The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-28
Radical Extravaganza.
Nearly One Hundred Thousand
DOIIarsin Jail Taxes Raised.
THE JAIL NOT PAID FOR YET.
Figures For The Masses.

On the corner oil Deer anu oi''
stands the Rock Island county jail. 1t was
contracted for in 1854 its erection was
commanded in 1855; and in 1856 it was
completed, and ready for occupancy. 1t
is not by any means a palatial structure
Finer buildings are inhabited by rogues not
only at other county seats, but right here IN
Rock Island We don't say this to please
the rogues, but merely to draw comparisons
between the buildings. The point upon
which we wish to concentrate the attention
of the reader, ia, that this is very ordinary
Jail. 1t is so ordinary, in fact, that Sheriff
Peetz used W find it difficult to keep his
boarders ct home when he cut down on their
rations. And when good natured cut
throe. once reached out and dragged Peetz
in, by way of morning joke, and after
locking him up in cell, skedaddled, 1t is
said that Pee,z almost got out himself, with
! cut any outside aid except the sympathy OF
the skedaddling scallawag. A Chicago
female, with burglarious ideas, once got out
with only tho assistance Of an oily tongue,
a cadaverous countenance, and poor Peetzs
tender compassion. We might also include
the tight board fence and the COW shed. We
could enumerate at length, for the prede'
cessor Of Mr.. Drury had an eventful term OF
Office. The thing terminated in rather a
draw game between him and his party. He
20. quite enough Of the Office, and the pub
lie and his party got quite enough OF nm
All Of which goes to show that this IS very
ordinary jail as we said before There are
better tails than this in lllinos-there are
finer looking ones-more substantial ones
larger ones ails built of better material
and 80 forth and so on, but we very much
doubt if there is more expensive Jail on
the sacred soil of the Sucker State. Thii
may stsrtle some quiet reader who has
dozed indolently along through succession
of years, under the fond delusion tina
everything was lovely, and the count.
goose hanging sufficiently high. 1t ma,
wake up some honest republican who hash
vet disposed of his soul and conscience oil
the altar Of office. 1t may cause SOM
weary farmer to pause in his field and lie
fleet upon the inevitable results OF radica
legislation and extravaganza. 1t may, per
adventure, induce some one to deny wha
we have all the time been endesvoring t.
illustrate-that radical precepts dul' en-
forced mean extravaganza and ruin from tn
q halls Of Congress to the humble room of
). county Board of Supervisors.
But we won't wait to be contradicted. W
will 20 on with our facts and figures, an
see what the Court House Ring and tn
Barnaclos will do with them. Sisyphus, 70
some crime or misdemeanor which we nev'
Ii inquired about was condemned by the author
ties of the Internal regions to roll q stone
at vast weight to the crest of high hill, bl
n. when the steep was nearly reached, and h
task seemed nearly done, the rock was for
ed back by some unseen power, and hurlt
VI down to the foot OF the hill again. Pc
le Sisyphus was allowed no time. to recruit
o. exhausted strength, but despite h
q to still continue his endless to
II And every tax. payer in Rock Island coun
10 is a Sisypbus, and is trying to roll gre
weight of taxation to the crest of HILL al
when the task seems nearly accomplishe
g the Court House Ring commands him
II recommence the same unceasing toll, b
e ginning at the foot of the hill again. Or
y of the biggest stones which our people hay
} been rolling at for many years past is mot
esty termed "the jail tax" Our attentio
has been directed to it by the action of tt
P last Board of Supervisors, which voted
levy "tax Of two and a half mills per do
lar, to be designated as the Jail tax
! What 10 the jn,l-tax for? Let us 'unro
the mouldy records of the past as well t
the more legble ones of the present.
s As we have said before, our very ordinar
e IaiI was commenced in 1855. A few thol
sand dollars lying idle in the Treasury wer
= devoted to this purpose, and bonds to tn
. amount of $4,000 were issued to pay tn
balance. These bonds were issued on tn
first of July, 1855. The jailtax has bee
to pay these bonds and the interest accruin
y on them. Now let us see what it costs t
build Jail. We take our figures from tn
county records, which any one can see b
walking into the county clerks Office Oh
:, making known his wishes. We don't wal
" any skeptcal reader to take our word for il
We want him to 60 and look at the record
for himself.
BY the reports of the various Treasurer
> we find that the following jailtaxes hav
II been raised in this county during the pa
g thirteen years:
s. Raised In 5000
" 1897 Observation-Disclosures. 3,uos