The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-19
Reckless, inefficient and Incompetent
Management Of our Water Works.


exhibited such an utter want of ability.
common sense. or disregard of the will of
the people as that which established and
built and for the most part run our water
works.
/. 1t was a shameful and contemptuous
disregard of the rights of the people to at
tempt the construction of water works
without first obtaining authority from the
people. To run a whole people in debt,
without their consent, thus forcing mort
gage on their labor and property, was an
outrage which none but Republican city
council would dare attempt. The works
were built 5 or 10 years too soon, and
should never have been built without the
peoples consent.
2. The friends Of the fraud had pledged
themselves that the cost of the works
should not much exceed hundred thou
sand dollars, which was too low an estimate
for such works as we ought to have, and
in order to keep down the cost to some
where near their figures they spoiled the
whole job.
3. They located the pumping house in
the worst place they could find. The risk
Of damage from ice at the breaking up of
the river is greater there than at almost
any other point, and the quality of the
water about as bad as at any point on our
river front. The pumping house should
have been located above town. 1t would
have been better to have located it above
Moline than where it is, for then the
natural fall of the water would have kept
the pipes full, and large portion of water
takers could have been supplied without
using any power whatever. A fire alarm
telegraph could order a fire pressure at
any moment,-and two towns could have
been supplied at reasonable rate. This
may be done yet.
But if arrangements could not haye
been made for this plan, then the pumping
house should have been on the corner or
near the corner of Madison and Front
streets and the water have been taken
from the point of the Island, where pure
supply can always be had.
4, The works we're badly constructed.
Incompetency placed the machinery on an
insecure foundation, causing double ex-
pense of removal, and rebuilding the foun-
dation. Incompetency built the water
tank so that we took the dirty surface
water and we're in danger of being cut of
from any water at all. In 1873, Mayor
Davenport suggested a change by which
the water should be taken from the bed
of the stream. His suggestion was not
adopted until the following year.
5. The pumping power is too small, and
We are told that if all the people on the
r line of the mains now laid were to take
: water it would exhaust the present power
to lift the water to supply them. 1t is ;
great waste of power to lift the watel
e from the pumping house to Central Sta
ton or in fact to all that part of the tow
= now supplied.
VI hCtC 81 oudiION
, that 10 cold winters the mains were left t.
S freeze and burst and the city left withou
Il water. The commissioners ought to hav
Y known what the result would be.-but
Y they had not the necessary knowledge
}, they were told by numerous citizens VIII
II saw that the job was being spoiled an
u the safety of property and health an
n comfort of the people placed in leopard!
is But shallow trenches were part of th
e plan to keep down the expense. To e
,e the pipes under ground and out of sigh
l. at the least cost, seemed to be the object
,e trusting luck for the balance From fy
e. to ten thousand dollars would have place
M the pipes below the frost ihe, in the b.
c. ginning, and insured us supply of wat'
ty in the coolest weather. As it is, the pip,
are nearly all bursted and the cost of r
laying them will be about az much as tt
!, original cost.
~ 7. With roll of water takers, the re
~ enue from which foots up $4,000 yea
II only $1,000 has been collected. Any ms
= :. who should manage his private business
" such loose and inefficient manner as Il
" water rent matter has been manage
y would be liable to have custodian appoi
- ted to take care of his property and sa'
W him from becoming public change. F
~ their organ too continually repeat tn
they get no pay for their services is no e
- cuse. If they cannot give their attenti,
q to the collection of the bills they shou
~ get down and out of the way and leave
y for more competent successors. We a
informed that there are men now TAXI
- water who have taken it from the sta
. and have never paid cent; others VI
TO- have only made One or two payments; al
others who pay at different rate fro
~ that on the roll The list we publish
: the other day shows that there are perso
taking water whose surnames only a
e. known, and no rate fixed at which they a
to be charged.
u" These are only few facts in the fo
roll showing the weakness ineficienoy,
er something worse, if the management of I
ng works from the beginning.
s. The ordinance creating board viii
is rival to that of the peoples coun
was another mistake. The water wor
:: should be managed by a standing comm
- tee of the city council, the same as t
streets, the fire department, the financs