Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-03-06

ORS ~ AkSOA1 NAAn
ence present. which was the largest
that has attended . council session
for long time, that gave assent to
the councils action.
The aldermen had recorded them
selves on the side Of public improve.
ments again. It need hardly be said
that the administration was strongly
in favor Of the passage OF the ordi-
nance, the mayor being . public
spirited citizen and elected as such,
could not have been regarded rs
maintaining any other attitude to-
ward an issue Of such vast concern
to the city. The opposition exerted
by Aid. Kennedy was not to be won
dered at, but doubtless his constitu-
ents, many Of whom have witnessed
his vote for paving propositions in
the past where it affected them, will
expect an explanation Of why he
sought to protect other property
holders from the same burdens.
However, he gained the distinction
OF being the first alderman to raise
his voice in the interests Of delay in
Rock Island paving improvements
since they were first inaugurated,
but that very act demonstrated that
Kennedy has outlived his usefulness
rs municipal law maker in these
progressive times. His pcrsistcncy
in bringing up Twentieth street was
the most ridiculous part of his argu-
ment. II he had attempted to ascer-
tain what was the matter with Twen-
tieth street several months ago, he
would have acted in response to pub
lie wishes. What is the matter with
Twentieth street is question many
have sought an answer to in vain,
and it is to be hoped that Kennedy
will push his inquiry into the matter
now that he has been induced to
bring it up. for strange rs it may
seem to him last nights action on the
part of the council does not affect
Twentieth street in the least. Let
us hope that the objections now on
file in the court will be speedily over
come. Let us hope that the street
will be paved even as Seventeenth
will. ana let us hope and trust that
when such annoying delays occur in
pushing paving operations on any
street in the future the council will
take it Up at the proper time-and
ascertain the cause.
a New City Hall.
At the opening of the session,
Mayor Mcdill read special message
to the council on the subject of a
new city hall, the message appearing
in full in the official proceedings else
where. The city of Springfield, H.,
and the city of Clinton, Iowa, have
both recently demonstrated the prac-
ticabi!ity Of the mayors proposition.
and both cities now have new city
halls of their own. The mayors
idea is simply that which many citi-
zens hold in the matter of acquiring
homes-that which is paid in rent,
may as well be applied month by
month, or year by year on the pur-
chase of the same. The idea is TO or
ganize company, and Rock Island
capital stands ready for such invest
ment, buy the land and build the city
hall in conformity with the plans APP
proved by the council and under the
councils supervision, the company
to receive nominal rate of interest,
and the city pay rental that is to
apply on the purchase price over and
above the interest, while a certain
proportion of the saloon license
each annum is to be paid in on the
principal until it is liquidated. An
other scheme that the mayor has in
mind is that covered by the section
of the statutes, which authorizes the
city to build it under the library
board act. which permits the levy
ing of 5-mill tax on the assessed
property valuation. Levying hall
that amount, or a tax of q mills for
20 years. the city would be enabled
to pay $1,000 year until it had nc.
quired the property. At all events,
the mayor has shown his public
spirit, and the council has accepted
his suggestions, by authorizing the
appointment of committee to carry
out the plans.
Twenty-third Street Paving.
The council received the bids for
the paving of Twenty-third street,
but Withheld action until the samples
submitted be subjected to the proper
test in accordance with the standa I'd
heretofore adopted by the council.
The bid of X. J. McGee was the low.
est on Galesburg brick, while the
Edwards & Walsh Construction com.
pany is the lowest on home brick
The council has yet to determine the
relative merits of the two PROPOSE
tiOns.
Surprise Party.
James and George Coyne were
given q pleasant surprise Saturday