Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-09
WORK ON THE LEvEE;
Mayor MediII Submits a Plan to
the City Council Last
Night.
THE IMPROVEMENT TO BEGIN SOON.
Cost VIII be Exceedingly Reasonable
When Compared With Figures Previ-
ously Furnished Special Issue Of Bonds
For the Payment of tn Balance OF the
Reservoir Debt.


ously Furnished Issue OF Bonds
For the Payment OF tn Balance OF the
Reservoir Debt.
Before the month of December will
have run its race the long-desired i'm
provement of Rock Islands river
front will be a reality if the pace in-
augurated at last nights meeting of
the city council is carried on. There is
not an apparent shadow of a doubt but
that it will, as Mayor Medill and the
aldermen are anxious that the work
should be done as soon as practicable,
feeling that they have the approval
and cooperation of every public
spirited citizen in the matter.
After disposing Of routine business,
unfinished at the regular monthly
session. the council resolved itself i'm
to a committee of the whole. last
night, with Aid. ii. l.. Wheelan in
the chair, and discussed two import
ant questionable levee Improvement
and the reservoir debt. Mayor Me-
dill. who deserves no little credit for
the time and study he has devoted TO
these matters, submitted plans COW
ering each, which met the unani-
nous acquiescence of the councilmen.
He said he had received valuable as
sistance in outlining the river front
improvement from Mavor George
Baker, of Davenport. Only rough
estimate had been made. IL was for
brick paving OF Seventeenth and
Eighteenth streets to the waters edge.
the intervening space and east To rhe
Nineteenth street line to be macadam-
lied. the shore to he riprapped instead
of walled with stone. to heighth So as
to insure l2-inch grade. The MAYOR
said they estimated the cost ut 81. 900
an amount exceedingly low when
compared with the figures heretofore
furnished the city. An appropria-
ton of So, 600 had already been made
for the work. he said. s.. 900 had been
received from the Peoria road. making
s. 900. and if the other corpor-
atoms which had promised to
contribute kept their word the city
would have plenty of money to carry
Oh the improvement. the first section
of which-Seventeenth to Nineteenth
streets-ought TO he completed this
fall, by the latter part of September,
anyway.
In relation TO the balance of the
reservoir debt, Mayor Medill sug-
gested the issuance of $50. 900 worth
of bonds against the waterworks
fund, to extend over period of six
years, $1,000 to he paid annually.
In this way the improvement would
pay for itself. the income in water
rents being amply sufficient to also
pay $1,000 yearly toward the pay
ment of the reservoir grounds, after
setting aside enough for the main
tenance and operation of the plant,
and having a few thousand dollars
for extensions beside. The bond
question was referred to the mayor
and finance committee to report an
ordinance providing for the issue as
suggested. while the levee improve
ment was referred to the mayor and
street and alley committee to report
at the next meeting, when it is en-
pected to have detailed plan in
readiness. so that the work can he
proceeded with.
More Contracts Let.
Contracts for additional reservoir
materials and work were let to the
Ohio Pipe company. the Addysten
Pipe company, c. j. Larkin and the
Davis company.
| Aid. Surman complained that the
Peoria road was occupying Third and
Fourth streets on First avenue in
building an embankment in connec-
nection with its proposed new engine
house, and he had a motion put
through instructing the clerk to
order the company to suspend these
Operations until the necessary per-
mission is obtained from the city.
A report of an analysis of a sample
of the water from the experimental
natural sand filter made by Prof.
Erastus ID. Smith. the famous bacter-
lologist, was read by Mayor Medill.
Prof. Smith states that the water was
practically sterilized by the method
used-entirely pure and clear. This
demonstrates. - said the mayor. 1--WE
have made no mistake in the system
of water filtration we haya .dontad =,