The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-13
THE ROCK RIVER BRIDGES.
The City's Position i'm the Matter-.-lt
Owns Them and Must Maintain
Them-The Proper Course.

For some time past-more especially
since the last meeting of the city council
the question of the city's right to the
Rock river bridges has been frequently
agitated. There is as there has been be-
fore, considerable desire to have the
city abandon charge of these bridges,
with the idea that the county would then
be obliged to accept and maintain them.
With view of ascertaining the exact po-
sition of the city in the matter, an ARGUS
reporter called upon Judge Wilkinson
this morning, and from him CLEANED the
following points;
The right OF the city of Rock Island in
the Rock river bridges was originally ac-
quired by purchase from the Rock Island
& Camden plank road company in 1857.
which purchase was in February, 1859,
legalzed by an act of the Legislature, and
the bridges property, charter and fran>
chise so sold to the city were by said law
declared to be vested in the city of Rock
Island, its successors and assignees to hold.
use, improve and enjoy or transfer and
dispose of, as fully as the said Rock ISL
and & Camden plank road company could
do previous to the sale.
The object OF this purchase as recited
in the law organizing it, was for the i'm
proving of the highways into the city and
reducing the Rates of toll for crossing the
bridges. The term of the franchise which
the city thus acquired, expired in 1879,
and the legislature on the 9Th of May. of
that year, passed an act which provided
that where any city or village is the owner
of any toll bridges or ferries and is keep
ing up and maintaining the same by au-
thority of law, all ownership and right
vested in said city shall continue in, and
be held and exercised by said cities, and
that they may from time to time fix thu
rate of toll on such bridges ard ferries
1t viii be readily seen therefore thai
the city must support and maintain these
bridges, ard if in doing so, loss is sui
fered, there is nobody To blame but th(
city, for it is too late now to remedy a
mistake made almost thirty years ago
The only way to rid Rock Island Of thu
burden of responsibility is by mutua
agreement with the county, and there |,
little hope for the city in this direction
as the county has already on numerous
occasions cmphatically signitied its un
willingness to have anything to do will
the bridges.
In relation 20 the proposed ordinance
charging the Rock Island & Milan stree
railway $500 per annum for use of tn
bridges, Judge Wilkinson offered valu
able suggestion which the municipal
body will act wisely in following. 1t i
to tender the keeping of the bridges il
good condition and repair to the stree
railway company for the use of them. T
abolish the toll entirely except in case o
the bridges being destroyed by flood o
otherwise, when toll might be charge,
for sufficient length of time to defra
the expenses of new bridges, etc. If tn
railway company is taxed for use of til
bridges, an increase in the fare {
and from Milan will undoubte(
~ have to be made, as the ARGUS has
upon good authority that money has bee
lost upon the Milan road in the pas
two years. The road is an advantage T.
Rock Island, and should be encourage
rather than burdened with unnecessar
taxation.
There is in the municipal code pro
vision-a bridge fund-for the annua
tolls of these bridges which amount
TO about 81 600 But this fund has in re
cent years been neglected and ignored
The collections from the bridges hav
been used in various ways; no fund hi
been established and in the event of th
. destruction of the bridges or other cost
casualty, the borrowing of money wou
4 have to be resorted to before repair
could be made The city will do well
. weigh the matter carefully before impos
ing unreasonable taxes upon an inslitr
ton that is of infinite value to it.