Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-11
STORM DRAIN TALK.
Council Holds a Breezy Ses
sion.
EVIDENCE IN soHNELLs BEHALF
Some Contractors VINO Say the Twenty
fourth Street Job b . First Class One
The Hirst Avenue Illegal Track Oasstior
Revived.

SUNNI NoussoesoEe VINO Soy tho TW0nby"
fourth Street Job is . First Class One
The First Avenue Illegal Track DIGESTION
Revived.
The council took another fall out
OF the storm drain last night. 1t
Is about as near settlement as il was
before. Another meeting will be
held Monday.
The council went into committee
of the whole, with Aid. Nelson in the
chair. The reports OF the finance and
sewer committee and Expert Chand-
Ter on the storm drain were read and
adopted. The mayor, who was occu-
plying q seat among the aldermen,
said he would like all the facts with
reference to the drain thoroughly
sifted before definite action was
taken. John Loonsy was given per-
mission to speak to the council in
behalf Of Contractor Schnell, whom
he said was indisposed and unable to
be present. He called the councils
attention to the circumstances in
volving the taking of the contract
by Mr. Schnell, whom he said came
to the rescue when the workmen
were clamoring for their wages and
the work was at a standstili. and he
believed in all fairness that definite
action with reference to accepting the
job should be postponed until he be
given an opportunity to state his
side of the case. Mr.. Looney said be
had several contractors 90 through
the drain yesterday afternoon, and
he would like to hear from them, in
which suggestion the council con-
CURED. Mr.. Looney said he knew
nothing about the work; he was sim
ply representing the contractor
legally, and he believed from legal
standpoint the contract had been
carried out to the letter.
Henry Huberty. Moline con-
tractor, said that he had inspected
the storm drain, and in his judg-
ment Portland cement aud first class
concrete had been used throughout
the job, which he considered good
one
NJ. c. Frick, the inspector en-
ployed on the DR. ain by the city, said
he believed no Portland cement had
been used in the vicinity of the
break on Twenty-fifth street; that he
had watched the sacks during the
progress Of the work, and vet that all
were labeled Portland. In reference
to the concrete. he said that Engi-
neer Paddock had given authority to
the contractor to use sand instead Of
cement in the composition of the
concrete. Aid. Maucker wanted to
know il the contractor was RESPONSE
| BILE for an action of the engineer.
who was representing the city. City
Attorney Haas said that the specifi-
cations required that all matters
pertaining to the contract be settled
by the engineer and sewer commit
tee, aud that the former could not
act officially in this connection for
the city. Aid. Kennedy asked Mr..
Looney If it would not be an easy
way to determine the cement ques-
tion by obtaining an affidavit from
S. Mattison, who sold the material
in controversy, as to the bran pur-
chased by the storm drain con-
tractors. Mr.. Looney did not believe
this would determine the contro-
very, for, he asked, how does Mr..
Mattison know whether the cement
he sold was used on the storm drain
job.
| supeFvisof Pierc-'s Opinion.
Supervisor Nels Pierce, Of Moline,
considered the job q first class one,
excepting on Ninth avenue, where he
found q cave in, which he believed
was due to weakness in the protec-
ton wall. Mr.. Pierce said he could
not say whether the cement had
been mixed; but he found there had
been q number of grades of brick
used.
julius Stroehle, of this city, told
the council that he considered the
storm drain job first class one; that
there were hundred brands of ce-
ment, and that it would be a difficult
matter for him or anyone else to dis
tiDguish Portland from Milwaukee;
| that the quality Of the cement had
nothing to do with the drain caving
in on Ninth avenue, for he declared
the arch was held intact by the pres
sure of the earthen walls. end that
the cement was simply placed be-
tween the bricks to prevent leaks.
TIE Fr.cs Qasstion Again.
The First avenue illegal track
question was brought up by Aid.
Foss. He wanted to know how the
matter stood, and if the resolution
instructing the city attorney to pro-
coed in court for the purpose Of hav-
ing the illegal tracks removed had
been carried out.
City Attorney Haas replied that he
had not done anything since the dis
charge of the committee appointed to
look into the matter. but that it was
his intention to institute suit against
the railway companies at the jan
uary term Of the circuit court.
Aid. Concaunon said he could not
see any con sis.ency in compelling the
railroad companies to remove their
tracks and then giving permission to
another corporation-the Bridge &
Terminal company to run two
tracR into tho a. mo forritorv