The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-29
CITY COUNCIL
WILL OPPOSE
0NE-MAN CAR
Resolution Against Bridge Linz
Car To Force Issue On Trae-
tea Plan.

Railway company is TO be opposed
by the city commissioners.
A resolution was scheduled to be
adopted IN the meeting OF the COM
inissioners this afternoon ordering
the street car company TO stop op-
Grafton of Bridge line cars into
Rock Island with only one man as
operator. In an informal session
at the city hall this morning, City
Attorney J. X. Scott was instruct
ed to draw up a resolution outiln-
ing objections of the commission
ers.
When the Bridge line cars start
ed under one-man operation, sew
eral weeks ago, Commissioner
Frank WITCH, in charge of the de-
partment of streets and public i'm
provements, objected Patrons Of
the company had reported that they
were dissatisfied with the service.
and Commissioner WITCH said that
the slow service was tying up
street traffic. A resolution was Ia
bled at that time, pending 30-day
trial, in orer to give the company
Opportunity to develop the service.
The trial period is up, and Com
missioner Wich still voices his
complaint. Mayor Harry NJ
Echriyer is standing by Commits
sioner Wich, and these two city Of
fcials are being supported by Com
rrlissioners Martin T. Rudgren,
william H. Fftzsimmons and John
A. Murrin, making the stand
against the one-man cars unani-
nous. Mayor Schriver instructed
City Attorney Scott to set out In
his resolution that the one-man
operation of the Bridge line cars
has been wholly unsatisfactory.
Traffic policemen have complained
that the slow service is creating
danger.
Vehicles must be held up for an
extra period or the one-man cars
halted, either way causing dIfnculty
in the handling of trafnc. franc
officers have been told to let auto
mobiles by the street cars immedi-
ately after the doors are closed and
not to wait until the car starts.
Under the strict observance OF traf-
fic regulations automobiles must
remain behind street cars to dis
lance of five feet until the car gets
in motion.
With the Bridge line cars making
q loop in the business district all
principal intersections are made
difficult for autoists. When other
lines are put on the one-man car
operation plan the present condi-
ton will be made much worse, it is
said.
May Be Court Fight
The city commissioners say they
will stop the Bridge line cars as
run at present, and this may lead
to an Injunction by the car COM
pany to prevent the CIV from in
terfering with operation of its
cars.
This course was adopted in the
Davenport fight
The company plans to insti-
tute the one-man car system in
Rock Island, as in Davenport, ac-
cording to statement of B. J. Den
man, president of the company, that
one-man cars will be inaugurated
on the Third avenue line either
Thursday or Friday of this week.
The company president made this
statement last Saturday and clainl-
ed that there would be no COM
plants after the system is given a
fair trial. With this contention the
Rock Island city commissioners
are not in accord claiming that the
service on the Bridge line was Civ
en- fair trial and that the service
did not prove up to claims.
In Davenport the system has not
the extra objectionable features
that it has In Rock Island, it is
stated, as coming system is work
ed out in Davenport that allows
space for people to stand who want
TO board the cars, and automobiles
can drive by to one side of this
zone. In Rock Island this system
is impossible, as the Illinois state
law sets forth that automobiles
must not pass street cars that are
at standstilI closer than 10 feet
from the steps. The Rock Island
streets are not of sufficient width
to allow the marking of zones and
leave a space to allow automobiles
10 pass the cars and keep 10 feet
away from the car steps
Trend OF City's Stand.
The resolution drawn up by City
Attorney ]. K. Scott and which the
commissioners say will be adopted
this afternoon Is as follows:
Resolved. That the Tri-City
Railway company is hereby notified
70 discontinue the one-man car SER
vice on the Bridge line, and not to
place one-man cars in operation in
this city on any other line.
"In the opinion of this council,
the one-man car is failure; il
gives slower service. tends to i'm
pede and congest traffic, and its
only apparent merit is a reduction
of expense to the company. We
are of the opinion that the people
do not want to sacrifice time, safe
ty and good service for a small re-
duction in fare.
''The city clerk is hereby direct
ed to send a copy of this resolution
to said company"
President Denman of the COM
pany, Thomas p. Roderick, gen
eral manager of the Rock Island |
holdings of the company, and John |
t. Bauer. president OF the street |
car mems union OF Rock Island and
Moline, called at the mayors Office |
this afternoon. The mayor was
forced TO leave, but invited the Wis
itors TO be present at the meeting
OF the commissioners, which was
scheduled for $3.50 o'clock