Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-08
SIDE TALK.
Action of the City Council on Various
Matters Last Evening.
The Discussion of the school Election
the Street Railway Improve.
ment Ordinances and
Other Matters.

The CITY council had q busy session
last evening. The official canvass of the
returns of the recent school election was
the first subject of discussion. which was
opened by Aid. Guyer's inquiry as to the
right and authority of the council to act
as returning board to judge of school
election. City Attorney Haas read the
section CT the statutes constituting the
council judges of the situation, and AID
Guyer held that he was not yet satisfied
on the point of the city's jurisdiction and
lie moved that the matter of canvassing
the returns be deferred until the city at
torney could look into the matter more
thoroughly. Aid. Kennedy moved THAI
the council proceed to canvass the re,
turns in accordance with the law. Aid.
Evans held to Mr.. Guyer's position, that
the council bad no constituted right in
the premises, and that the election was
Illegal anyway. Aid. Huesing inquired
as to the scope of the councils jurisdic-
ton in csnvsssing the returns, and if the
fact that there were irregularities in the
manner of the election being conducted,
such us failure 10 number the ballots, ETC.,
wo2ld give the city the right to declare
the election void. City Attorney Haas
claimed that the council was judge solely
of the returns, and could not go behind
them. The city could judge only of such
technicalties as directly affected the cleo
ton, such as time and place of its being
conducted. The aldermen were not to
judge of improper ballots; that was for the
courts to determine. The motion of
Aid Kennedy was then put and carried,
and the mayor appointed Aids. Knox,
Kennedy and Guysr to canvass the vote
and the committee, after performing its
duty, returned in due form its report,
which showed that H D. Folsom had re-
ceived 2 900 votes; F. Z Robbins, 2,O55;
c. G. Carter 1915, and G. w. Durham
1,9J7 votes. and recommending that
Messrs. Folsom and Robbins, having re-
Ceived the highest number of votes cast,
as shown by the returns, be declared
elected. The report of the committee
was unanimously approved. The next
proceedings will be to enter the contest
of the election in the county or circuit
court, and this will probably be done.
communication was received from
the business men Of Rock Island, asking
for the extension of the ordinance per-
hitting the use of electricity on the
Milan line to inClu3e the crossing of the
bridges to the town of Milan. Rev. W.
T. Kerr, Joseph Fitzpatrick and Mr..
Fisher, of Milan, were present to support
the petition on the part of the people of
Milan. The gentlemen all spoke in turn,
urging the adoption Of the ordinance
contemplated in the petition as q matter
of mutual benefit to the city Of
Rock Island and Milan. The petition
was referred to the bridge and ordinance
committee, and if the bridges are found
to be strong enough to support the heavy
electric cars, as they are believed to be,
the ordinance outlined will probably be
passed, as it is move in the right direc-
ton.
Aid. Bladel. of the street and alley
committee, brought in the ordinance for
the extension of the Elm street line along
Fourteenth avenue to Thirty eighth
street with majority report signed by
Aid. Blsdel and Aid. Huesing STIMULATING
that tram rail be used instead of T rail,
and that cars be required to run on Is
minute tine. Aid. Guyer submitted
minority report pertaining to forfeiture
and not interfering with the ordinance as
originally presented. A discussion fol
lowed in which Aid. GuYer held that the
company should be permitted TO use T
rail on Fourteenth avenue, and AID. Ken
uedy put IN q plea for Is minute cars,
while Aid. Evans held that the council
should grant the company all reasonable
rights for the extension Of its lines and
not be unduly exacting in Us require
ments. and Aid. Corken expressed him>
self for extending every possible right to
the company not in direct conflict with
public interests. The company was the
foundation of al Rock Islands improve
ments and should be encouraged wherever
possible. The mayor stated for the in
formation of the council that the street
car company was not anxious to make
the Fourteenth avenue extension, and if
the council were to reject the proposition
to use T rail for at least period of five
years, the line would not be built, he was
confident of that. There was further
dirnnrainr IN tho snhi nnt Of tho rd;nn nno