Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-11-08
KEEP SYSTEM FREE
City Should Not Adopt Fire Alarm
Provided in Telephone
Ordinance.
PEOPLE OPPOSE SUCH PARTNERSHIP
That Would CompIicate an Impor-
tant Branch of Ser
vice.

One of the provisions of the Thorn
as telephone ordinance adopted by
the city council last Monday evening
that has excited comment of a vary
ing nature on the part of the public
is that providing for the installation
and maintenance by the Illinois indie
pendent Telephone company, in adj
ditiOn to 10 regular instruments for
the general use of the city, of 80 in
struments complete for service as
police and fire alarm system. While
this may show a very commendable
intent on the part OF the company
which has secured permission to en-
ter the city. the accruing benefits, it
must appear. are not in proportion
to the liberality of the concession.
This so far as the practical side of
the question is concerned.
The Argus stands just where il
stood last spring when the question
of an improved fire alarm system
was being discussed and when it OPP
posed the proposition OF the Central
Union to Neutrality-suspicious.. In the
first place il is not in favor of a sys-
tenn the ownership OF which is vest
ed in or shared by any power out
side of the city.
Wrong In Principle.
1t is the principle that is wrong
No city should enter upon any ar
rangement by which it takes in "a pri-
waite corporation as partner in the
control or government of any branch
of the municipal service. Under
such deal there is no condition that
can be imposed that will safeguard
the city from the possibility of be-
ing at the mercy of the corporation.
If the municipal assembly would be
the representative of the people il
must not let slip from its absolute
ownership any part of the machinery
essential to the independent opera
ton of every branch and department
of the city government. The city
must be untrammeled and free from
the complications of association with
outside interests IN the government
OF public affairs.
In the second place no telephone
system is fitted TO serve as a safe and
expeditions means of communicating
alarms in case of fire. as has been re-
other cities. All towns of any stand
ing have sent the telephone TO the
rear in this connection and it is time
for Rock Island To do the same. The
telephone may do very well for po-
lice service. but in case of Il fire the
department, if needed at all. is need
ed at once and the delay of even a
few seconds lost in conversation is
often the cause of disaster.
What Rock Island needs is the best
system devised, owned entirely by
the municipality and unhampered by
any private interests: system by
which direct connection is had be-
tween the boxes and all the engine
houses SO that the pulling of lever
Will ring up the number of the box
at the different stations and repeat
it till ii is understood: a system. in
short. such as other progressive
cities have, with boxes in the bust
ness and factory districts that may
he opened day and night without the
least excuse for delay i'm summoning
the department. Why have paid
with every other provis-
ion for aiding the firemen in getting
to-the fire and doing their work with
the utmost dispatch, if the entire |
amount expended for protection is |
10 be seriously impaired in time of |
need for the want of a proper sys- |
tenn of communication.
Wrong In Theory.