Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-12
SIDE TALK.
Mr.. Gest's Position as to His Suit
Against the CITY.
He simply Wanted to Teach the Peo-
pie n Lesson-The street Rail
way Ordinance Again and
Other NJ alters.

H'oA9 icau d communication from eX-
Congressman W. II. Gest with reference
to his suit against the city. The letter is
addressed to AID. Evans, and in it he says
he is not seeking money compensation
for himself for the loss and damage to
which he claims he was subjected by the
raising of the Second avenue grade in
front of his dwelling. Mr.. Gest saws
IN SO many words that he begins the suit,
not to win any money from the city. but
merely to teach the council and the pubs
lie through the process of law that he has
a right TO claim damage if he wants it,
and that if the courts decide in his favor
he will dismiss his suit, whereas if the
Case is decided in the city's favor the
court will dismiss it, but he goes farther
and says either side dissatisfied with the
judge may appeal it.
Aid. Evans moved that the communi-
cation, which appears in full in the
official record of the council appearing
elsewhere, be received and adopted, but
no second to such motion being forth>
coming, motion by Aid. Knox that the
matter be referred to the city attorney
was carried.
The attitude of the council in refus-
ing to pass on the communication was
perfectly proper. Mr.. Gest has demanded
So. 900 of the city for the mere purpose,
he now AYERS, of teaching the council
its business in the establishment of
grades for permanent Improvements
such as have proven so popular and so
advantageous to Rock Island. He does
not want any money at all, although he
demands IS 600. but for his own satis-
him the privilege of claiming that amount
if he pleased. The city council was
perfectly justified in not approving Of the
proposition. The city's position
should be to fight for its rights. If Mr..
Gest wins give him what the law says is
his right AID be under no obligations to
him. If he loses. so much more the
glory to the city, whose only aim in
establishing new grades, is to build up
the city, and it has worked very success
fully in attaining that end.
The resolutions from the Citizens I'm.
provement association in relation to high
water grades and the Railway Terminal
Company received the attention due such
important projects. Fred Hass and Sec
rotary Sesrle, of the Improvement asso-
citation, spoke IN behalf of them and re-
marks were made by Aid. Schroeder,
Corken, Knox and Guyer in favor of
them and the proper action, was taken as
the official minutes show.
Aid. Guyer brought up the ordinance
for the Fourteenth avenue street railway
extension, and asked unanimous consent
to introduce new ordinance. There
was no objection and he read letter from
President Louderback of the street rail-
way syndicate in which he explained com
prehensivelY the position of the company
in wishing to use T rail, as it had plenty
on hand and could not afford to purchase
tram rail, and furthermore on 8 street
like Fourteenth avenue, it would he inn
possible to operate cars in winter time
with tram rail, on which snow and mud
would accumulate. Mr.. Louderbsck
stated his willingness to submit to q
clause, that after 10 years the company
would substitute tram rail should the
council elect or would pave. and that all
street crossings would be planked mean
while. After hearing Mr.. Louderbsck's
letter, and seeing that they were not going
to carry their point, Aids. Blsdel and
Huesing objected to action on the ordi-
nsrce, and it went over to the next regu-
lar meeting. The matter may be summed
up TO mean T rail or nothing, and as the
company has this on hand, and the pur-
chase of tram rail would involve differ.
ence of $3,50 The claim of Aid. Haes-
ing and Blsdel is not consistent, and
while from apparently spiteful motives
they are fighting the company, they are
doing our business men who
want the road no good, or rather damag-
ing them.
The council also instructed the clerk to
advertise for bids for the paving OF Four>
Fifteenth, Sixteenth, East and
West Seventeenth streets, took the initi-
stive. looking to the paving of Seventh