Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-20

| Aldermen Disposed to Settle Much Dis
cussed Problem at as Early a Date as
PossibIe-CoaI Company Seeks Lease
of a Portion of the Levee-To Attend
Industrial Home Fair.
At last evenings semi-monthly ses-
sion of the city council Aid. II. l..
Wheelan suggested it was opportune
that some action be taken looking to-
ward the providing of a steamboat
landing at the Rock Island levee, the
matter having been deferred last fall
| owing to the lateness of the building
season, and referred to the license and
markets committee. Aid. Wheelan be-
lieved it would be a good plan to
vote the privilege TO any of the steam
boat companies doing business al the
| local port to erect a warehouse or
| floating dock, the other companies de-
| string to occupy it to share proper
| tiOnatelv the cost OF building or
| pay an annual rental, the mavor
| and council to act as arbiters in case
of disputes. Aid. Aster stated he had
in course of preparation an ordinance
providing for the building by the city
of levee warehouse, and expected TO
have it ready for presentation at the
| next meeting of the council. Citizens
| generally wish to see the warehouse
| question disposed of so that all inter-
ests will be properly guarded, and it
| is hoped n solution will be reached
| before another river season passes.
Public sentiment, however, has not
| changed in the matter of deprecating
any move that would look to the con-
ceSsiOn of any corporation rights on
/ the levee. AS matter of fact, people
generally are opposed to any building
on the lcvee whatsoever, ana would not
consent to having any unless it be
the only way of serving the CONNER
cial interests of the city, and then on
the condition that it should be under
the strict and absolute control and Jur
| isdiction of the city. a few months
ago a number of citizens who have
been opposed to allowing any build
ing to be erected on the levee started
a movement to provide, largely
through popular subscription, a
wharfboat, and gave every assurance
that such an enterprise would be sue
| cessfully carried out. PraCtic ally
| nothing. however, has been heard on
| this subject since.
wants Iart OF LeEee.
The following petition from the
Empire Coal company was referred to
the street and alley committee: The
undersigned prays your honorable
| body, the city council of the city of
Rock Island, to enact by ordinance,
and grant your petitioner TIE right
and privilege of occupying and using
that portion of the city's street or
levee bounded and described as fol-
lowing, toWit: From the west line of
Seventeenth street eastward distance
of 60 feet, and from the water line of
the Mississippi river south a distance
of IS feet; use of said premises being
for the purpose of furnishing coal and
other supplies to steambOa and river
craft; for which right and privilege a
yearly rental shall be paid the city of
$50, and further conditioned that
your petitioner shall have the privilege
of renewal of the rights in said ordi-
nance granted year by year, by and
with the consent of the city council"
or course this petition is alb
surd. 1t is absurd for many rea-
sons. In the first place. the coun-
ell should consider no petition
or ordinance that would involve the
cutting up of the new levee as estab-
lished. The granting of the rights
sought by the Empire Coal company
would simply mean the blocking off
by means of tracks, forming an Il, "
portion of the new river front. In
the second place. rights hardly so un-
reasonable have been refused already
TO one company, and the city must be
Will oil
porations who seek to invade the ter
ritCry that has been set aside. to be
preserved as Il levce for all time. And
The ARGUS knows of no time better
than the present TO reaffirm the posi-
tion that the city has already taken
and to establish as a precedent for the
future, that no more tracks will be
permitted to disturb one foot of that
part OF the river front that has
been set apart and improved
at large expense by the taxpayers
for public uses. Doubtless the pre-
sentation of this petition is the
result OF the submission by the
Peoria road of an ordinance for coal
track rights on the unimproved por-
ton of the levee east of Nineteent b
street, and for this reason should
serve 10 impress upon the city the
care that should be taken in prevent
ing any further tracks from entering
the new levee and in guarding any
privileges if granted with a view
10 insuring the extension of the river
front improvement beyond the pres
ent established line.
An invitation was accepted 70 at
tend Industrial Home fair at Armory
hall on the opening night, Feb. 20.
The council will 20 as a body.
Misunderstanding.