The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-03
MAYOR REYNOLDS ECONOMY.
He Guards the Taxpayers In
terests and Gives Employ
ment to the Poor Man.
The "Dark-Lantern" Liars Rebuked
BY Official Figures.

by Official Figures.
The leaders of the Dark. Lantern
League" are making desperate efforts to
gain control of the city's financial affairs,
and have caused to be distributed broad
east over the city, an Organ Extra, with
flaming head lines, containing reckless, Tex
travagant, and false statements and COM
parsons, trying to show that Mayor Key
nolds' administration has been $4,000
more extravagant than the Butler admin
istratiou. A more false and lying publ
cation was never made, and shows to what
desperate straits the Secret League Is
put to convince voters that they favor
economy; when not one OF the leaders OF
that party care the least for economy, or
have any interest in lower taxes. so they
can get their hands upon the city money.
Did every voter know the source from
which these false statements come It
would not be necessary to pay any atten-
ton whatever to them. They are absurd
on their face, as will be seen from the Off
cisl statement which we copy below. They
are again con,radicted by the following
| facts
Mayor Reynolds expended for street work
and culvert repairs, which are permanent
improvements, the sum of Sll ,562.62, and
this gave employment to laboring men.
For the extension of Water Mains
which is permanent Improvement and g
benefit to the people, besides increasing
the future revenue of the city, the sum Of
81, 1853. SS;-this also gave employment tt
Iaborers at a time when they needed work
For the building Of the 9Th avenue anG
10Th street sewers, which we're seriously
needed, and are permanent Improvements
the sum of $4,S777I- which was so muct
towards the support ST lsboriug men
He has also added to the assets of th'
city 81. 900 for gravel lots; he has done ava!
with useless salaried officers, their liver
hire, Office rent and furniture, so as to say,
the city $1,000; he has reduced the amour
of interest paid by the city from TEN PEI
CENT. to eight and sac per cent, and he hs
paid all the running expenses Of the Cit
eoithout Increasing the city indebtedness
whereas Buffers administrations increased
The city debt, IN round numbers, 500, 900.
These figures are taken from the book.
in the clerks Office and, sumed up, SHOW
that Mayor Reynolds administration IA
made permanent improvements in the cit,
to the amount Of $2S,4942l. In addition
to this the Reynolds administration, ha
paid $44 SIS IA Of Indebtedness contTaete
By the Butler administration, as the state
ment below will show.
/. | Even if it we're true that Mayor Rey
J nolds, administration has been extavagan
aud reckless, where were the nations
aldermen in the council while all this Wa
going on? Why were not their voice
raised against it2 Where was the pen Of Ii
Ex-Purser that it waits till the eve Of eleC
ton before it condemns? Obi no. II
whole thing is lie to make taxpayers b
lieve the Dark Lantern League" favo
economy! Who are they, and how muC
c taxes do they pay? But read the stat
ment of the city clerk and vote accordiugI
y STATEMENT OF THE CITY CLERK.
l. Rock ISLAND, Ill, March Sd, 1879
e Statement of old bills. notes, &c, paid
Mayor Reynolds. which were contract'
and unpaid, before his administration:
City time orders taken up and paid. S34, S6S c
Interest paid on time orders........ 2,S9i
d Street work and Boynton's wages
O unpaid. ................ So
Old witness fees and costs OF suits. 80
Old damage suits compromised. IT'S {
Attorneys fees in wharfage suits... 800 {
y Hose for fire department, contracted
K by Butler council ............ ..... 1900 {
q Water pipes ordered by Butler
II council, Observation-Disclosures. S,9s7
# Bridge bills left unpaid. 81
5, Az 5A9