Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-17

The public can judge whether or not the
Mayor has been inefficient" by reading the
following history of the proceedings in the
City Council in regard to the matter.
At a meeting of the City Council held
August 2, 1869, the following was adopted
WHEREAS, An Or nance was passed and ap-
proved July 25 1857, directing that all that por-
ton of the public landing between Madison and
Eagle streets in this city, and in front of blocks
| one, two and three, Il, 2 81 In Spencer |
Cases Addition to Rock Island, should be aP- |
propriated to the landing and use of stea boats,
WHsREAs, Said Ordinance has not been fully |
sarrisd out according to the meaning and intent
/ thereof, and
WuExEAs, The present public landing is
greatly inadequate to carry on the accommodating |
business necessary to be done on the river at this
point Therefore be II
Resolred, That the public landing between
Washington street and Eagle street be extended
aud improved as to make good safe and con
venient landing for steamboats,, vessels and other
sailing Crafts. to the intent thar the ord nance
alluded 70 may be fully carried out. and the in
terest OF the pablie properly promoted.
RssolVsd, That 81, 900 be, and the same is
! hereby appropriated TO be expended upon said
improvement this season under the direction of
the committee Of streets, alleys and public
grounds.
The following resolution was also offered
ct the same meeting, and on motion
adopted
} Rssolued, That as soon as ths levee is suitably
improved for steam boats landing at the foot Of
EAgle street the Wharf Master be and be Is
hereby directed TO ~Ause the Ferry Boat Com
pany to land their Ferry Boat At that point, and
said Eagle street is hereby declared TO be the
general landing place for said Ferry Boat Com
PAny's boat. Approved Sept 8, 1869.
At an adjourned meeting of the City
Council, August 9, 1869, the following pro-
ceedings were held, on petition 10 recon
slider the resolution locating the Ferry ct
Eagle street:
Aid. Spencer moved to reconsider resolution
relative 10 Ferry landing AYES Spencer. II uber
and skinner, s; nays, Rosenheld, Woilenhaupt,
Riley aod Eggleston, 4. Lost.
Aid Spencer moved to reconsider the $1,000
appropriation for improvement OF leyse. Lost
by same vote
May 6. 1872, st a meeting of the CITY
Council, AID. S.enrel moved that the resO-
luton passed BY the Council August 2 1869
locating the Ferry landing at the foot OF
Eagle street be reseinded. Ayes, 3 ; Noes,
t. Motion lost.
D May Is, 1872, the Mayor gave the City
j. Attorney the following;
P. T. AoBLHEHSa, ESQ, Cry ATTORNEY
DEAR sra You are hereby authorized and in
} struoted 10 take whatever steps you may deew
necessary TO remove the Ferry Boat 60 the foo
of Eagle street, aceordin 20 the instructions and
II resolutions of the City Council.
THOMAS MURDOCH Mayor
% Rock Island, May 10, 1872.
May II, 1872, the City Attorney advised
Z the Mayor that the proper way to remove
the ferry boat would be for him to Instruct
the Wharf Master (Jsrvis) to notify the per
80 son in charge Of the boat TO remove it with
!, in a specified time, and to further instruc
# the Wharf Master that if the ferry boat wa
> no. removed at the expiration Of the time
# given in the notice be should then cause the
e boat to be removed to the foot of Eagle
- street.
il The same day, bat at later hour, the
!. Mayor instructed the Wharf Master to pro
Il coed in accordance with the advice of she
It City Attorney.
About I o'clock the same evening, the
Wharf Master notified the person IN charge
3 Of the ferry boat to remove it to the foot O.
u Eagle street within "a hours.
On the same evening, after the service o
2 this notice, Mayor Murdoch gave Captain
e Robinson permission to keep his boat at tbs
Il foot of Washington street till the following
y Monday morning.
q On Monday, May 20Ih, the ferry boa
IS still remained at the foot of Washington
P street, aud, Mayor Murdoch being busy with
other matters, nothing was done By him OIL
{. the Wharf Master towards removing the
boat.
, On Tuesday forenoon, May 2lss,) th'
. boat still a. Washington street, Mayor Mur
dock, Marshal Mitsch, Wharf Master Jarvis
and City Attorney McElberue al went to
gether to see Capt. Robinson. The Mayor
requested him to move bis boat. Captain
Robinson refused to do so. The City At.
torney then proposed to Capt. Robinson that
they submit the matter to lodge Pleassuts
for his decision and abide BY it. Capt Rob.
inson refused to do that also. The City At
Iorney then informed the Mayor thai he
ough. to instruct the Wharf Master to re-
move the boat, "a he had revoked his former
order by giving Robinson permission to re-
main after the time of notice had expired.
The Mayor then informed the Wharf Master
that he now empo Eered him to proceed to
remove said ferry boat, with the distinct
understanding that he THE Mayor would
not allow any Of the police force of the city
to assist the Wharf Master in removing the
boat. This was said IN presence Of Mitsch,
Jarvis and McElherne OF course tina. was
the end Of the matter
Now let US see what the Mayor is bound
by his oath to do. In the Charter of the
city, page 49, paragraph 2, it is provided
among the duties of the Mayor, as follows /:
He shall preside over the meetings Of the City
/ council, ana shall take care that the laws OF the
stAte and the Ordinances Of the city are duly
enforced, respected and observed.
The following extract from his oath, on
file in the city clerks office, finishes the
history
| I do solsmnly swear that will hithfa'ly dis
charge the duties of the Office Of Mayor Of the
| City Of Rock fslaud, 81 and that I will
devote so much Of my time to the duties Of my
office ~ an efficient discharge thereof may re-
qlire 60 hslP me God.
THOMAS MURDooK.
| Subscribed and sworn 10 before me this 18th
day Of March, A. D., 1917.
j. ". SMoNsoH, J. p,
| We will make no comment on the "efici-
en." action of the Mayor, except TO say,
that, not long since, when few cars were
lef. in front of where the ferry now illegally,
and in defiance of the city, lands, the Mayer
was very efficient" in having them re-
moved. Why should he not be as efficient"
in enforcing the orders of the City Council