Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-04
MATTERS OF MOMENT.
Things that Concern an Enterpris.
ing City.
Some or the Important Measures that
Came Up Before the Monday Might
Council Meeting

Several matters we're acted upon by
the city council at its Monday night
meeting. the full and vital importance of
which to the city the official record does
not fully Indicate, Not the least of
these were the ordin ances on the paving
and curbing of Twer tieth and Eighteenth
streets from First to Fourth avenues and
both of which were referred to the street
and alley committee. whose names were
inserted Ms commits 3ioners. These are
important measures. and it is hoped will
be reported fav orably upon and adopted.
The spirit of the times in Rock Island
says pave; pave in all directions where
il can be possibly ex ended. To be sure
there are those who cry out stop" and
attempt to stay the progressive move
ment. They are as helpless and as re-
sistless in their endeavors as a feather in
a whirlpool. The spirit of enterprise and
public spirit is at the back of the paving
project and is pushing it on.
The action of the council in rejecting
all bids for the Improvement OF Union
square by filling was great disappoint>
ment to those who have at heart pride
Ia the city's appearances, and il is to be
truly hoped that tie purpose of the
municipal body is not to abandon this
important and necessary. project.
The application of the Moline company
for right of way into Rock Island for
an electric railway brought out some In
teresting revelations In asking for the
petition, the original idea of seeking to
run over the Holmes tracks was aban.
doned and the projectors simply prayed
for rights down Elm street to Eighth and
a-half-avenue and no further at this
meeting, and Messrs. Guyer and Moore
took occasion in ling these privileges
to speak of the Holmes syndicate, which
has already done its full share for Rock
Island, in manner that was not heard
with any degree of favor by the council,
who realize the benefits the city is enjoy
ing from the Chicago company. He
criticized the track laying on Sunday and
claimed the company had no legal rights
on Elm street.
Aid. Howard stated that the new com
psny might as Well understand that the
/. sympathy of the council was with the old
company and that the petition now pre-
sented had a SAVIOR o. suspicion about it,
in not stating its des red rights this side
of Eighth and-a-haif avenue.
MIR. Guyer said it W ould be the purpose
at the next meeting 20 ask right over
Eighth and>s half avenue to Twenty
fourth street and thence over Sixth ave-
nue. and Eighteenth street to Second ave.
nue..
Aid. Howard did not believe there was
a member of the council who would
grant any rights that would give the new
company authority directly antagonizing
the old company in the manner it sought
to do. He would be in favor of settling
the question now, and of showing by
their casting vote that the aldermen were
opposed to it.
MIR. Guyer read 9 petition from the
property holders on Elm street for the
right asked by the electric company. but
it contained many of he names that had
appeared on the petitOn to the Holmes
people to extend their line. and this led
MIR. VIM. Atkinson 10 explain that he
had only signed the electric road petit
ton, because he thought the old line
might not be disposed to build at once.
He had originally signed the petition to
the old line and was n favor of it, nd
he wanted it so understood
Aid. Edwards said the Holmes COM
pany had been granted the right -of-way
up Elm street a year ago, and the road
was constructed under the protection of
the rights then acquired. The field was
thoroughly csnvassed. and the names of
the property holders secured before the
road was built. This Vas the only stipu-
lation required =. the council. and it had
been fulfilled. He warned the council to
beware of granting &C infection of power
on one street.
The council finally referred the petit
ton to the ordinance committee, street
and alley committee. city attorney and
may or.