The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-14
Cxxx CoUMoxx.
Adjourned Meeting, March Is, 1868.

AujVukA Oa n0osAA6t -
Present. His Honor Mayor Kimball, and
Aldermen Dimick, Fries, Halves, /. Huber,
j. R. Haber, Lloyd, Skinner, and Wagner. :
The minutes of the last meeting were read
and approved.
The Finance Committee submitted the fol-
lowing report, and on motion of Alderman
Wagner the same was adopted, to wit:
To the Mayor and City Council OF the CITY Oh
GENrIyxrnLYour Finance Committee would
report that they have examined the reports ana
accounts of the following city officers for the last
wear and found them correct, 10 VII
r,;ty CLERK Collector, Treasurer, Street Super
yisors of the First. Second, Third and Fourth
Wards and Wharf Master. In settling with the
Treasurer we have examined the vouchers and
hooks and found them correct, cancelled and
burned the orders returned by him, amounting TO
$o2, ,33 also Coupons amounting to S2,oso,so,
which we also destroyed.
Upon examination of the ticket books OF the
Weigh Master, we were unable to ascertain wheth-
er they compared with his report not, from the
fact that many of the tickets made out still re-
main in the books and we have no means OF as
pertaining how many of them have been paid, II
any.
All of which is respectfully submitted
pAvlp H HTsEs Finance Committee.
| Rock Island, March Is, 1868.
A communication from c. NJ. Osborn, city
| attorney, was read and referred TO the incom-
ing Finance Committee.
Aid. /. Huber moved that one months
services, $25, be allowed David Halves as
Acting Mayor an6 that an order be drawn
| on the Treasury for the amount. The yeas
and nays being called resulted as follows:
| Yeas, Aid. Fries, /. Huber, j. h. Huber,
Lloyd, Skinner, and Wagner.
| Nays, Aid. Dimick-l.
| AID Halves was excused from voting.
| Aid. Halves offered the following resolu-
tions and moved their adoption, which was
carried unanimously, to wit:
/ Resolved, That the City Council of the City
/ of Rock Island tender their thanks to Mr.. j. r.
Johnston for the very neat, efficient and satisfac
/ tory manner in which he has performed the duties
of City Clerk, always prepared and ever ready to
| furnish the mayor or city council with any in
formation desired pertaining to the interests o!
| the city.
| Resotred, That we also commend him for the
! neat and correct manner in which he has kept the
ofieial records and financial books.
Aid. Halves moved that the clerk give no
tice that the City Council viii on the 9th
day of April next appoint commissioners to
ascertain and assess damages de-, for the
ODSuIIS aud cA0cHulIS VI ottCCt
Adopted.
The mayor and aldermen elect being present
the oaths of Office were administered to them
by Police Magistrate II. C. Connolly.
Mayor Kimball, on retiring, briefly addressed
the council, appropriately referring to the
good feeling which had existed in the board
since he had been connected with it, thank
ing the aldermen and city officers for the kind
ness and courtesy always shown him, an
closed by introducing the mayor elect, VIII {
addressed the city council, as follows:
Gentlemen Of the City Council:
Through the partiaiity of our fellow eiti
zeDs, we have been chosen to look after the
interests aud welfare of the city for the en-
suing year, and custom has made it incumb
ent upon me to foreshadow line of policl
with regard to its government, which, i
considered by you as the proper policy, viii
be followed during the time.
The first thing / desire to call your atten
ton to is the sanitary condition of the city
and | do so because we should look CAREFUL,
to the health of our citizens at all times ,ant
more particularly at a time when there is &
probability of threatening pestilence.
The condition Of our streets and alleys il
well calculated TO invite cholera and other
pestilential diseases. Our efforts in this di
rection cannot be exerted too soon and
hope by united action to dispense with tn,
extraordinary labor that will necessarily fal
upon board of health. By q firm ant
rigid enforcement of the ordinances Of tn,
city, this can be done without great expense
to the treasury-if done soon. | would re
commend the work of cleaning the street
and alleys as soon as the weather permits, a
there are many men who have been idle al
the winter who will find work elsewhere, ant
who win be glad to obtain present employ
ment, whose families greatly need the com
pensation they will obtain.
/ would also call your attention to the fac
that many ordinances of the city have, b
neglect, become almost dead letter. Side
walks have been ordered so often on various
streets as to become matter of merrimen
to those whose duty it is to obey. Law
which cannot be enforced should be re
pealed.
] congratulate our city upon the exemp
ton from fires which it has enjoyed over tina
of other cities of like size /; but this exemp
ton may not last long, and it behooves a
to prepare greater facilities for the exiting
uishment of fires than we now have. |
may not be advisable to go to the expens
of purchasing steam fire engines, but it vii
| 10 SSohohy AoA suC City w CACSL It
servoirs in different parts of the city, easy 0
access, and of sufficient capacity to proven
extended confagration.
The increase of our population require
the improvement of some of our hithert
, neglected streets. The first ward has, from
the natural advantages possessed over othe
parts of the city, been long neglected, an,
Z those of our citizens living south of tn
! slough have been left without the means O
. ready communication with other parts of tn
, CITY: and expenditures which might justl
have been made upon the streets there hav
: been used In more pressing localities. TIL
4 sparseness OF the population in the territor
referred to has been an excuse for OF max
ing more, and reader means of access /
and from that locality. The City Council il
pot the only bod that has been derelict 9
, dnty towards the inhabitants of that yicinit,
} Every person seeking a home among us
I apt to look at the character of the pubIi
f buildings as an index to the enterprise O
v the people; and one who sees a shanty fo
: aschool-house is not likely to select that Ia
0 cality for the education of his children. .,
a peeially if that is coupled with roundabout
}, ways and impossible streets. II is due I
; the inhabitants of that locality that they b
= furnished with the same Recommendations n
have been extended to more favored parts {
t the city and while we cannot dictate an
!. Improvement in regard to the public build
;. ings, we can to some extent improve thei
i means OF communication to and from othe
q i parts of, fho U1,ot 7 l.. ,..I