Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-31

.benS Al re losp. Wifh NJ InefSAse
III tbs cttyH population. Among
Tia mee noticsable ars tie altera-
tio4s aromd the corner OF. Sevesar
taeutt sttSet and Second avenste.
who're John Dsngstok has made ex-
lten1ive changes p the properly
.east Of that point and the nsN Mar-
N ci4ar store hrs beaptihed the
.otposlte corner nj the west 9ide
0f Market 61nare. i
y Eafly last spring, John BengstOii
owner of the Bepgston drug store.
purchased the lots and properties
occupied rslpectixely By the II. a
Il. cigar store at 1706s Second ave.
nue., the former Wright shoe. store
At 1708 Second avenue, and the site
Of the former Crown restaurant at
1910 Second avenue, djoining each
other. On this ecombfned space he
proposed to erect > building. and
the only remaining tenants at that
time, McDoIe and Richardson In
the cigar store, had to move. Their
shop is now located at 223 Seven
'teenth street, where they moved
Oct. Is, displaeing a fruit store and
confectionery operated. by Salem
Dabakey in that place.
Bengston Makes Changes.
Mr.. Bengston also secured a lease
from relatives Of the building two
doors from the corner, formerly
occupied by the James restaurant,
and in there he Is to move his entire
drug store from its position ON the
corner, which he had held for a
number Of years. A new front on
the old restaurant building gave It
a much more smart and up-to-da:e
appearance,
Mr.. Bengston proceeded to raye
the Wright shoe store and ii. & r.
cigar store buildings occupying
them. Labor troubles and unstable
conditions in the field Of obtain
able workmen prevented a big
building being erected on this sita
and work upon it viii not
stare until spring. 1t was
thought best to wait until some as
surance could be felt that the work
would not have to stand for some
time uncompleted owing to so1ne
new disturbance in the fight be-
tween capital and labor. At pres
ent, then, these three siots are va
cant, the Easements OF the stores
formerly upon them remaining as
depressions partially filed with
debris, although the major portion
Of the old building material has
been carried away. The next, re-
modelled, building is occupied by the
Bengston drug store. while the cor
ner room stands empty.
The James restaurant, success
fully operated by ]. Elmer, James
for the last 10 years, changed is
location on Oct. 5, from 1904 Sec
ond avenue to 1910 Second avenue.
Here Mr.. James Joined forces with
E. J.. Gould, to operate the place
formerly known as the, Delmonico
cafe, under the new name Of James
cafe. Three weeks before the
transfer was made the James res
taurant in its old stand had sus-
pended business. Sept. l, only q
few weeks before, the old restaur-
ant had been converted into a cafe
terra style eating house, at a small
expense, but for business reasons
the change to Q new location was
made. Improvements in the room
where the James cafe has newly
opened were made at an expense
Of nearly $1,000, increasing facili-
ties and installing new features.
Beautiful Martin Store.
What is claimed to be the most
modern and beautiful cigar store
In the country west Of Chicago be-
came an institution Of Rock Is
land, Nov. /, when George Martin,
head of the Martin Cigar company.
opened No. Is Of his chain of such
stores on the southwest corner Of
Seventeenth street and Second ave-
nue.. Glittering in color and rife
with artistic arrangements the ap-
pearance Of the place from within
and without gives 1t marvellous dis
tinction. Inside, the general Inn
preston is that Of acres OF glass
and mahogany set into tile above
and steel ceiling above, in a man
ner which somehow is artistic and
makes a wonderful effect. The place
materially contributes to the ap-
pearance of Rock Islands loop
district, as well as offering the
best of service to customers. This
corner was t-sor many years occu-
pied, 'w tie Thomas drug store, 4
X Of thd city.
A. ]. Riess CREATED the undisput-
ed claim OF having the biggest drug
store for miles abound in regard to
both floor space. wall space and
size OF stock, when he opened bust
ness in the storeroom at the south
cast corner of Eighteenth street
and Second avenue, April 1. His
establishment was moved there
from 1906 Second avenue, where ii
had been in operation for nearly
two years. The new drug store
marks the elimination of Is years
CT experience in that ltue, which
Mr.. Riess has had in Rock Island
To the end of creating a \store Al
close as possible to his ideal OF
what II should be. the owner spent
biiween 5000 and $4,000 in i'm
"a bvements to. the rooms before he
1ceupied them.
SextOn's Sucoessor.s
He succeeded Sexton's Clothing
store ii occupation hare. The SEA-
ton firm dissolved and went out 81
business Just befprs the change was
made, the Anale u eight ydars h
business 1t that location.
III Riess.. old placs. 1906 Second
! avenue, during the summsr. the
adkins ciot4 hing store op6ned' I
Ebfaneh, onet Of four cond1 cted n
~ IN -eiuss hnd sisswhers. Il has
ES1N9Y1 6oo4 - GOOD loqhflon fnr