The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-14
CITY COUNCIL.
New Headquarters in Star Block---A
City Jail Talked of---Haek
Licences.
Special Meeting--oAicial Report.

Special Meeting--oalcial Report
CITY COUNCIL RooM,
Rock ISLAND. Jan. 10. 1875. ,
~ O'CLOCK. PM
Council met in adjourned session at Il
?. NJ. Present, the Mayor, and Aldermen
Bell, Bailey, Churchill, Carse Don, War
rem, Engel and Warner. Absent, Alder
men Butler and Davis. The reading of
the minutes was dispensed with. The pc
tition of John E. Bready for an abatement
of $4.6l gas tax on his personal property
as charged in error, was referred to the
Finance Committee.
The petition of Thos. B. Graham, Copp
& Bro. and others, asking that the license
on hacks, sleighs, etc., be reduced to ten
dnllars for the remainder OF the fiscal year |
ending April /, 1875, was rejected,
The clerk read report OF the City
Marshal which was referred to the Com |
mittee on Police and the City Marshal to
report at the next meeting.
The marshal, in his report, says he be-
lieves that saving of several hundred dol
lars can be effected annually by the city
owning its own calaboose and thereby re-
tanning full control of the city prisoners.
In support of this belief he gives tabula
ted statement showing that there were Alb
arrests by the city police, for various OF
teuces, between March l and January !,
of which 343 were for violation OF city
ordinances. Of the persons arrested, 22l
have been confined in the county Jail for
periods ranging from one to fifteen days
each. The aggregate number OF days OF
confinement was 69l, and the cost to the
city $8O4.75, AN average of $l.l6a per day
or traction, every fractional portion being
charged full day. In illustration Of this
point. the Marshal says: The "a prison
ers charged at one day. and the lO8 charg.
ed at two days, did not receive to exceed
one ueal each, fer which the city paid the
SUN of $33676, aud which need not have
cost the city Operating their own lock-u
to exceed twenty-five cents per meal, or
$33, this on the superstition that each pris
oner had peen furnished with one meal.
| which need not be the case had the city
operated their own calaboose, as they would
| have been taken before the magistrate for
trial at an early hour, or as soon as they
had recovered from their debauch.
The same rule would apply to the SO
prisoners laggregating 45l days conhne.
ment1 committed for longer period than
two days, for the keeping of WHOM the city
paid $468. Us, for by the contract system at
IS cents per meal the cost would be SIP.
Is, less at least one day per head, s2225,
leaving the net cost to the city, at % cents
per meal, $l2350 for the ten months.
l do not apprehend that there would be
any difficulty in making with some party
living near the lookup. (should the city
see fit to establish onel, contract to feed
the prisoners at the rate mentioned.
There are reasons other than financial
why it would be advisable for the city t,
have its own lookup, among which might
| be mentioned the fact that In this city, az
10 ali others, there is large number Of
unruly boys from the age of IL to IS whom
: the police ind it difficult to manage tol
the want OF suitable place 10 which to con
2 fne them, it being impolitic tn sabject ths
youth to the pernicious influence of thu
county Jail. There are also frequent case,
where parties should be held inn restrain
for few hours, and when the police woule
, not be justitiedin incarcerating them in tn,
e county Jail.
e By this plan, also, the city's prisoner,
would be on hand at any time for labor OF
: the streets, without the necessity of hunt
2 ing up a turnkey or waiting for late meals
e During the past nine months 27S persons
: have been accommodated with lodging a
the Marshars office, renderin, the office a
0 times almost unbearable and unfit for oc
D cupancy.
e For the further information of your hon
orable body. would state that the tw,
n story brick building owned by A. Hull. ant
: centrally situated, on the west side O
e Washington street, between Illinois an,
Mississippi streets, can be obtained for tin
a purpose named, at say $500 rent per an
e NUN for term Of FIVE years. The build
t ing is 4Ox20 on the ground, the lower stor,
being 10 one room and the upper in three
1t would be necessary tor Mr. Hull to in
: troduce gas and water into the building
provide privy vault, and plaster a par
or all of the lower story
l am not prepared to furnish an esti
6 mate OF the cost necessary to partition OF
y into cells, as the expense would Deepen,
) upon the kind of material employed an,
} would vary from $3.50 to $500, including
o three iron lattice work doors, and iro
>, bars for protection of the windows
The upper story would furnish office &C
COMMUNICATION for the superintendent o
It Water Works and Marshal, for which tn
# city Is now paying$225 per annum, whic
II amount, applied to paying rent Of Hull
y building, would bear rent of lock up 81
u per annum.
e The Street and Alley Committee re
8 ported favorably on the petition of job
Bengston, to erect an iron stairway to tn
> first story of tie brick block to be built o.
the corner of Eagle and Illinois streets.
: The Mayor appointed Alderman Bel
s and Carse committee to confer with
similar committee of the Davenport
Council as to uniform license on hack
: aud other vehicles travelling between boil
cities.
The committee appointed at the las
meeting to report on f. Hass' rooms. re
n .orted that f. Hass would rent the Cit,
Council his rooms for one year or more fo
a rental of 500 per year, and that in cas-,
: the moving of the furniture, safe, etc.
: should cost over ten dollars, he (Hass
would pay all over that sum-
Alderman Bell moved that the PROPOSE
ton of Mr. f. Hass be accepted, which
was carried by the following vote;
Ayes-Alderman Bell, Carse Churchill
Engel and Woodruff.
Noes-Alderman Bailey, Don anl
,, Warner-3.
On motion adjourned.
I S. L. Cooke, City Clerk.
| NANTES xrrDr a &y-> rzvr-,--