Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-04
ALL IN HIS HANDS.
Promoter Blair Can Aid or De.
lay the Levee.
COUNCIL AWAITS HIS SURVEY

1
the Present Week and 1t is Desirable
That the CityAct Next Monday Night II
Possibie-City Attorneys Views.
| There was q time in the council
last night that it looked as ii the en-
tire levee proceedings would be Ell
fectually set aside for an indefioite
time. through a shifting of the credit
and responsibility, plan that must
have originated in the brain OF some
one more designing than wise. But
Aids. Fender and Wheelan saved
the day and promptly undoing very
impolitic act, put the project back
in shape for action at next Monday
nights meeting. The unwise step
was in changing the committees IN
charge Of the Improvement, a move
that could only have been attended
by ill feeling and discord such as
would have been destructive to the
success OF the Undertaking. When
the levee question was brought up
Aid. Nelson moved that the proceed
ing be placed in the hands of the
street and alley committee, the
mayor and city attorney to consult
with +. p. Blair, of the Terminal
company, and the c., Il. & q. and X.
|. L. Z. roads as to grades, and the
removal of tracks already there such
n distance as would admit of the Ter
minal company's double tracks on
the outside. The motion at once
carried.
City Attorney Haas thereupon
asked the council what it expected
to accomplish by changing the COM
mittees and going into another con-
sultation. You will simply reach
the same result as heretofore"
said the city attorney. '.The city
has q right to demand Of the rail-
roads there that they move their
tracks to such grades as the city
may require. The plan you have
adopted will merely delay these pro-
ceedings for heaven knows how
long"
Aid. Maucker of the special COM
J mite on river front stated that the
committee had worked six or eight
months to get it ready and he could
not see what the council expected to
J gain by taking it out of the commit
tees hands, and starting entirely
over again with new committees.
Aid. Dauber asked the city en-
gineer if the city could not fill out
side of the present tracks there 20
feet or more, and Mr.. Darling said he
thought this could be done by "going
. half way 20 Davenport" if the city
felt disposed to, to which Aid. Dau-
Der replied that it was the duty of
the city engineer to make recon-
: mendations as to these things and
not keep the city waiting for such
advice as he ought to volunteer. MIR.
Darling rejoined that it was all a
Question of economy and he did not
feel called upon to make suggestions
that involved unnecessary outlay.
Aid. Dauber spoke directly to the
engineer, reading him a short lesson
on his duty to the city, the council
being the Judge of expense, and the
matter was thereupon dropped.
Feeling Is Shown.
AID. Gall, of the special commit.
tee. said the committee had done the
best it could and was tired of being
made foot ball of anyway. If the
council thought the change made de-
sirable he had no objection.
1t became apparent that the feel.
ing which had been aroused was just
what the opponents of the levee i'm
provement had sought and Aid
Fender moved that the action taken
by the council be reconsidered. Aid
= Wheelan promptly seconded the mo
ton. both gentlemen stating that the
matter should be left in the hands OF
the committee, which had carried i,
to its present status. The motion car
ried. Then Aid. Fender moved thai
the proceedings be resubmitted tt
the original committee composed O
Aids. Maucker. Gall and Nelson to-
gethcr with the mayor and city at
torney Nelson serving in place o
Aid. Foss. who is out of town. tt
confer with the railroads at once
= and upon Aid. Wheelan's second tn,
motion prevailed, although Their,
were few attempts to overload the
, committee.
Aid Kennedy asked City Attorne,
Haas when in order to bring the pro
ceediugs into the September term o
the circuit court. it would be neces
sary for the committee to report, ant
Mr.. Haas replied that it should al
be attended to by next Monday nigh
aud that everything necessary coul,
, be accomplished in single meeting
and the papers filed the following
morning.
1t was decided thereupon to hav'
the committee meet this afternoon
and Mr.. Blair was advised to hav,
his engineer here at the earliest pos
sible day, and he replied that tn
engineer would be here this week
Thus the matter was officially place.
where it has been for some time-t
suit the convenience OF Mr.. Blair
but it is SO now that it remains wit
him whether it will be pushe,
through expeditiousIy in order t
IS get it into the September term Q
court SO that the improvement ma