The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-21

/ Huber, Sweeney and Shearer.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and
approved -...- s..
| Mayor Truesdale presented the following com
munication to the city council in reference to
matters between the city, Mr.. Cable, and the r
T. & P. R. R. 90.
| Gentlemen of the City Council.
| This is adjourned meeting, held for the pur.
pose mainly of considering and making some dis
| position of the proposed contract between the
| city and the r. I. & ?. r. r. Co." which was
| submitted to you for your approval or disappro-
| val some time since.
/ As you are all well aware, the matters to
| which this contract relates have been under die
| cussion and IN dispute for long time in our
| city, and hav been the cause of much amin ad-
version among our citizene.
| Some eight months since, you referred them to
| a special committee, of which had the honor to
| be made chairman. This committee, very soon
4 after its appointment, and after free and full
| consultation with the city attorneys, with their
| advice and consent, together with the approval
of majority Of the council entered into negotia.
| tions with Mr. Cable for the purpose of making
| an amicable settlement of all matters in dispute
| between the city, Mr.. Gable, and the RI l. 2 r.
| r. Co.
| Your committee, after spending much time and
labor, and exercising no little patience, matured
| too distinct propositions which were approved
| BY the council and ordered by them to be sub
4
| ton. Both of these propositions were rejected.
On the Sd of Sept. by resolution of the city
council, this committee was instructed to again
renew negotiating with Mr.. Cable, or devise
| some plan or basis of settlement, and report the
| same.
Your committee complied with your instrue-
| tons and the result CT their conferences with
! Mr.. Cable is the proposed contract now before
| you.
| Your committee, in submitting this plan or
| basis of settlement, have simply complied with
| your instructions. They have refrained from
| recommending its adoption, prefering to let each
member of the council judge for himself, to its
| merits or dement's.
After mature deliberation, and in view OF all
| the circumstances, l have come to the conclusion
that it would, perhaps, be unwise in the council
| to adopt the contract before them, for the rea-
son that there are legal questions involved in re-
lation to which, there many conflicting opin-
| ions.
In the event that the contract is rejected by
you, it will, in all probability end all efforts at
an amcable settlement of the difficulties. 1t
! will therefore become an important inquiry with
you, as to the best course to be pursued by the
| city in order to effect final settlement.
| Sometime since, the city commenced q suit
| against Mr.. Cable and others. This suit has
| been delayed and could not be prosecuted, for
| the reason that Mr.. Cable, in the name of Mr..
Plunket, instituted a suit in the circuit court of
the United States for the purpose of forcing the
| sale of the city stock in the r. /. i P. Z. r.
| Co. thereby cutting off the rights of the city in
court as party in the suit against Mr.. Cable.
would therefore beg leave to suggest that
you make some provision for the debt due
Mr.. Cable, thereby preventing the sale of the
citys stock, and also for the purpose of enabling
the city attorney to prosecute the suit against
Mr.. Gable and others, to speedy and final con-
cusion.
/ would further beg leave to suggest, that in
order to determine what the rights of the r. ].
?. R. r. Co. are, in and to the public grounds
of the city, that proposition be made to said
company to make an agreed, case, and submit it
to the courts TO decide. If said company should
object to that mode of procedure, then would
recommend that such proceedings be instituted
will force definite, legal, and final settlement
OF these disputed points.
1t seems to me, the the city can lilly afford to
let the matter rest az it now is. II other rail
roads come into the city and ask for rights of way
and depot privileges, the city should bein posi-
ton to act promptly, and to be able to cay what
it can and what it cannot give. do not wish
to be understood as intimating that the K. l.
?. r. L. Co has no rights on the public grounds
of the city, but wish to be understood say
ing that they so indefinite and uncertain as
to preclude the possibility of the parties interes
TSigned G. TRUEsDALE.
On motion of Aid O. j. Dimick the communi-
cation of Mayor Truesdale was received, and it
was ordered that the same be inserted in the
minutes of the proceedings of the City Council,
The petition Of Bailey Davenport ands62
others was presented, protesting and remon-
strating against the giving or granting to
the r. /. & P. 4. R; Co. any more righsssor
privileges on the ievee or within the city
limits.
On motion OF Aid. O. j. Dimick the same
was received and placed on file
The following report was submitted, viz
To the City Council:
Your committee, appointed at meeting of
| the city council held Noy. S. 1866, for the
| purpose of examining into the necessity and
| propriety of opening street from Illinois
| street, opposite the Island bridge, thence
| south to Molins Avenue, beg leave to report
that they have examined the same and find
| that q street 60 feet wide has been located on
| said line, through land belonging to B. Dav-
export, from Oriesns street south to Moline
Avenue, and damages assessed which have
| not been paid .x-And that 80 feet in width on
that line, from Illinois street to Orleans street
| belongs to C. Ell. Case, for which he demands
| $4,000. Therefore, your committee would
| recommend that commissioners be appointed
| to locate q street 60 feet wide through said
| land, from Illinois street to Orleans street,
and assess damages on the same. Also, that
| the damages assessed on said land from Or
| leans street to Moline Avenue be paid and .
ld,ed obtained for the same. Also, that the
land belonging TO G. Fl. Case, about 80 feet
front, extending into Orleans street be con-
} oemnsd and damages assessed on the same.
4 All Of which 10 respectfully submitted.
Isignsdl /. H t. ulLA'Af
On motion Of Aid. J.. r. Huber the same
was received and placed on file.
Aid. Sweeney moved that the further con.
sidsration OF the proposed contract between
the city OF Rock Island and the r. /. & P. r
3. Co., together with the proposition of P
L. Gable, Esq, on that subject, presented q
Mctien adopted.
: Sundry bills were presented, and ON mo
ton of Aid. O. j. Dimick the same vers "a
!. fsrred to che finance committee. :
Aid. o. j. Dimick moved that oommitte,
of two be appointed to inquire into the legal
ity and propristy Of making an appropria
| ton for maeadamizing the Camden Road