Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-05-10

sidewalks removed in the past year.
and others that are yet to be moved,
are, and have been disgrace to the
city, as well as standing menace to
pedestrians. The city of Rock Isl.
and is now defendant to suits in the
circuit court Of this county, amount.
ing to Sl1 200. most of which are
damages claimed by reason of defec-
tive sidewalks. We have in the last
municipal year, placed to grade and
caused to be constructed several
miles of substantial walks. We have
inaugurated in the Third ward the
system of building walks by special
taxation. and although we met at
iirst some obstruction. now, | think
the feeling against the measure has
quite subsidized. and people generally
concede its advantage. We have in
contemplation the passage of ordi-
nances for the construction Of side
walks by special taxation in the
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh
wards. which ordinances will soon be
submitted for your consideration.
Sewers,
The sewerage of the city also needs
our careful attention. Good sewer.
age facilities are conclusive to rood
health. We cannot honestly saw that
we have yet reached that perfection
in the matter of sewerage that we
should strive to do.
Daring the past year we have com
menced.a system of sewers (Which is
now nearly complcte) in the Seventh
ward, which system will greatly ac-
commodatc that section of the city.
rs well rs afford 4 complete DRAINAGE
of the damp lands in that locality.
We have also constructed a system
of sewers in the Barth & Babcock ad-
dition, rs well rs numerous other
sewers in different parts OF the CITY.
In this relation. ] would recommend
to your honorable body that svs.
tcmatic sanitary survey for sewerage
purposes he made by this city, and
that all sewers to be hereafter con.
structed, be built in conformity 10
such survey. The way that sewers
are constructed at present and have
dom. coming merely from petitioners
upon the streets on which sewers are
asked to be constructed, regardless
OF where they are to terminate. The
question OF sewerage ought certainly
10 90 hand in hand with paving and
other street improvements. Under
this same head we should also trea,
Los no. i = -
This is a question that has vexcd
many of our predecessors. particu.
larly so since the principal street.
and avenues OF the city have been
paved. Our attention ut present i.
directed toward the care of the storm
water in the Schnell and Barth &
Bahcock additions. There have been
many ideas and solutions OF this
problem advanced by as many differ
cut persons, but it appears so far &c
me, from practical standpoint, the
cheapest and the most practical way
of disposing OF this great surplus OF
water. would be to conduct il by
means of an underground wooden
| trough or sewer along the lines that
nature destined it to flow and carry
it west in the direction of wha,
is called Long pond" at which
place il will not bother the city in
years to come.
The method of treating it will cost
from one-sevcnth to one-tenth of the
proposed brick sewer on Ninth ave.
nue., or the proposed route via TWEEN
ty-scventh street to the river. and
have been reliably informed that the
wooden sewer, if properly placed will
last for Il period of l. or - wears
However. treat ii as you may, ii is
evident that some disposition must
he made OF the water soon, and be.
fore the paving of Seventeenth,
Twentieth and Twenty-third streets
is completed.
Water Works.
The water works department OF
the city has been ably managed in
the last year. The pumps (particu.
la-ly the filter) have been taxed be
yond their average capacity during
the hot and dry summer months, vet
we were very fortunate in meeting
with no break-downs of a serious ma
ture.
This department has increased the
extension of mains since last spring
some 10000 feet. or nearly two miles
in length. The number of new wa
ter consumers has been increased
40 which auTments the revenues
some $4,000. making total revenue
earned by this department of S2S,,
6G3.5l.
The general condition of our wa
ter works plant is good, with the eN-
ception that the supply seems some
what impaired. Unfortunately we
are compelled to extend the inlet
pipe (Which produces our supply a
long distance into the river to reach
the channel and thus avoid the sew
erage of the upper portion of this
city. As well as that of Moline. The
present inlet pipe is 20 inches in d.
amctcr; in times of low water in the
river, and owing to the great in
crease in the consumption Of water
in the city. the capacity OF this inlet
pipe is severely taxed. ! am in