Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-08

| against the property. IL IS nv opinion
that better contracts can be made for
cash than on the install ment plan On
q cash basis you would invite sharp CON-
potion. The price could not be forced
up as it might be il the conditions were
such that only few wealthy contractors
could afford to bid. The first install,
ment. or twenty per cert must be cash.
My idea would be to allow discount of
ten per cent for cash on one or all of the
other installments as AN inducement,
then borrow what would be required.
making our payments as the installments
were paid in. l do not think by borrow
ing this way we would incur any indebt-
ness against the city. whose deDt is now
beyond the five per cent limitation. 1t
would be simply indorsing the property
owners paper which we know is good
but the foreign bidder may not, and will
bid higher in consequence.
| The improvement contemplated south
of Ninth avenue is different. There the
sailing is not so plain. Legal questions
are involved and years OF litigation may
follow. do not believe you thoroughly
understand the magnitude of the task be
side the obstacles to be overcome. To
improve the street permanently uniform
grade must be established and heavy cuts
and fills are required. How much the
grading would cost, am as yet not in
position TO state. AS &C the legality of
the project am not wei enough versed
in legal lore 10 give an opinion NY
idea has always been that property could
not be specially taxed for more than 1t
would be benefited by such improves
ments, but several lawyers inform me
am in error on that point There are two
plans that can be adopted to make this
improvement unless the property owners
come forward and advance the money,
which is possible but net probable and
demand the ten per cent discount should
you adopt that clause "a suggested for
other improvements. The first is to pass
the ordinance and 60 thro Ugh with all the
proceedings. but let no contracts, COM
mence no work. until judgment is rem
dered in favor of the city if it took three
years. The second is to borrow money
to commence work, tax ng our chances
OF collection after the courts have rem
dered their decisions. Whether the five
per cent limitation would be elastic
enough to stretch over this case is mat
ter you will have to consult our legal ad
wiser about. do not wish to be under.
stood as beng opposed to this improves
ment. | am second to none in pushing
forward every enterprise. But at the
} same time l want you to know what diff
J iculties may be encounte red Our rev.
enues for the next nun cipal year will
not exceed S112, 900. After setting aside
} S13. 450 for interest, IS 600 for the sink
, ing fund and about $50 600 to run the
city government, we will have left abou,
enough 10 pay our share of the paving
J now ordered. We will lave five or six
thousand dollars of unexpended balances
and Union square has q claim on these
now. We have been anticipating our
! revenues for that improve nent, as you sll
! understand.
The question of
PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT
Is under consideration. We have now a
splendid volunteer department. whose
services in the past have not been fully
appreciated. The only objection to the
volunteer companies is that they are in
dependent orgsniZations--liable TO dis.
band at any time. They now all have
horses. which has greatly increased their
efficiency. or course their wants are in
creasing. They ask for fire alarm sys>
tenn and some other impro vements which
cannot much longer be denied. Then,
the question is. would it not be almost as
cheap to have paid department of two
companies of five men each2 Also, in
this connection, wish TO draw your at
tention TO two OF our hose houses below
grade and out of repair 1t will cost
considerable to raise them to grade and
make the necessary repairs, and one is
not on city property. This city owns a
good site. centrally located to build a
house, should We find our financial con :
dition such as to enable us TO ADOPT a
paid department.
Some repairs are necessary around the
waterwerks. A retaining wall of stone
should be built, and the yard filed up and
grass sown TO give it a more attractive
appearance. A switch should be put
along the south side so that the coal
could be unlosded into the boiler room
direct.
Our electric light plant at the water.
works is failure, and should be disposed
of to the best advantage.
MOLINE AVENUE AND THE RAILROADS
In compliance with a resolution of the
city council of Aug. 8, to ascertain
whether the c., r. l. & p. railroad had
not been encroaching on Moline avenue
between Wagner's brewery and Thirty
eighth street. / had the engineer, II. G. .
Paddock, run the line He has also fur
nished section showing how much the
railway is upon the street. Action
should be taken to compel the company
to vacate at once; they are upon the
street fourteen feet at one place. You
all know that street is not adequate TO the
travel on IL now. and will therefore see
the necessity of prompt action.
Sixty days notice was given the roads
interested In the Twenty fourth street
gates, but no action has been taken.
Their answers have been evasive and I'M
satisfactory. Their time expired Jan. l..
Their claim is they cannot agree upon
what proportion each shall bear. OF
course this Is q matter tina must be set
tied among themselves. 1t is nothing to
| us how they settle their differences
We must adopt extreme measures with
them. Under our ordinance we can com.
pei them to buiid viaduct. The resolu-
ton OF Alderman Larkin, asking for a
fiagman to be placed a. Forty-sixth
street crossing. has excited a reply from
the c., B. & Q. people only. and to the
effect that after having the crossing
watched for several days. they do not
think the travel is such as t. justify them
in placing a fiagman there, and asking
the council to reconsider.
The question of sanitation should not
be overlooked The health and welfare
Of the city is largely dependent on it. and
as RUE. wherever sanitary measures are
strictly enforced the best results follow