The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-04
WATER WORKS |
Opinions of Some of Our
Business Men.
OPPOSITION 70 CHANGE OF
LOCATION.

As the council has voted to submit to
the people at the coming election the ques-
ton of issuing $25. 600 additional bonds for
changing the location of the water works
to the foot OF Goth street. it ia important
that all the light possible should be thrown
on the subject in order to enable our citi-
gems to vote intelligently. The question
of increasing the indebtness Of the city
$25. 900 is one that concerns every tax
payer and before the vote is had to decide
this matter there should be the fullest
possible discussion. In order to arrive at
the feeling among our leading citizens.
THE ARGUS interviewed some of the
heaviest tax payers and business men in
the city. The FIRST person interviewed
was
MR., A. @. DART,
| of the wholesale grocery house OF Darts
| Sons. He was very out>spoken in his
opposition to any further expense on the
water works, at present. II think The
ARGUS is right" said Mr.. Dart, this city
is deep enough IN debt now.
The reservoir plan is the best. Put a
reservoir at the bluff and draw water from
Rock river. or use steam and force it from
the Mississippi. This would give pure
water and be permanent, The city is not
prepared to do this now and il had bette
wait until it can. There is no guarantee
of an improvement by removal to the foot
al b. nari
ment at the best. This city is sufficiently
in debt now without going in any deeper.
Yeu will End the principal tax payers
opposed to the scheme.
Will an injunction be served in case
of attempted issuance of bonds?
Yes sir; know that to be so.-Why.
it wouldn't be any time before an injunc-
ton would be asked.
It ia all good enough to talk about pure
water ut the foot Of goth strest-perhaps
they can get it and perhaps they cant.
The reservoir plan is the best for the
city and would be permanent, We can't
go into that sort of expense now SO we
had better wait s.There is one thing you
can rest assured sf-thsre will be an in.
junction served just as soon as the city
tries TO increase the present Indebtedness
There are good many things about this
water works business [ don't understand
and there are . good many others who
don't either.
JUDGE G. LYEDE.
Judge Lynde was found in bis bank. and
in response to inquiries spoke very freely
in regard to to the water works. The
Judges views are important, as he has
had large experience and is regarded as a
conservative, deliberate thinker. In the
first place. said the Judge. am opposed
to any further expense at present /
think the city is sufficiently in debt now
in fact the amount of present indebted
ness is fully up to the constitutional limit
and there is no power to create more
debt, The people cannot vote
to burden the city with an
unconstitutional debt and the
sooner this matter 10 fully understood the
better, There are many. you know, said
the Judge, who never stop to consider the
question of legslity-seem to think it 10
simply necessary to vote to issue bonds
and that ends it-but il does no such
thing. Any citizen can ask for an ipjune-
ton at any time before the bonds are real
ly issued. and do not think there is any
question but the injunction would issue.
| This of itself would seem to me, Sufficient
to settle the water works question. 1t
would be clearly illegal to issue the bonds.
and as an illegal act cannot stand-why
that would seem to end the whole matter
at least that is my judgment Of it.
| AS regards securing better water from
change of location, said the Judge, am
net prepared to say. 10 my opinion. the
best water can be obtained from above
Moline. A joint water works between the
two cities would, in my judgement be the
best-wouId give US better water than at
any other point.
How about the reservoir plan. you ask.
said the Judge, we'll dcn't kuo~ much
about the reservoir system-that is as to
it's cost, etc presume it is rather expen
sivs at present 1t would seem TO me tbst
the only way out of the matter is to make
the best of what we have. The present
debt il. as I said before. fully up to the
constitutional limits. and ss IN Injunction
could readily be obtained to prevent
issuance of bonds increasing the debt, it
would seem to be complete check to the
proposed change.
| DAVID DON
was seen at his store and spoke unreserv-
eddy his views on the water works ques-
ton. 1 do not believe. said Mr. Don, that
there is present necessity for change of
location. The scientific tests show the
water to be as IMPURE at goth street as
elsewhere-it is so anywhere most Gu the
Mississippi-more or less sediment in the
water. do not believe the water is the
cause of all the siekness-l speak for
myself, however. and would not like 10 say
that the water does not effect some persons
but it certainly does not affect me