Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-29
REALITY is HERE
City Awakes to See Its False
Steps.
ATTENTION 70 NEGLECTED STREETS

eSehteentn Strcet improvement "h'SA
the Council Vas Persuaded to Abandon
Now Demands Repairs or Must lie
Closed Up in the Interests of Public
Safety.
Seventeenth street. since the last
downpour of rain. is in bad condi-
ton, the water having washed deep
gallies in the driveway. South
Heights people who use the roads say
that the council should either clos.
the street or have it repaired. as it is
dangerous to use it, especially after
dark. Morning Union.
This is refreshing revelation COM
ing from the Union, in view Of the
fact that it defended with such zeal the
shameful conduct OF the republican
coancil as SOON as it gained control
of the situation IS months ago, in
completely upsetting the acts of the
preceding body in cooperating with
Mayor Msdill's policy to insure
street permanently improved, instead
of what the Union acknowledges
now to be impossible and dangerous.
to such an extent that the city must
either repair or close it.
How the Improvement Was Knocked Out.
1t will be readily recalled that the
council had passed through all the
preliminaries essential TO the putting
Of this street in good condition-iu
n permanent state OF repair-te the
city limits. The essential formaii
ties to such proceeding had adj
t,n CD OF In
reception OF the proposals for the
work, whereupon the new council
refused to open the bids and cut the
improvement off at Ninth avenue,
purely t. please tho extensive land
owners south of Ninth avenue. who
had previously blocked she advance
ment of the Twentieth street improve
ment beyond Ninth avenue, and who
were only induced to submit to the
continuation there by the forcing
of Seventeenth street. At the spring
election prior to the republican
aldermen abandoning the Seven
teenth street project, the question
had been the issue in the matter OF
the Fourth ward aldermanic candi-
dacy, and the return to the council
| of Aid. Daaber carried the cOnclu-
sive evidence tfat the people most
affected were in favor Of the Seven
teenth street improvement. Not
outstanding this, aldermen from
other wards were prevailed upon to
bring the matter up in the council
and check the contemplated advance
ment of good streets. 1t was be-
cause The ARGUS fought for pro-
gress that the Union flew to the
defense of he republican council,
which had been so inconsiderate Of
the interests Of the city and SO de-
voted to extensive land holders, and
hence the interest that attaches TO
it. frank admission today. The city
must now either close the street in
question, or repair it. If it is in such
a deplorable condition as has been
represented, it will cost the city
nearly as much to repair it properly
as to have put in good street a year
ago at property holders expense.
Ina Nicc Predicament
But now with an empty street and
alley fund, through the brilliant ex-
ample of the alderman who was one
of the first to champion cutting of
the permanent improvement of the
street. tho city finds itself face to
face with the necessity either of
spending money out Of the gene1 al
taxes on the street so that people in
the suburbs may come into town. or
OF closing it to traffic. Aod all to
please Il few land owners.
| And the beauty of it Is that the
improvement of Twelfth street, then
pointed to by the same influences as
a more desirable street to pave. is
now tied up by the same public
spirited operations because the pres
ent administration has not had the
sand or the energy to push it or
the alley improvements to compile
ton long ago.
| The city that tarries to consider
the obstructionist and the enemy to
progress is bound to stand still.
There is but one wav to go ahead