Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-05-10

has produced as yet only three waite
takers who together only pay SIS pc
annum, and it Is doubtful whether a
many more will become consumers dur
ing the year TO come. The proposed ex
tension on Seventeenth street may pei
haps prove more remunerative, still 1t
not probable the receipts for some year
will amount to even 10 per cent on cost
that on Fifth avenue TO the city limits n
one expects the receipts from consumer
will afford anything like an adequate re
turn to the city for many years. Tn
strongest and really only valid reaso
offered in support of any OF these exten
sions in the present financial condition o
the city is their protective utility In case
OF fire. Unless more consumers and bet
ter returns for the outlay can be assured
the further extension of leading waite
m aims in thinly inhabited localities is no
polite or advisable. A thorough revision
of the list of water takers and the adop
ton of some method of accurately deter
mining the amount of water consumption
wherever used in large quantity is ur
gently recommended. The construction
of new buildings, the enlargement o
others, and the increasing consumption
of water for manufacturing purposes
make revision necessary, as well as thu
adoption of an equitable schedule o
rates between the use of large or small
amount, and both have become a matter
of interest TO all classes of consumers
Water meters attached to the servic,
where large quantities of water are useC
would settle doubts as TO the amount
consumed and afford proper basis fol
determining the rate to be charged. The
rate of charge for wholesale Consumption
compared with the rate of service for pri.
vate dwellings Is not expected TO be the
same, and ought not 10 10, but most AS
suredly in all cases the city ought to re-
Ceive return equal nj least to the actual
cost of pumping. which, IL is believed. is
not, in some instances, now the case.
Other suggestions on this subec of con
siderable Importance in regard to the
practical operation of water supply are
left TO be made to some future meeting of
the council. The recommendations of
the superintendent in his report of last
years operations will doubtless receive
your careful consideration.
The ACCESSIBILITY of the city owning and
putting in place all water connections
DtlWGGu InhluS anu u pblub WlIulu luC
street curbing. instead of allowing it to
be done by plumbers, is deemed a matter
worthy of attentions; as is also the advis-
ability of such connections being made
of lead, galvanized iron. or of some other
comparatively indestruCtable material
Whenever permanent paving of the
streets is undertaken and it becomes es,
sentiaI thereafter to disturb the surface
of the streets as little as possible, the
like permanence and durability of UNDER
ground sewers and water connections
would become an Indispensable requisite.
Experience has annually demonstrated
the great inconvenience to the public and
the annoyance of frequent repairs of the
streets caused by digging holes and
trenches to repair old or make new pipe
connections. As matter of fnct, the
digging and refilling of trenches by
whomsoever done during the winter
months is extremely difficult and costly,
and is seldom performed without leaving
the surface of the street in an ugly con-
dition; trouble in this respeat might be
substantially avoided at all times by the
use of water connections of the charac-
ter indicated which would seldom need
IepdIs. L hO uhtldSCS anu NeAdGlDu VI
the present mode of doing the work OBJ
viously demand, if nothing more, the en-
actment of an ordinance making 1t com =
pulSOTy on plumbers "a UtucIo whU dis
up the streets for plumbing or sewer pur-
poses to refill and keep the surface of the
place in good and satisfactory condition
thereafter for at least two months in
summer and four months i'll winter. 1t
Il, nil AT
this subject and remedy the evils COM
planned of.
To some extent the opinion is unques-
tionable prevalent among the mercantile
and trading classes that reduction OF
tolls for crossing the Rock river bridges
would be an advantage to the city. This
view of the subject is quite natural and
to be expected as the sentiment of those
who haye frequent occasion to cross the
bridges, or whose commercial interests
depend in a measure upon favorable
facilities for securing country trade. De
sirable as this may appear to certain
classes, the relations of the subject to the
total interests of all are not so apparent,
and not so generally understood. TAX
ing into account during the thirty years
of city ownership the amount expended
as purchase money, interest, repairs and
operating expenses of the bridge and the
amount of like character in connection
with the appendent roadway from the
bridges to the city boundary, and it be-
comes easily demonstrable that receipts
from tolls have not exceeded expendi-
lures so as to be a source of profit to the
owner. The roadway as part of the
bridge franchises, is at least two and one
half miles in length and passes through
and accommodates the travel and traffic
of the township of South Rock Island,
while that township contributed nothing
to the original purchase and contributes
nothing whatever now to its mainten-
ance or repairs, and yet the township has
all the benefit of roadway which the
city is compelled to keep in good order
in connection with the bridges for the
sake of traffic and commercial intercourse
with people resident beyond Rock river,
and the accommodation of those who at
tend court and have business at the
county offices. In my judgment much
better reasons can be assigned for advo>
eating ownership and maintenance of the
bridges by the county, and of the owner
ship of the roadway by South Rock isis
and township. than can be advanced for
increasing the burdens of the city by a
reduction of tolls over the bridges.
The good effects of precautionary and
advisable sanitary work in promoting
public health are not unrecognized, and
such work is generally desired and ap-
proved by those who have given the subs
ject thoughtful study. The report of the
health commissioner is replete with val
liable information upon points of local
sanitation, and his recommendation will
doubtless command your attention and
approval. Ii. as is alleged and cons
planned of by citizens in certain parts of
the city, there exist outside the city
boundary and yet within its sanitary iur-
isdiction any Establishments or places of