Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-02
CITY COUNCIL CHAT
The Twelfth Street Improve.
ment Again Under Fire.
DIVISION OF ASSESSMENT DESIRED

DIVISION OF ASSESSMENT DESIRED.
Inste ad of a Cash Basis. Which Was Iu-
auyurated to Avoid Another Opportunity
for the Obstructionists to Defeat the
ngs-Property-holders' Petition
Last Evenings Grist.
Another discussion OF the Twelfth
street Improvement proceedings,
which apparently will be con-
firmed without possible oppor-
tunitv for the public obstructiOnist
heretofore defcrring progress on a
mere technicality. was opened last
evening in the appearance of Hon.
w. H. Gest before the council to
have the assessment divided into
instaliments. before the copfirma-
ton of the levy. when in fact this
could be done any time prior to the
commencement Of the tax collection,
and. therefore. avert any chance to
question the legality of the proceed
ings in setting up the claim that
the amount of the first instaliment
should be stipulated, point which
was sustained in the previous ordi-
nance. However, Mr.. Gest stated
that he was there in behalf of the
Twelfth street petitioners, who de-
sired a division intoi installments. of
the tax levy. He asked the council
to follow the customary plan in lev
wing assessments, which Is not a
very severe hardship. The course
now being pursued, he claimed,
would mean a hardship improperly
holders, who could not bear up the
payment OF the assessment as a
whole. MIR. Gest only represented
those residing below Seventh avenue.
City Attorney Haas stated that the
idea OF compiling an ordinance pre-
viding for the payment of the i'm
provement on a cash basis was to avoid
similar technicality which knocked
out former proceedings on account
of the amount of the first Install
ment not being fixed. Mr.. Haas
recommended that the proceedings
be let 20 on now, as any interference
would complicate matters and give
those Indifferent to the improvement
an opportunity to cripple mat
tiers, aud, as the law allows, to let
the council pass an ordinance divid-
ing the assessment into installments
of such numbers as it sees fit any
time before the collection of such is
commenced. The city attorney did
not agree with Mr.. Gest that the
council could not pass an ordinance
providing for division of the as
sessment after the court confirms
the levy.
AS the Twelfth street assessment
will not come up in the court for
confirmation for . faw weeks, City
Attorney Haas suggested that sup
Elemental ordinance be drafted and
presented at a future meeting, when
the council could make such DISPOSE
ton of it as it saw fit, although he
conceived no necessity of having the
assessment divided before confirma-
ton of the proceedings, when the
same purpose could be accomplis he'd
afterward, and possibly avoid further
difficulty.
1t has always been the intention Of
the council to divide the Twelfth
street Improvement levy into INSTALL
ments-hence the uncalled for I'M
easiness Of property holders that
they will have to remit as a whole.
No Police Matron.
The appeal of the W. c. T. U.
ladies was not very effective to ward
the carrying Of their point in the
matter of the appointment of po-
lice matron. Aid. johnson, from the
police committee. reported adversely
on it last night, believing the de-
tention of women and children in
adequate to justify the employing Of
an additional official.
Regulating Bicycles.
Wheelmen are compelled to keep
in the middle of the road hereafter.
The ordinance adopted last night ex-
pressly prohibits riding on sidewalks,
and compels cyclists to carry bells in
day and lanterns at night time.
Anything above a moderate speed
will net be tolerated, neither will
riding more than three abreast on
the highways. An ordinance similar
to this was passed recently in Gales
burg, and was met with lively oppo-
sition by riders OF that place. Sew
eral days ago Gus Kohler, of the
Galesburg Mail. was arrested for rid
ing wheel without a lantern. The
young man employed attorneys and
was prepared to fight the case, when
the proceedings were dismissed by
the city attorney. Kohler did not
deny that he had ridden without a
l ght. but stood on his attorneys
opinion that the council had exceed
ed its authority in making the law.
The decision in this case is OF great
Importance to local wheelmen, as it
establishes the fact that they cannot
be successfully prosecuted under the
ordinance.