Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-05
Home Industries Sustained and
Fairness Triumphs.
Tie CiIy Council r. rds Itselr on
he Popular Side The Third
Avenue Paving SOntrsct Let
to, the Rock ford Con
struetion Company.

last night III tne hWhTullg Vi the mira
avenue paving contract. Mayor Nc
Conochie and Aldermen Biadel. johnson,
Durmsnn, Hetter. Corken and Knox, W no
so viewed the situation ard acted in &C.
cordance with a desire, not only to aid
Rock Island industries. but to treat them
fairly where it is possible to do so, have
been frequently commended today, and
they are deserving of the appreciation
thus expressed of their course.
The all-absorbing topic before the
council, as a matter o. course. was the
matter of the letting of the Third avenue
contract, referred TO the street and alley
and finance committees and mayor, and
the discussion on the subject was brought
about by Aid. Kennedy. of the street and
alley committee, asking further time to
report on recommendations.
Aid. Knox, of the finance committee,
stated that he was ready TO report, ar d
Aid. Bladel voiced the same sentiment.
Thereupon Aid. COrken Submitted res
olution signed by part Of the joint com
mittee and printed in the official record
and the purport of which was to award
the contract 10 the Rockford Construc-
ton company.
Aid. HuesiEg objected to the report
being acted upon as committee report.
as he had not signed it. although it had
had been presented to him. He called
atten ton to the presence of the commit
tee of the Citizens Improvement associa
ton with resolutions and moved that
the gentlemen be heard at once. The
motion prevailed unar imously, End short
addresses were made by Nessrs. II. D.
Folsom, c. J. W. Schreiner W. B. Fer
gusou and President Jackson in support
of the Rockford Cons truction company
as Rock Island enterprise, and urging
that the company be treated fairly.
Aid. Huesing spoke at length on the
subject of the specifications CT the paws
ing ordinance, the meeting of the Inn
and took exception 10 some of the Ian
gusge reported by the Union to have
been expressed there. Any man
who intlmates that am not acting fairly
in this matter because might vote for
new specifications, Aid. Huesing said.
is scoundrel and q coward
Aids Knox and COrken made short
speeches in defense o. the position main
tanned of opening the bids.
MIR. Jackson explained for Mr.. Hues>
ing's bentht that there had been no re-
marks made at the meeting of the $3.50
citation tending to r feet on any OF the
aldermen. MY remarks at the Improve
ment association meeting" said Mr..
Jackson, "were devoted to public talk,
and opinions, and no. to what l believed
TO be the position of any one alderman
with reference to the paving contract,
Neither have l an opportunity here to
combat any Statement that may be made
ou the floor of this chamber as one of
your aldermen may. You are here by
law; I am here by grace, and you can
shut my mouth at any momen: you may
see fit. But were lere on equal footing
with you all I might say some things to
Mr HuesIng. | have never had any rea-
son TO question his honor. do not do
it now. l will say, though, that know
ing him as long as | have, l am disap-
pointed in tue course be has shown as an
alderman, and I'd say further, that u o
one is responsible fOr the voice or the
force Of public opinion, and that
no matter what | my personally
think, there have been assertions made
and can take Mr.. Huesing TO people
who would not show him the same re
gard that do, who know him better and
have DO reason or purpose to doubt the
honor Of his motives in this matter"
Mr. Jackson thought though, that Mr.
Huesing had miscon 5trued the meaning
of the Unions report of the Improve
msnt association meeting, and Editor
johnson explained where Mr.. Huesing
might have been mislead.
Aid. Kennedy made a little speech in
which he was not particular what he
said, but the drift of which was that
contractors. rot bidders on this job, had
informed him that $4,000 could be
saved the city by sIbmitting new speci-
fcations and seeking new bids.
81 would not vote to change them
now" said Aid COrken, mo matter if
such was the case, because l don't be-
lieve it would be an onorable transaction.
one l would not be guilty of myself, and
l therefore would not be guilty of voting
for the city to do"
Very naturally the burlington folks