Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-17

Inc Solo CROWN and sui stantial adj
vancement Rock Island is experiencing
just now involves new duties and respon
sibilities upon the council th at should moi
be lost sight of or ignored. Unqueslion-
ably the most exacting and important OF
these Is means of affordine proper pro
lection to human life. and removing as
far as it lies within the province of the
municipal body all obstacles in the way
of safety. This the council can do in a
manner heretofore suggested ard urged
by the ARGUS. and without sntailing any
expense whatever upon the city. The
providing of gates at the railroad
crossings at the foot of Twenty
fourth street and Eighteenth street
the former being the always dangerous
place at the approach TO the slough
bridge, where the numerous tracks OF the
c., r. l. & P. and c., b. & Q. are to he
crossed, the latter on First avenue, where
the c., B. & Q. and r. |. ~ p. must be
crossed in going to, or coming from the
ferry. The council can provide these
necessary precautions and improvements
by simply ordering them. Gates such as
have recently been put in 10y the c., r
|. & p. at several of the street intersec
tons in Davenport in conformity with the
councils orders, might readily be secured
here at the two dangerous places above
named, and the council should not delay
its action thereon until some future time,
but order them next Monday night. By
so doing. the Twenty>fourtl street cross
ing would be thoroughly protected by the
time the street cars get t, running to
Davenport this fall.
Another apparent need il Rock Island
now is increased police facilities. The
inference is not intended by this assertion
that the present force is no. sufficient as
far as efficiency is concerned, but it is not
large enough-at least the night patrol is
not. 1t is fact that the res ident portion
of this city, where are located some of
our largest houses and wealthiesl citizens,
are without police protection at
all during the hours o. the night
when the busy burglar is abroad.
The patrolmen in the business district OF
the Fourth and Fifth wards are supposed
to cover the adjacent resi- lent portions
and the consequence is that neither the
business or resident sections can receive
the proper attention without the neglect
of the other. The council should APP
point two additional polio emen-one 10
cover the resident part OF town, from
say Fifteenth street to Twentieth, and
back of Fourth avenue, and the other from
Twentieth TO the eastern limits and back
of Sixth avenue. This would leave the
present patrolmen free to attend strictly
to the business houses, depots, etc, on
other respective beats.
The council should not neglect the in
terests of the fire. departing in making
other necessary improvements The
ARGUS does not urge impro vements such
as are not permanent and slch as the city
cannot control. But an elt ctric alarm OF
the sort that has been demanded on nu,
merous occasions in the nature of a per-
manent and enduring necessity. Once
put in it is there to stay, and will
be the first step toward proper organize
ton and discipline in the fire department,
which is absolutely necessary in a grow
ing city. Let the council prepare for
this and make up it's mind that it is an
inevitable improvement. and let its en-
tire attitude toward the fire department
be with that end in view Meanwhile
let the volunteers be encouraged. and
show them that their gratu tous services
are appreciated.