Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-22
RETARDlNGPROGRESS.
The Protest Against the Paving
Ordinance.
The Opposition and Where it Origi.
nates--.A Petition and What IL
Means--.Lets Pave at all Hazards.

of the city council on Monday evening
ought to furnish thought for serious re-
Election to our taxpayers. They arrogate
to themselves the right to order any and
all street improvements at the expense of
the abutting property holders without
them about the kind or cost of
the material to be used Mr.. B. D. Bu-
ford, in communication to the Union on
Tuesday. but voices the opinion of very
many of the tax payers Of Second ave-
nue. as well as of other portions of the city.
think our city fathers are putting
on airs-trying to ape and follow the
lead of cities of ten times the population
are trying to get up a boom by making
the tax payers spend large amount of
money in street improvement. One of
these boomers outside of the city coun-
Gil, said to me not long since. Pave
Fifth avenue, and property will advance
at once fifty per cent on that street.
This may be so. but fail to see it in
that light. think the voters ought to
remember these wise aldermen who arro-
gate to themselves all the wisdom there
is going, and try and put in men who
will pay little heed to their constitu-
ents' wishes. 8. W. McMAsTER.
The ARGUS thinks Mr.. McMaster is.
in very great sense too severe in his
manner of addressing the city council,
and that the position he takes is i'll,
founded. With all due respect to his
opinion, he does the aldermen great
injustice; for they have but acted, in the
least degree. in spirit of presumption,
but have simply followed out the wishes
Of the tax payers as they (the aldermen)
believed them to be. The ARGUS has
been inclined to favor granite. not only
because it believes It to be the most
economical, from the fact that it is the
most substantial and enduring. but be.
cause it has believed such to be the will of
the tax payers. From what could be
learned at the meetings of the props
erty holders, held at the rooms of the
Citizens Improvement association. the
ARGUS gathered the opinion that there
was decided preference for granite, and
that impression has not yet been re-
moved. The aldermen, doubtless, had
the same ideas, and they were so guided
in their action.
During the past few days petition
has been in circulation urging the mayor
to veto the ordinance ordering granite
for the pavement of Second avenue, and
those who are at the bottom of and be-
bind it have succeeded in the iil-con-
ceived interests of self, and entirel for
getful OF the best good of the city, pur-
suaded number of property holders who
are in favor of paving to put their names
to the petition. The ARGUS deprecstes
the action of the property holders who
have taken such stand, for it believes
that the ins;igators in the movement are
not only opposed to granite. but any
other paving material, and would have
raised the same hue and cry if brick,
cedar blocks or asphaltum had been
selected. 1t believes their object is to
kill the pavement ordinance, not partic-
ulsrly the material, and that for this
reason many who have signed the petit
ton have been deceived. The ordinance
designating granite was framed and in
troduced by Aid. Negus, one of the most
property holders in the district
AID who while representing his
own views and those as he thought of
the majority Of property owners, also
acted in the way that promised the most
results to his own constitu>
ents and to the entire city. Mr.. Negus
is to be praised for his efforts rather than
blamed.
The ARGUS is in favor of paving Sec
ond avenue and it is in favor of granite
if it can be put down al a maximum of
S3 per square yard, as 1t believes it can.
Certainly there is nothing that can be
used that will be more permanent and
more advantageous from sanitary
standpoint. The idea of ex Mayor Muir
would gladly lend encouragement to. 1t
is to pave between the street Car tracks
and foot on either side with
granite, and the remainder with
Cedar blocks. By this plan the street
car company would be Obliged to bear
the burden of the expensive material, and
would doubtless be glad to do so as the
concentration Of traffic between the rails
makes it desirable that a substantial ma
terial be used. The objection raised
to granite under the pretence of noise, is
rather fimsy, and those who sustain such
a theory were not born to live in city.
They should move out into Kansas or
some other place where the noise of bust
ness activity will not disturb them. Mr.
Negus, who owns hotel, and Mr..
Lowrey. who manages one-the two
largest hotels in western Illinois-are
both favorable to granite. 1t is very
much easier to overcome dislike to the
CHATTER of horses hoofs than it is to SUBJ
due prejudice against popular improve
ments.
This morning petition was circulated
among property holders and generously
endorsed, receiving the written approval
of many who had signed the other petit
ton, and asking that the opln ion Of the
majority of property holders be obtained
and If the sentiment be for cedar blocks
or brick. to substitute it for granite in the
ordinance, but that the ordinance itself
should be permitted to stand.
The present mayors propensities for