Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-08
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.
Full Text Of the Executives First
Address.
Numerous Important Recommends
lions Made, aud several Clever
Ideas Advanced--.A Document All
should Read.

Appended Is the complete text of the
message OF Mayor McConochie delivered
at Monday nights council meeting:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL: 1t
Is duty incumbent on the executive
from time 10 time TO transmit in writing
TO the city council for their guidance,
slch communications and recommends
tons as he may think proper and the
city's interests demand. Heretofore
during the busy season our meetings
were largely taken up in the transaction
OF important public business, and know
ing your aversion to long messages from
the chair upon questions discussed daily
in our social intercourse, | have re-
Trained from OBTAINING you unnecesssr-
lily. not wishing to impose on good ma
ture. But now our duties are lighter;
most Of the seasons improvements are
completed. and new ones are contem-
plated. WILL therefore, take this OPP
portunity OF performing that part of my
duties by drawing your attention TO sev>
eral questions that may come before you
for consideration.
THE QUESTION OF FINANCE
is always the leading issue. 1t is so
broad and far-reaching in its scope, that
every other question is more or less de-
pendent on II for success. The stability
of nations and cities. as well as private
corporations. are based upon the sound
ness of their financial management. To
devise ways and means to raise the nec>
essary funds to economically administer
the affairs OF nations. states and munici-
palites without imposing unnecessary
burdens upon the people, is the problem
this and every age has endeavored to
solve. II Is not necessary for me to
draw your attention to the well-known
fact that revenues cannot be decreased
and expenditures increased without dis,
astrous results. Our revenues are de-
rived from various sources. Municipal
taxes furnish about oue~half of our ia
come. The balance is raised by licenses.
toll and scale receipts, water rents, po-
lice court fines and "A few other sources
Our tax levy is limited by law, and can
not. and should not, be increased; and
wish to say in this connection to those
who are not conversAnt with the fact
that our system of assessments is radi
cally wrong. Instead of our assessed
valuation increasing with the increase of
population. 1t is gradually decreasing
consequently our revenue from this
source Is diminishing annually. On the
peddlers' licenses you have an ordinance
on hand to act upon that is virtually
prohibitive. | will not say but our PEG.
pie will derive more benefits by the pas
sage OF this ordinance than from the rev.
enues derived from this source. There is
but little doubt that peddlers are, as is
ola H. 81 H.. tAg
ure, scourge upon all classes. 1t is
upon the financial phase of the question
that the issue of
FREE BRIDGEs
hinges, and we find ourselves asking the
question: Is it wise policy for US to
abandon the toll gate. discontinue the
collector, taking our chances OF recon-
pense on the increased trade anticipated
to replenish the loss entailed by the abol-
ition Of tolls? The question of free
bridges is now being agitated by our
business men and merchants, and in all
probability an effort will be made TO
have the entire toll system abolished.
While / am now. and always have been.
an advocate ~ free bridges, think the
question is so important, and of such
vital interest to the city. that you and
the public should understand thoroughly
both sides of the question. The city has
an investment of $50. 900 in the road and
bridges. When the franchise was bought
the Intention was TO have the county
share half the burden and make the
bridges free, which l consider was fair
and reasonable proposition. But the
county declined 10 share the honors. The
city's financial condition at that time
would not admit of its bearing it alone,
so toll was Imposed-not for revenue,
but 10 keep the bridges and roads in
good repair. The roads and bridges were
so run down that this step was necessary
TO secure and hold the valuable trade to
the south and southwest. For many
years the city had the benefit of an inn
mense trade from that section. But
since the railroads have been extended
throughout all that section, new towns
have sprung up. and much of the trade
has been lost to us. This could not be
avoided, but as trade fell Oft our revenue
tolls fell away also. have not the fig
ures 10 show you what the revenue was
then, but II is safe to say II was heavier
than at present. During the past ten
years the revenue from tolls WAS $50 .SS5.
and during the same period there has
been expended-collector's salary iuclu-
sive-$30. $50, IL we sdd to this IS. 900
taken from the street and alley fund for
repairs upon the Milan road. Some years
ago the cost OF these repairs was taken
from that fund. but now all such expen.
SEES come out of the bridge fund. This
would make total expenditure Of about
S45. 900. leaving balance in our favor of
$4,000, or 81 200 per annum to be ex.
pended in the city for municipal pur-
poses. And during the same period all
the bridges. with possibly one exception,
which was done previously. have been
rebuilt. and are now in excellent condi-
ton, all being first class iron or combinaS
ton bridges. Barring accidents. such as
ice gorges or unususl high water, they
should last for thirty years with but light
repairs such as painting. replanking and
repairs upon the road. and these expenses
must be borne whether the bridges are
free or not; also there should be 4 man in
charge of them. The best solution of
this question would be to turn them over
to the county, providing IL would accept
them, and agree to keep them up and
make them free. There Is a class who
use these bridges and roads very extern
sively from whom we derive no benefits,
and their travel Is very injurious to the
roadsland bridges-that is the Davenport
coal haulers. There is still another class
who will be benefited by free bridges.
from whom we derive no benefits-farm.
ers who trade In Davenport. Their ar
guments are that they are under no obi.
cations TO Rock Island, they pay for all
they get, and pay tax TO come here, and
further they claim that Davenport offers
better Inducements and more apreeable