Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-05

es encountered in enforcing the special taxa
a med st the administrator. If IL turns out to
b a popular measure others claims the credit;
If the reyorse we must.shoulderit; Few people
1derstand the system and consider il nothing
N ore nor less than confiscation. and must adj
nit IN some cases il looks like it, But am
satisfied hat II such ordinances are passed it is
y at course brought about by threats or other
political influences would virtually kill the
sy stem and leave our city fifty Years behind the
II nee. Oh course such radical change cannot
be made at once, but we never viii have GOOD
streets until such policy is strictly enforced.
1t ought TO have been inaugurated fifteen
Years ago. We would be no poorer than we are
now and we would have miles of good streets
where now we only have few bloeAs.
FINANCE.
For the benefit of those not fully Informed in
our city affairs will give brief review of our
III anclal standing: The city has bonded in
debtedness of $4,000 as follows: $4,000 IN
ei,,ht per cent waterworks bonds, due Feb. l,
Sc pit l. 1887; ZOO in five per cent waterwor&s
bonds due Feb, l, 1902. For the $40 900 funding
bosdS the city has practically nothing to show.
Years ago it was the policy of those conducting
city affairs-in those good old days we hear SO
mich aooutIrom a class of old fogies who al
still with us-to run the city upon the popular
low taxation policy or in other words TO mort
gaze the future TO pay current expenses by Dor
rowing money from Tom, Dick and Harry, giving
time orders, bearing ten PER cent interest. pay
abe semi-annually. This policy was followed
for years and their system OF bookkeeping was
so crude that they actually lost track of their
Indebtedness and TO whom It was owed. Dur
ing the administration of Mayors Butler end
Reynolds these time orders were all called in
ano the funding bonds issued. This was q move
in the right direction; it reduced the interest
from ten TO six per cent and they knew then
what they had to pay and when due. Under
the old system they were continually embarres-
sed by people presenting their time orders for
their semi-annual interest with no available
funds 10 meet It unless they followed the same
policy The fnnding bonds will mature in about
six years and as yet no provisions has been
male 20 Day them.
During the past two years we have saved and
set aside $40 Q, now in the sinking fund which
Is invested and Is drawing interest. We must
put $500 in the sinking fard this year and tia
with the interest on the Sl6007 now invested will
make the s2j.UjO required to redeem the So 90
water works bonds uue Feb l, 1S92- The usual
custom IS 10 appropriate the money for the sink
lug und and Then let it lay idle in the bank I'M
III near the end Of the year. Why not author
lie the Finance Committee 10 loan that amount
To II c savings bank now and let IL earn 5000 or
500 until such time as It is needed? After these
boICS arc paid our bonded debt viii be sle5.000
and he annual interest chSrge Sll4j0. After
that some provisions should be made to set
aSidg $1,000 per annum 10 meet as far as posi-.
bic the payment o; the funding bonds when due
Though the Ns5 and economical manage
mem ci my predecessors large reduction has
been made an the cityS Indebtedness during
the asst Twelve years notwithstanding the fAct
incurred by changing the location OF the water
works building and in putting in new and i'm
proved machine costing large sums AID COM
pelirg them 10 make temporary loans our
BONDED Indebtedness being then as now far be
y0nd the limit allowed by law. That machinery
las been paid for, the temporary loans
wlPeo oul and reduction OF the bonded debt
OF more than 900 made,
The total debt, April /, 1850. was Sos 425. To-
cay II IS 81 l0l0. There was paid in interest Tor
thr year 1853 the sum Of SIS $50; this wear it was
SO 40, and next ii will only be slI.459. Count
Ing the $4,000 now in the sinking fund there
mas been reduction in the debt during that
of
WORKS expenses for new machinery and re.
InOval ana the extensive water mai extensions
mis- consider fair showing for our city.
wATERwoRKs.
During the year the operating expenses h I'VE
been increased about $1,000 per annum by
the en- ployment OF one additional engineer and
fireman.. Otherwise the expenses are materially
reduced The Jewel filter donated TO the city
by the Hon. Il. I. cable as q memorial 20 the
memory of his father presented New Years
day, is now in full operation with gratifying re-
suits. There IS no question as TO the success Of
the sy'tem except as TO its capacity. am of
the op Mon it will require two more tubs TO sup
ply the demand curing the summer months. But
indication is that it consumes too much coal;
the coal bi will be increased not less than 81 500
per annum on ACCOUNT sflt
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
We have been fortunate in having no disas-
trous fires during the year. We are indebted TO
thu volunteer companies for the prompt man.
neI they have responded to every call and have
never let any IRE get beyond control unless
they failed To receive the proper alarm. Our
system o: alarms is not perfect, and as oCr fire
men aTe all workingmen, receiving no pay from
the city, We cannot expect them to be always
on hanl when the alarm Is given. Valuable
time is lost al the S'art when the fire might be
put under control RithOut damage 10 property.
During the year there bss been strong feeling
among business men and citizens generally thar
something should be done to give greater
securitT against fires. With this obj ect in view
the engine house on Flsti on square was built
90 IfanF oil 1a.v.a r~v
where q main paid company should be- located.
This co npany might be started with six men
and chief with one two-horse cart and our
present hook and ladder carriage, Our
finances viii not admit OF our having more tban
one company this year, but as a nucleus for
two mo re good companies i think it would be
advisable 10 retain the services Of one volun-
teer company in the east and one in the west
end OF he city as partially paid companies,
ordinate TO the CHEZ, the paid men TO be in
creased whenever the city's finances will admit
the men TO be selected from the volunteer COM
pauieS, all other companies to be diSoanded and
their property turned over to the city. The
first step rs 10 put in police an fire alarm;
then pass an ordinance creating the depart
and all the necessary regu ations, selecI chief
VINO is competent to organize The system and TO
put It IN operation as soon as possible.
PARKS.
Throu Oh The untiring zeal and energy of Mr..
jackson Spencer square has been beautified
and artstically laid out. He has also succeeded
IN impa ting some OF his ewn enthusiasm into
the bres SITS of all classes of our citizens arous
ing their native pride and love of the beauti-
full and showing their appreciation not only by
woIds and actions, out also by their hberality
in way we all feel proud Of. They have been
contI ibU ting mgny fine works of art. some of
them pr nicely gifts. the poor as wall as the rich
vieing with each other in contributing TO its
adornment. When the work now under con-
tract is completed the beautifying will be fin.
ished. lIr, Jackson has secured the services of
Mr.. kro1n, one of our leading llrlsts, who will
take CHI lrge of the park during the summer
months. keeping the grass cut and the vases
well supplied With choice flowers. The park
will be the favorite resort for all classes during
the summer season. but think il will be neces-
sary for US to allow one park policeman from
May until November,
GAERNsEY SQUARE
Is now passing through the first stages of the
transform atom scene We started out TO accom-
phsh last fall. at the present time its appear
auce il not most pleasing to the eye We should
push 1t through u completion as rapidly as our
finances will admit. AT least the south half
should be finished and graded and grass and
trees staTt9d this fall.
The health OF the city has been good so far as
contractors diseases concerned. We have