Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-04
SIDE TALK.
A Short hut Busy Session of the
Municipal Body.
Ths Moving or the Electric Light
To'ver---The street Railway Con.
hict and Other Matters Discussed.


Last evenings regular monthly meet
ing OF the city council was short, and its
action prompt, and without great deal
OF discussion, though some oratory was
thrown in for spice. The present munic-
ipal body has throughits experiences of the
past year got into such shape that it
can handle more important questions in
single night and make less fuss about
them than former councils have done in
three or four meetings.
Aid. Corken. of the light committee,
made report on the removal of the
electric light tower at the corner of Sec
ond avenue and Seventeenth street, to
enable Mitchell s. Lynde to erect their
proposed new building at that corner
The tower. Aid Corken said, would cos,
the city 500 to take it down and con,
siderable more to move 1t. He favored
the raEing of the tower and the substitu-
ton Of low lights throughout the busi-
ness portion of the city. The matter
was finally put in the hands of the fire
and light committee and the mayor with
power tn act.
The matter of the conflict of rights be-
tween the Union Street Railway com
psny and the Moline Electric on Fifth
avenue between Eighteenth and TWEEN,
ty,frst streets, which has been before the
council before, came up. The Union
Street Railway company as is known, al-
ready has track there with double track
privileges, and the council in giving the
electric people their franchise into Rock
lslano, gave them the same rights over
that part of Fifth avenue which was sat>
isfactory to all concerned, but when
Supt. Scbnitger read the Union com.
psny's ordinance for its lower Fourth
avenue and Ninth street extensions he
found a clause there which was not read
the night Of its passage in the council and
which stipulated that as a condition of
the company receiving the additional
rights prayed for on Fourth avenue and
Ninth street, it should abandon it's double
track rights over that portion of Fifth
avenue where the Electric road Is 10 run
parallel. Briefly stated, this provision
gave he Electric people double track
rights there, but restricted the Union
company, already there, to single track
privilege. Supt. Schnitger would not &C.
cept the ordinance in this shape though
the mayor had signed it. and an inquiry
of the ordinance committee as to
how the peculiar section found its way
into the ordinance failed TO elicit
any light on the subject. Not one of
the aldermen knew how it happened, and
neither did the mayor. The city attor-
ney knew 1t came into his hands to be
copied with the ordinance on a type
writing machine. but how it did be could
not say. He supposed it was in when it
passed, but the ordinance committee say
1t was not, and the other members of the
council have no remembrance of having
heard 1t read. But it was there and the
only way to amend it was by action of
the council.
Supt. Schnitger therefore asked that
his double track rights be restored, and
he agreed to consent to provision in the
ordinance that ne would not avail him.
self OF them as long as the Moline Elec-
trio railway had similar rights on that
partiC ulsr street. A proposition was also
subm tied from Mr.. Gayer, of the Moline
Electric company, agreeing to give up the
double track rights held by his company
there, on condition that if double track
was put in. the two companies could OPP
crate II jointly, 1t was apparent there
would be no serious misunderstanding
between the two companies if the council
took he right stand. and Aid Schroeder
prese 1ted a resolution covering the
grour pretty efectually-thst section
be su ostituted for the Objectionable one in
the Union Railway company ordinance
that the two companies jointly construct
and maintain double track over that
part Of Fifth avenue in question-which
was passed.
The petition from the Twentieth street
nroprtv holders. asking the council to
abandon its paving enterprises on that
street, as spoken of in the ARGUS Of last
night made its appearance, and Aid.
Howard made q motion that it be tabled.
Numerous seconds were heard. but Aid.
Edwards motion that the petition be
courteously received, prevailed. 1t is to
be hoped that 1t will be the last OF it.