Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-21
TO PROVIDE GATES.
Railroads Required to Protect
Pedestrians
AT EIGHTEENTH AND FORTY-SIXTH

al G4U1466U III AMI Vh i -S1Ald.
The appointment of q Waterworks Com-
mission to Have Entire Control Of That
Department Brought Up at Last Nights
Council MeetinE-ss to Elm Street.
Protection is promised pedestrians
and vehicles from the dangers of
passing railroad trains at Eighteenth
and at Forty-sixth streets: The long
prayed for gates are to come. The
city council at its semi-monthlv
meeting last evening authorized the
clerk to instruct the railroad COM
panies having trackage at the above
mentioned points to Immediately
provide gates. Much complaint has
been made by people residing in the
neighborhood of Forty-sixth street
of the fast speed made by trains
passing there and the consequent
danger to people having to cross the
tracks at this point, and the council
was formally petitioned to in some
manner remedy the condition. The
petition was responded to with
action instructing the erection of
gates at Fifth avenue and Forty
sixth street. AS for Eighteeth street
there Is probably no point in the city
where the gates are more needed, as
THE ARGUS has SO frequently de-
clared with emphasis. This was
realized by the committee having in
charge the levee improvement, and
Chairman Foss recommended that
the railroad companies be instructed
to insure the long demanded protec-
ton there. The Rock Island &
Peoria and Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy own the tracks at Eighteenth
street and the Chicago, Rock Island
& Pacific and the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy those at Forty-sixth
street.
The Wholesale Liquor Dealers.
Further time relative to the licens.
ing Of wholesale liquor houses was
granted the license committee on
suggestion of Aid. Fender, who
stated that inquiry was being made
Of surrounding municipalities as to
how this line of business was regu.
lated, in order to deliberate on the
matter more intelligently. The
Rock Island wholesale liquor dealers
consider the imposition of license
unjust and have so expressed them.
selves to the committee, with which
they recently conferred. The liquor
men contend that if their business
was confined to this immediate local.
ity they would have no objection tc
paying i license, but as in most in.
stances they have no interests in
Rock Island except as place of resi-.
dence, they don't believe it fair to b.
taxed here for goods disposed O.
elsewhere.
Waterw0.k ks Commission.
An ordinance providing for tn,
appointment of board of water
works commissioners was presented
and read by Aid. Kennedy and re
ferred until the next meeting. The
drift of the ordinance leans toward
the removal of the waterworks de-
partment from politics. 1t provide:
for three commissioners-not more
than two from one political body
who shall have entire control of tn,
waterworks, both nancially anC
otherwise. The commission shall
serve without compensation and will
have the selection of the superinten.
dent and all connected with the de
partment, any one Of whom may bt
discharged by the commission on jus
tifiable grounds.
The city attorney reported on tn,
question of removing illegal railroad
tracks on First avenue referred to
him by the council. He said that ir
consulting with the railroad peopl,
and other interested parties h,
found and believed that either sid,
| would make such concessions a.
| would result in an amicable and sat
isfactOrv settlement of the matter
While he believed there was no cues
ton of the city's power to have tn,
| tracks removed, he also said Their,
were many things, principally tn,
city's commercial interests, to b,
considered before proceeding hastily
So he recommended the appointment
of committee of seven aldermen
who together with himself and tn,
mayor could look further into tn,
question and report at called meet
ing. The committee is composed of
Aids. Foss. Kennedy. Fender, Dau
Der, Schroeder, Schriener and Sur
man.
The Elm Street Improvement.
The proposed improvement of Elm
street provided for at the previou
meeting elected a lengthy discus
sion among the councilmen. Aid
Maucker was the first to speak. H.
said that since voting favorable t.
the Improvement of this thorough
fare he had given the matter NOR,
consideration and arrived at the con
clusion that the city could not affor,
the expense of this additional OUTLAY
in improvements, as ali the none,
within its command the coming year
he found on investigation, would b
needed in work already contracts
for. together with other pre-
1 iects. such as the leyee now fairly II