Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-21
WATER SUBJECT
HAS BAD EFFECT
Its Discussion Occasions Dis
tressing Symptoms on
Unions Part.
SUGGESTION OF INVESTIGATION
Wild and Silly Boasts INDUCED in
by the Morning
Paper.

The suggestion on the part of THE
ARGUS that an investigation be in
stituted as to the entire waterworks
system in Rock Island in order that
the responsibility may be correctly and
officially located for the existing state
of affairs, not only as it affects the
pumping station, but the filtering
plant, has had most distressing effect
upon the morning Union. In the de-
lirium following its spasm it imag-
ines all sorts OF peculiar and really
laughable things. Its ramblings indeed
border so closely upon deliberate pre-
varication that it is but charitable to
attribute the spectacle it presents
to the result of severe attack of
hysteria. brought on by extreme pro-
vocation. That provoeation, it may
be said, was the simple suggestion
that the management of the water
works plant of Rock Island be p obed.
and the fact that municipal cam
paign is pending should not be per-
mitted TO bias or prejudice the stu
alton.
The ARGUS is willing to pass over
all the little inaccuracies of its excited
morning contemporary as to the
source from which all information
pertaining to the waterworks develop
ments has reached the pu blic-includ
ing even the charge horrible as it is
to contemplate, that THE ARGUS
had under any circum stances SO
ieopardized its reputation as to
copy anything from The Union-and
to treat it all as an exceed
ingly unrealistic dream on the
part of the morning paper. So
is only necessary to say that in all that
has come to the front concerning the
waterworks the one thing that the
Union had first was the report that
came in the evening after THE AR
GUS had como to press from
Champaign and that contained
nothing. The accurate report of Prof
Smiths analysis, the first information
that threw any direct light on the
actual seat of the difficulty here, to-
gether with every vestige of informa-
tion of value or interest relating to
the subject, has appeared first and
exclusively in The ARGUS and all
familiar with current history know
this to be true -srftt -
What the Public is Interested In.
But that is not what the pub
lie is interested in now. The
question of vital moment before
the people is the cause of the
water contamination, how to remove
it-and who is to blame for it. The
cause seems to have been discovered
The remedy will speedily be applied
it is hoped Now what the people
have right to know is who is Il
blame for the neglect plainly ap
parent at the waterworks well
and further, as to what degre
of intelligence and comp -tency tn
reservoir has been run. In wore
let the exact truth be known as t
this.
As matter of fact it has beer
difficult to learn how far the flterin
plant has been in operation since las
fail. The indifference that the pre-:
emit administration has shown to thi
project has been as characteristic a
has it's course with reference TO a
enterprises of a public nature tbs
have failed to have their origin wit
it. Indeed it has only been throug
the stand taken in the council b
those who knew of the virtues {
the system that, despite what hf
De60 COHIeUueO WILL IL Ids OcS
brought 10 the degree of perfectio
that might have before been alread
realized by the people under ciferer
management of the waterworks prof.
erty.
Blame Belongs Somewhere.
The iDuendos in which the Unto
INDUCES in the absence of defense fC
the present condition of affairs are s
far fetched as it's main argumen
The situation is that the first well hs
been found in deeply deplorab
condition, and has apparently been s
for some time. This being the cas-
the public wants to know two thing;
first why this was not discovered
the superintendent of waterworks, b
fore and if it was discovered befol
why it was not speedily remedie'
Former Supt. Murrin, speaking of IL
matter this morning. said. ''Thel
was no occasion why there should
any delay in cutting the water out
the first basin or of waiting to send
Chicsgo for the 30-inch PIP,
remedy the difficulty. Both Il
intake pipe running into the well al