacturers 0f the city are
/ still at the mercy OF single road.
+ 81 cannot be denied that the Rock Is
{ lands position in the lower end has
/ been a handicap to industrial deyel-
/ 0pmenf that on the other hand If has
not done the real big thing for the
( city that t could have done. and
Furthermore right now. the same
road is contemplating removing
y it's division passenger headquarters
T from the city
( The Argus has no time for any sug-
POO.
Island iu connection with the 0rdi-
nance under discussion just at this
time. In a word. it is not the Rock
Island S put in and yet strange as if
/ NAV seem the Rock Island is said 10
have presented an ordinance govern
ing the rights Of the Burlington which
I the commission actually considered.
and that some of its clauses were in
+ corporated ia The Burlington ordi-
nance proposed by the city This
I seems almost unbelievable, but it is
said 10 be true
( The only way that the Rock Island
+ can make itself useful in the pending
case. is to help the Burlington get by
the gap between Seventh street and
the point for which Mr. Davis says he
/ can get the belt line through as far
as Thirteenth avenue This would
/ be helpful if it could be brought
about, for it may as well be known
that the monopoly of tracks in the
west end factory district is going 40
/ be broken and must be broken. if
/ Rock Island is TO grow as manu-
featuring city
+ The Argus stands squarsly for the
+ belt line, and it has conscientiousIy
. upheld every move made by the city
/ looking to that end 1t was ON that
account that it upheld the city's 0rdi-
nance prepared for the Burlington
with its provisions that the rights
sought should not end with stub at
Seventh street. but should contain
clauses in5uriug the extension within
a stated time. The Burlington with
its present investment Of upwards OF
100000 i'm frontage IS not going to
reject all clauses that will bind It to
do its part in the future if the com
mission insists upon a square deal
IT, however. as The Argus has re
Gently said, through the good Offices OIL
those properly Interested an accept
able agreement may be reached as
the result of which belt line with all.
that II means and insures. will he
guaranteed to come out of the pend
ing ordinance. none viii hail ii with
greater delight than The Argus.