Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-25
SOUTHERN MAY
Get ORDER TO
GIVE SERVICE
State Testimony Proves Road in
Bad Shape, Though Owners Say
improvements Being Made.
Especial to The Argus.)


Monmouth, ILL.,. Oct. 25.-Evl
dence in the hearing of the Rock
Island Southern Railway company
case before Commissioner Funk of
the Illinois public utilities commits
sion here yesterday is expected to
influence the commission to order
the road to give the required ser
vice, with the alternative of ceas-
ing to operate. A number Of I'M
expected facts were brought out in
the testimony both by one of the
owners, NJ. A Walsh, and the state
representatives.
Three men testified for the state
commission, showing conclusively
that at present the Southern is not
giving satisfactory freight or pas
senger service to towns along its
route from Rock Island to Gales
bug The short side lines espec-
tally are neglected, while the main
line schedule is irregular. Railway
Inspector Skane made the first re-
port. dealing with motive power.
He said that in period of 81 days,
when he kept account of the run
ming of trains over the road there
were only 10 days when there were
no departures from the schedule,
trains either much off time or
omitted all together. The steam
engines and electrical parts of the
equipment are in good condition, he
testified, and few of the cars are in
disrepair as to need more than
new coat of paint.
Bridges Dangerous.
e. -,
a civil engineer testified. He went
on to condemn other features. how
ever. The substance of it was that
not more than per cent of the
poles supporting electric wires for
use of the road are fit for use; the
three bridges over the Edwards
river and one over Camp creek are
so badly out of repair as to be un-
safe for travel
J. K Scott. city attorney In Rock
Island, conducted the examina
ton of witnesses. Wallace Treich-
Ter was the other delegate from
Rock Island. Mr.. Treichler. while
on the stand testified as to the ter
minal station and depot of the
Southern in this city and the man
ner in which freight is handled by
the road
The station is filthy" he said,
land even past help by repairing.
1t is one of the dirtiest spots IL
Rock Island. very old. and in tho
very worst condition in every way.
1t should be replaced" He said
no shipper could depend upon the
road for Transporting freight. In
answering this the road represen-
E1
not be disposed of by the Southern.
IS 1t is owned by the Rock Island
lines; that contrary to Mr. Treich-
ler's words, freight is always
moved to its destination within 81
hours after being consigned,
Improvements Being Made"
The general plea of Maurice
Cannon, master carpenter of the
road, and NJ A Walsh, both repre-
senting the Southern. was that the
conditions complained of were /
being improved with all possible !
speed at present. They didn't know
how long it would take to bring the
service to what It should be-
Mr.. Walsh, in conference with
others at the hearing. made the
statement that the road is losing |
money in considerable amounts |
every day. In case the Cummins
bill now before congress becomes |
effective. the Southern will be
forced by its terms to consolidate
with some steam road. and be re-
built. He said that the Southern
could give much better electric
railway service but for terms in
its contract with the Illinois North
ern Utilities company. through
which it furnishes electric power
for that company to IS towns
around Matherville When the
generation of electric power be-
comes low the engineers orders
are to shut off power from the rail
way and give it all to these towns. !
He said the general wish of the
road heads is that this agreement
cease.
Disregarded Order.
It was brought out in the testi- !
mony that an order was given the |
Rock Island Southern line early in |
the summer to do a number of
things toward improving its ser
vice 1t was because of the disre- |
gard of this order that the state !
representatives were set to keep Il |
watch on the way things went !
This watching was unknown to the |
road officials. The hearing was held |
not at the request of other inter !
ested parties, but at the instigatiOn |
of the commission itself. after rec /
concentrations by the men sent to |
oversee the normal operation of the |
road.
One of the things these men /
noted was that though the Edwards |
river power plant at Matherville |
had been ordered by the commits |
sion to be equipped with electric /
lights, the same old system of oil /
lamps is being used.