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

The entire cost OF the revision, to-
gethcr with the printing, etc., will
amount to s1,069.50.
Finance.
| have no doubt you are aware of
the financial condition of the city.
The history of its bonded indebted
ness has been heralded or hawked all
over town within the last few DAYS.
Suffice to say, the total bonded debt
is Sl95, 600, consisting of $1,000 of
g per cent funding bonds due Sept.
l, 1897, and $4,000 waterworks
bonds due Feb. 1, 1902.
The city has assets of $390.577. S3
to show for this debt, and is in no
bankrupt condition, as some people
would like to make it appear. The
anticipated revenues of the CITY will
reach this year nearly 1926, 900. We
have not yet succeeded in obtaining
the money due the city from George
Wagner. The Judgment, together
with the interest and the fees paid to
our attorney, amount to something
like Sc, 900. Your honorable BODY
should take some measures towards
collecting this amount, as it is hon.
-estly due the city and should be
paid.
City Hall.
l had the honor at a meeting of the
council held on March Sd to submit
by special message a plan to erect a
city hall. whereby the same could be
accomplished without an increase of
taxation or cost of one dollar to the
tax payers. The plan which is famil-
lar to YOU all, was considered feast
Die. adopted by your honorable body.
endorsed by the Citizens Improve
ment association and by the press.
and commented upon and approved
generally by the people.
Proposals for sites, etc, were
asked for, and many sites were Of
fered. As was expected. the question
of location excited strife. as the city
received only one bona-fde supple
mentary proposition to furnish the
capital to purchase the site and con-
struct the building, which PROPOSE
ton was made by Messrs. +. b. and
S. 5. Davis. The city council at a
subsequent meeting passed 4 resolu-
ton instructing the mayor and city
clerk to enter into contract with the
said Davis x Davis to lease or rent
The proposed building upon a basis
OF 6 per cent net on the actual capt.
tai invested, for period of not more
than ten years. and to take an option
thereon for the purchase of such city
hall by the payment of S., 900 per
year, etc. a few obstructionists
who could not dictate the location of
the building. conspired for the pur-
pose of fighting the city and to kill
the project. Upon application to the
circuit court of this county, n tempo
rary writ of injunction was issued on
| The 5th inst. restraining the eXecu-
ton of such contract. However, it Is
hoped that the injunction NAV soon
be dissolved and the city enabled to
proceed on its path of improvement.
| desire to call the attention of YOUR
honorable body to a plan of removing
tie earth from the bluffs and to fill
the heavy grades which we are and
viii be required to do in bringing the
sidewalks and streets to grade. To
raise the Second. Third. Fifth and
Sixth wards to grade will cost a great
deal of money, and as it seems to be
the policy Of the city to eventually
wipe out the slough and carry a uni
form grade through to the bluffs, i
am constrained to believe the plan
feasible. The plan is to plrchase a
10
can easily be made into a portable
track. and carried from one street to
another.
A resident OF the city has offered
to sell us thirty or thirty-five cars
which are in very good repair, for
the small sum of SO each. The
grade from the bluff is such that the
cars would run down by gravitation
and the empty ears easily drawn back
in trains OF five or more by team
of horses. The rapid handling of the
earth would materially reduce the
cost.
The city in order to encourage the
filing up of the low lots could well
afford TO fill the lots upon some
equitable basis or to give the use of
such track and cars to people desir-
ing it.
In conclusion ! desire to extend
my sincere thanks to the heads of the
different departments of the city gov
eminent ard the council for the Kind
and courteous treatment they have
shown me during the past year. l
was well aware that the duties as
Sumed to me one year ago were ardu-
Gus, and but for the assistance that !
received from your honorable body
and the several departments, | would
have found difficult task before me.
NV sincere thanks and regrets ac-
company the retiring aldermen, and
| trust their paths may be made
pleasant throughout the walks of
their private lives.
THOMAS j. MEDILL. JR..
Mayor.
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