The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-13
INAUGURATIoN OF THE NEW
CITY COUNCIL. .ssa
Mayer Egglcstsa' $ Message
ELECTg0N OF 9FFCERs.

- G. ygE -@----- (N Ts
On Tuesday evening the old city council
met, Mayor Truesdale in the chair, and all
The members present. The room was also
6lled with spectators. When order was re-
stored Mayor Truesdale addressed the coun-
Gil as follows 10y vavYYr
GryrrErrr or TIRE CorScfL =
We are shout to close mp An old and COM
mence new year in the municipal history |
of our city Those of us, of the present |
Council, whose terms Of Office have expired, |
are called upon to surrender up our several
trusts to others who have been elected BY
the votes Of their fellow citizens to take our
places. 4-,g ~ go ;ts.
Before severing my official connection
with you, wish 70 extend to you my sim
cere and heartfelt thanks for the kind, comrI
teous and gentlemanly manner in which you
have treated me during all my official inter-
course and dealings with you. 1t affords
me great pleasure to say that nothing has
transpired during my official connection
with you that has in the least married or i'm
paired the kindly personal feelings which
have ever entertained for each one Of you,
and hope and trust that these feelings are
fully reclprocated. ~
How well / have performed the duties
that were imposed upon me by reason Of my
official position does not become me to say.
l can, however, say to you, gentlemen, in
all sincerity, that in all hare done I have
been actuatsd by what conceived to be for
the best interests of the city. That have
not came up to the full measure of my du-
ties anu responsibilities in every respect, I
appreciate more fully than any other person
can. That have erred in Judgment some
times is highly probable. -
hope and trust, however, that, with the
aid and cooperation which yon have given
me, the affairs of the city during the past
year have been managed in manner that
will prove satisfactory to the people gener-
ally. The finances of the city are beginning
TO assume better shape. During the year
over $50, 900 dollars of city indebtedness
has been cancelled. Extensive and perma
nent improvements have been made upon
the streets, and in extent far beyond what
has been done in any one year for some
time. Every department of the city has
been kept up to as high standard of excel
Hence and efficiency as the circumstances
would warrant.
will take this opportunity to say IN be-
Hall vi tiG buDOT0IslAkc UUlCGES Vi til0 Guy
government, that SO far as am capable Of
Judging, they have. one and all, discharged
their several duties honestly, faithfully and
efficiently and | extend to them my kind
est regards for their uniformly affable and
courteous bearing towards me, and for their
willingness at all times to aid me 10 cxecut.
ing the affairs of the city.
At the close of the Mayors remarks,
Mayor Eggleston and the newly elected
Aldermen, Messrs. Halves, Fries, Lloyd and
Wagner, were duly sworn into Office by Po-
lice Magistrate A. T. Highly. The new mem
bers then took their seats and Mayor Egg.
gleston delivered his inaugural address, as
follows:
MAYOR EGGLEsToN's INAUGURAL.
GENTLEMEN or THE COMMON COUNCIL:
I believe it has been the custom of my
predecessors on occasions of this kind, at
the opening or commencement of a new
Council, for the Mayor to make some sug-
gestions concerning the duties and ebliga-
tons resting upon this body. do not in
tend to bore you with long and prosy
speech, for those of you who have been here
the last year know much more about the If
fairs of the city than do. But beg to be
permitted to say at the beginning that am
extremely anxious that all our business de-
alterations shall be conducted without re-
gard TO political, personal or private consid-
erations, and that all questions which may
come before us, shall be acted upon with a
determination not to benefit or injare any
particular section Or interest of the city to
the detriment of other sections or interests,
and that all questions of q business chzrac-
ter which are not in accordance with these
principles will meet with my decided oppo-
sitieH. ss ~ go - i-s=.
Having promised this much, allow me to
congratulate you and our fellow citizens
generally, that the affairs of our city, with
3 few exceptions, are in prosperous and
satisfactory condition. Within the last few
years many valuable improvements have
been made, and there are unmistakeable evil
dences of still greater improvements in the
future. -,aats2
In relation to CUR financial affairs would
briefly remark, that some years ago our citi
zens, feeling the want Of further railroad ia
cilities, and partaking of the same ambitiou
feelings that our neighboring cities 50 fatally
erred in, contracted q debt OF FIFTY thousand
dollars, by vote of themselves, to aid il
oria railroad, which debt, in consequences Q
the road not paving any dividend on it
stocks, has been something of . burde
upon us since its creation. Mere it not flo
this unfortunate state Of things, and thes
obligations resting upon us, we should no,
be comparatively free from debt. hope
however, there is q rational prospect tbs
this debt viii be much reduced within . Tel
sonable time, if not entirely cancelled or pu
into some satisfactory shape. While / n
on the subject Of this debt, Iwould say tina
it is unpleasant to the city authorities, an
no doubt it 10 to tho Rock Island and Poor
Railroad Company, to be concerned in li.ig
ton with each other, and it would be muc
better for all concerned if all these dificu
ties could be brought to . speedy termin
ton upon the basis of right and justice
the respective parties in interest And
the accomplishment of that object tru
every effort in the power of this body wi
be made to produce this desirable result.
it is necessary to determine the rights {
the parties by prosecuting the suits alread
commenced, ] sincerely hope no unnecess,
ry impediments will be allowed to stand
the way of bringing them to final and ju
termination. am also credibly informe
that the United States Government b,
made arrangements soon to reimburse I'll
city in part, il not in whole, for the outla
in building the bridge and highway to ii
island 1t is certainly proper they shout
do SO. As the bridge and road in questio
are under their control and in their posse
sion, and used almost, if not entirely, b