The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-27
A Suggestion.

nliU pUESCeLlOu-tun buo Auuu upOu Ouk
streets be utilized. Our venerable, but
nevertheless active and energetic street.
has his mind so filled with
great Improvements extending through a
series of several centuries, that the little
matter of street cleaning is left to six fore
menend one laborer. The fate Of that
poor laborer may ultimately be that of the
famous New York regiment, consisting of
nine hundred and ninety nine officers and one
private, where the officers took turns at the
regimental drill, and in the end the pri-
vate died from sheer exhaustion. We
hope no such catastrophe may happen in
our midst through the fierce and unrelent-
ing energy Of the foremen under the Or
ders Of the matchless commissioner; but
lest, peradventure, there may be some dis
aster which shall end the life of the solitary
laborer and distract the plans of the fore
men, whereby the system evolved from
the translucent inner consciousness OF the
great and irrepressible active commissioner
may be temporarily disarfanged. it has
been suggested that the city go into the
business of making brick, utilizing the mud
upon the streets for that purpose. The
great hanging gardens" of ancient Baby
lon have been regarded by all great minds
as specimens of wonderful engineering
skill, considering the imperfect skill which
engineers possessed in those days com
pared with the marvels which modern
street commissioner can evolve from his
inner consciousness in a comfortable Office
and the hanging gardens aforesaid might
serve as a prototype of like marvellous
structure within the limits Of this city, tC
be erected under the management and
supervision of the street commissioner ant
his six foremen. The proposition-whict
by the way, as before remarked, is merely
suggestion, because no one knowingly
may presume to venture to suppose more
than mere hint,a bare suggestion, of a grea
conception is necessary to its being fully
grasped, outlined, and specifically detailed
in the vast and outlying infinite compre
hension of gigantic individual intellectual
ity inherent in the street commissioner
the proposition is to make a continuou:
brick pavement supported by arches ovel
the - after all, it is better to stop RICH
right there. We thought it was possible
to speak right out, in an indefinite anC
general manner to be sure. but still t
speak of method by which the city nigh
possibly be greatly benefited in the comirj
ages, while the preliminary steps could b.
inaugurated by the present most exalted
and truly beloved commissioner. Pardon
for the temerity which could induce tn
presumptuous thought. When one be
holds the great Chief in his supernal dig
nifty, surrounded by his dilIigent ant
already oyertasked staff of clerks, copyists
draughtsmen and compilers, sees the Joni
rolls of complicated designs and specifca
lions for works that shall require the las
syllable of recorded time to complete, anC
notes with an eye Of bewildered surpris
the letter presses worked by steam whicl
scarcely suffice to copy a correspondence
carried on with all the wise men of tn
world and considerable portion of tn
spirits of the outer universe
Let the proposition, or rather che sug
gestion, let it drop-as Mr.. Toots woul
say, its of no consequence. We have Blu
one regret to express. The niggardl
policy of the city authorities in restrictin
and limiting the appointments and ex
penses of the street commissioners office
should meet with indignant rebuke. TIL
people ought to rise in their majesty and wit
universal acclaim demand that his ofic
should be fitted up in manner, and wit
! such rare and costly taste. as BELTS tn
greatness and immensely of that geDiu
which will hereafter be known of all me
8 by the immortal works of engineering wit
D which this city is to be adorned.
We are surprised to find there are Cit
J zens Of such narrow and illiberal views 9
to grudge the little pecuniary trifes whic
: the luxury Of a well appointed Office and
good salary necessarily require. Let tt
public be more generous. 1t is the onl
> fat take among all the CITY Offices.
The foregoing is merely suggestion
the next thing will be an inquiry: