Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-27
FOR FIRE ALARM
Council Appropriates Sl,loo With
Which TO Start the New
System.
BOXES FOR BUSINESS DISTRICT
Should be Purchased at Once.
Aldermen WrangIe Over
Money.

The feature of last evenings adj.
journed meeting of the city fathers
for the confederation of the annual
appropriation ordinance was the
earnest, though only partially sue
cessful, efforts of A d. Andrews,
backed by a majority of the coun-
cilmen, to apportion the funds SO
as to provide Il separate fund for
the purchase of q modern fire alarm
system for the city.
Difficulties met Aid. Andrews and
his follower in the prosecution of
their o. ject at every turn. The
city clerk had apparently shaved
the estimates down wherever posi-
BILE. and had barely succeeded in max
ing the receipts and expenses balance.
The ohairmen of the committees in
charge of the different department Is
took stand against defectIons from
their respective funds. and the mayor
and city clerk came down hltfoo cd
upon the suggestion that an overdratt
would solve the question.
wranEIe Over Library Board Report.
The fret wraugIe occurred over the
report Of the library board asking the
l-vying of the yearly tax amounting
TO SIC, 900 for the new Library. After
this was finally granted the council
wont into committee of the whole for
the consideration of the appropriation
ordinance and Aid. Anderson was
called to the chair.
The clerks estimate, as found else
where IN the official proceedings of
the meeting, was read and ths seplr-
ate items OF expense discussed. There
was long argument over the IS. 600
estimate for the street and sidewalk
fund, which WAS settled by giving
$500 to the First. Second. Third and
Seventh wards and $500 TO each of
the others for sidewalk purposes.
The street fund was rai-ed to
81 337 6S to enable the city to psy for
paving the intersections on T~enty-
iirst street The sum of 81 900 was
cut from the So 900 estimate for
waterworks construction and the
reservoir expense fund was cut from
81, 00C to IS 900. Five hundred dol
lars was added to the 81 900 bridge
estimate. and 81, 400 taken from the
contingent fund of IS 500 for the i'm
provement on Twenty-s"cond street.
SLIGO for the Alarm.
When it WAS over, there was bat
81, 100 left in the contingent fund, and
over $500 of that, according to City
Clerk Schaffer. has already been
spent. However, Aid. Andrews Of
fercd a motion that was carried. set
ting apart 81. 100 for the fire alarm
system.
IRE council has adopted the Came
well fire alarm, and there is a resolu-
ton on the record instructing the
mayor and clerk to enter into con-
tract for the installation of the new
system whenever the municipality
shall feel financially able To assume
tho obligation. That modern and
independent fire alarm system is
needed, all will admit. Suppose the
city cannot buy the outfit complete
right away, it surely is not in such
poor circumstances that a starter
cannot be made for system. Buy
enough boxes TO protect the business
district, maintaining the old system
in the residence portion, and add to
the new apparatus year af,er year I'M
til it is complete. Taxpayers have a
light to expect at least this much OF
the pre-. ent council.