Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-12
STARTING In EARNEST.
Another Important Meeting of the
Improvement Association.
VI alters Discussed Last Evening and
some Decisive Action to be Takeu..-
Various committees Report .spee.
ial Assessment, Free Bridges, Etc.

u
Various committees Keport---spee.
iai Assessment, Free Bridges, Etc.
The adjourned meeting Of the Citizens
Improvement association at the city
council chamber last evening, was as the
preceding meetings of this progressive
organization have been, well attended,
and the spirit of eaInestness which has
been displayed from the first continued
to char acterize every action. President
Hass and the other officers were preset
as were those who have been prominent
in the work of the association since its
institute on, and many also who have not
| heretofore attended the meetings and all
of whom last night became identified
with the organic alton.
| After the routine proceedings had been
disposed of President Hass called upon
! the various committees for reports and
| the result was number of gratifying
communications, showing not only that
the majority of the committeeman had
been active, but that everything under
taken bids fair to be accomplished and
the new association will give to Rock
Island life and energy such as has not
been felt here before The first COM
mittee to report was that on advertising
which through Mr.. Saville Johnston sub
mitted draft of an advertising envelope,
the back of which would be printed free
of cost to business men. who would be
asked simply to pay the ordinary price
for envelopes with individual cards on
the front; also a plan for monthly
newspaper issue which should be mailed
to such people as our business men de-
sired to reach, at fifty cents year.
Neither project was to entail any ex-
pense to the association and both were
endorsed by the adoption of the report.
The executive committee, through Sec
rotary Medill, submitted a constantly
growing list of membership containing
elghty-two names already, accompanied
by statement that the committee ex-
pected to experience no difficulty in en-
rolling membership of at least double
that number by the next meeting.
The committee on free bridges through
chairman Ludolph, reported in favor
taking such course as would lead the
city council TO make free gift of the
Rock river bridges to the county, with
the only proviso that the county main
tain the same free and for the be nefit of
the public. Remarks favorable to such
move were made by Messrs. Oliver
| Olsen, August Huesing and others, and
finally upon motion the chair designated
Messrs. Oliver Olsen, August Huesing
and Saville Johnston to confer with the
supervisors in regard to the matter, anC
take whatever further action in layins
the matter before the council, might bt
deemed advisable.
incidentally to the discussion of thi
project Dr. W A Paul stated that he
had been down through the lower end o.
the county IN the past few days, and tina
everywhere he had talked of the matte
the farmers were enthusiastically il
favor of the removal of the tolls and tn
adoption of the bridges by the count,
if necessary, and that the people in tn
country spoke mplimentarily of 5he in
dications of new life in Rock Island a
manifested through the new association
The committee on special assessments
through Mr. E. E. Parmenter, one OF ii
members, submitted the following repor
which was unanimously adopted, and tn
committee further instructed to procur
a former report on this subject, in orde
that the association might have the &C
vantage of its additional suggestions i
preparing a memorial to the city council
WHEREAS, We believe that the burden
of taxation, for any public improvement
should be borne where possible on thos
benefited instead of being added to tn
already UNEQUAL rate of taxation whic
now frigLtens capital from investin
here, and
WHEREAS, The appearance of our eli
should be improved so as not to contra
so disparagingly as it does, with prOgre
sive modern cities; therefore, be it
Res0lUed, That we, the Citizens In
provement association, petition the cit
council of Rock Island to establish t
ordinance comprehensive plan of sire
Improvement by special taxation of pro-
erty benefited; that the principal bus
ness streets may be paved at once, an
that the approaches to the city, such
Twelfth street AMI Twentieth street,
macadamized thoroughly and that Six
avenue be also opened by cOndemnatit
if necessary and the cost thereof defray,
by special assessment, and that board al
cinder sidewalks be abolished, and d
the CITY assume the construction a
maintenance of all sidewalks. thereby $
curing uniformity in material and wild
and immunity from danger to the passe
. by-avoiding the risk of damage suits
and that the expense OF such improv
ments be betrayed by special taxation
abutting property.
The special committee on permane
quarters, through its chairman. DR.. Pa
r. made verbal report of the various roo
vi inspected and in favor of the renting
-. the corner room on the first floor Of t
Harper theatre building for SIS mon
The report led to general discussion
to the proprlety or i'm mediate necess
of securing permanent quarters, and
was finally decided to accept the gen
Gus offer of President Hass of TO
free in his block for committee work, a
. to continue the committee that it mi!
confer with the city authorities for
use of its chamber for all ASSOCIATE
II and other meetings for the present,
4, A communication from Mr.. Milo |
resigning the craftsmanship of the &C
mittee on street railways, because of
= inability to properly discharge the dut
was read by Secretary Medil and acce