The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-25
The Water Works,


Rock ISLAND, ILL.,, Feb. IS, 1881
To the Editor Of the Argus.
The eolumns'of the Rock Island Union
has for several days been teeming with
articles either editorial or what purports
to be correspondents agitating the water
works question. The Union is evidently
a little ioony on this matter as it was IN
advocating the adoption of the general in
corporation law. Does the Union see
another job in it. and is its prospective
candidate fer mayor with his henchmen
forming ring TO set up job on the tax
payers of Rock Island. it looks as ii some
body expected to make money cut of 1t.
Who Ia it that is furnishing all these
articles In the Union, Is it some inter-
ested parties2 Has Cowley been here
lately2 [ think The ARGUS position in
the matter is a correct one. The city has
no legal right to increase the indebtedness
as it is now beyond its legal
limits, but the legal representa-
ton of neither the city or county paid any
attention to the legal iimi;s 10 ievying
tax iasi year. and we have no assurance
that thoy will not continue ito DO so. 1t is
but short time since, about $4,000 was
expended 10 increasing the power and
capacity of the water works and extending
the pipes out to the main channel Of the
river 10 order, as il was then claimed. to
secure as pure water as could secured any
where in the river, and placing the mouth
OF the conduit beyond anywhere in the
river, and placing the mouth of the con-
duit beyond the reach of shore sewage.
La order TO ascertain the exact locality of
the channel opposite the water works
foat was dropped in the middle of the
river at thesbridge and foated down to the
water works and it hoated immediately
over where the conduit is now placed
Showing that when the water is received
into the pipes it is probably as pure as it
would be il placed at the point Of the
island when all the sewage from the island
would more or less affect the
water, unless the pipes were run
out to the main channel. | do wish at
present 10 go into a discussion as to the
merits aor dement's Of the different sites
for locating the water works as deem the
further agitation or removal unnscs ssary
and uncalled for, at present.
| think thc most sensible article that
has appeared 10 the columns of the Union
on the subiecA was one that appeared
repiing to 'Que7ist." He began by say
ing Il think it must surely be the brain
instead of the bowels OF "Queriss" that
has been affected by the water" and
winds up by saying Now il Qusrist
thinks the contamination from the bene
factory can aoat one and half miles
against a current running about six miles
an hour. l think all will admit that
Querist is the very Queerest loon that
the water works controversy has produc-.
ed" If Common Sense" had Only added
that "Queriest" had earned for himself
the right to be called meddler without
knowledge. he would not have been far
wrong am opposed to the locating of
the water works above Moline when new
location becomes necessary, for this reason
and only this The friction on four or FIVE
miles of water mains would be SO great
that ii would render tbs fire pressure
Or actically worthless This any we'll in
formed. practical, civil engineer would
inform you and it weuld seem folly in
Rock Island to advocate it.
TAX PAYER.