Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-17
OUR PAVING PROJECTS.
Will There be RetrOgrade Move
ment?
A Matuer Wholly for the Council to
Mistaken Ideas Eighteenth street.

The mistaken ideas that have been
built and encouraged by some that the
eight hour ordinance is to affect the cost of
the contsmplated paving extensions. W hich
were SO fully exposed in last Saturday
nights ARGUS. has led to general change
OF sentiment on the part of many and the
appreht nsion that the present city coun-
Gil might countensnce a movement that
looks Il the overthrow of the bright
prospects that the present municipal body
has itself created and fostered, has mate
rally disappeared in the past twenty>four
hours
Public spirited citizens are now conf
dent that tonight's meeting of the city
council will not result in any retrogrsde
movement in the way of paving i'm
provemt nts. IL has been so plainly
explained that the eight hour re-.
strictions enter into the Improvement,
only as between the contractor and his
men. that most of the property holders
even those who have signed circumstances
under entirely wrong impressions. are not
worrying themselves longer over any
great hardships that may be imposed
upon item. The contractor pays his
men by The hour. not by the day or by
the job, and if his men are not satisfied
with their time they must look to the
council for remedy. The question of the
eight hour day does not in the least sf-
feet the property holder, that has been
clearly demonstrated, and every effort to
retard paving extensions on any such
theories are not likely to have serious eff,
feet will the majority of the council who
ordered the pavement, and also or
dered the eight hour day.
1t has been suggested that if the prop
erty holders on Second avenue and on
Twentieth street do not want paving
done this year under the eight hour law
the council might change the scene of Its
paving op rations to Moline avenue. The
idea of paving Moline avenue is an ex-
ceIlent one, and will sooner or later receive
favorable consideration at the hands of
the council no doubt But let the alder
men stop long enough TO consider the
effect of retrscing its steps with reference
TO paving improvements already ordered
Let the aldermen consider this sugges,
ton for moment; if the remon-
strances against the paving on Second
avenue and on Twentieth street are
needed, how long will 1t take the prop
ertv holders on Moline avenue or any
other Ihoroughfare where paving is con,
sidered, to prepare and stick remon-
strsnces under the sldermen's noses2 In
fact how much paving would have been
done last year if the council had been dis
posed to consider remonstrsnces in the
light of fsvor9 Do not the aldermen re-
member how quick remonstrsnce was
prepared on Moline avenue a few
weeks ago when the subject of paving
there was first broachedf The remon
STRANGE in reality got in ahead
of the petition to pave. and has been
IN the hands of the city clerk since.
No. city council cannot afford to honor
remonstrapces whose aim is to check pub
lie and necessary improvements. The
remonstrsnce is document that cannot
be encouraged in works of this kind. 1t
will work no end of annoyance to
council that establishes precedent of
respecting it, Ii will become a perfect
nuisance, ever present and dogging the
aldermen at every footstep II will
prove an eternal nightmare 10 the alder
man who establishes record of respect
ing il. The tax payers and the citizens
show their confidence in the aldermen
when the elect them. and it is not in the
highest sense complimentary to them to
cali a hall at every important action they
The present council, while establishing
a record ina q reputation that every com
penent part of it may be proud of, for
lifting the city out of the mire and plac'
ing it on the high road to prosperity and
has not been inconsid-
crate of the Taxpayers interests. It has
merited their confidence rather than their
II it has made enemies
through its determination not to
permit purely selfish spirit
to traulple under foot the things
that art of vital importance to the
city's growth and advancement, it has
nothing to regret and nothing to be
ashamed of. The question now before
the council seems to be shall there be q
retrograde movement in this city in the
matter OF street improvements or shall
the motto of the present CITY fathers con-
tinue to be forward Whic b shall il
beH With the men now at the helm the
public knows pretty well how that guess
ton will he answered.
The Uiion makes foolish statement
that the council will be asked to rescind
its action with reference to the two blocks
ordered On Eighteenth street in order that
the paving on that thoroughfare
may be extended several blocks
How logical In order to 60 ahead
the council must go backward, eh 7
Has the present council acted so far like
one of IL se old fashioned engines that
must back up several rods before it gets
under headw ays On the same theory the