Rock Island Argus., 1901-10-26
STILL IN A QUANDARY
Action on Independent Telephone
Question Again Deferred
by Council.
AID. WILLIS ABsENTFRoM MEETING
Ordinance Committee Offers Two
Reports-vote on the
Minority.

The absence of AID. e E. Willis
from last nights adjourned meeting
of the city council probably prevented
final action on the independent tele-
phone proposition. TIE whole ques-
tion has again been deferred, .ad journ-
ment having been taken as the one
means of obtaining relief from par
liamentaiy tangle into which the
aldermen, mayor and city attorney
had gotten.
The council chamber was crowded
with interested citizens, who had ap-
parently cana primed to see decisive
action. 1t was close to o'clock be-
fore the call to order. half hour hav-
ing been lost by trip in the pztrol
wagon by Aids. Andrews and Soder-
strom to the home of Aid Wilii1, who
Is said to be threatened with typhoid
fever, to get his name to one of the
two reports of the ordinance commit
tee. which is composed of AndI Iews.
Soderstrom and Willis The sick
alderman signed the report offered bv
Andrews. which favors the Bills Il
Workman, or Union Electric Tele-
phone and Telegraph ordinance.
why Bills is Favored.
Mr.. Andrews was the first to be
heard when the council had assem-
bled. He recited several reasons why
he and his colleague, Willis. had
come to the conclusion that Bills &
Workman should be granted the fcan-
chise, principal among them being
that the gentlemen had been in the
field two years ago and had received the
Endorsement of the commercial
ganizations OF the cities of Rock Is
land and Moline, had spent their
time and money here. had no less
than five exchanges either in operation
or in course of construction in cities
in Illinois. and were promoting long
distance system that it would be to
the advantage of Rock Island to be
connected with Altogether they be-
lieved it for the best interests of the
city that the Bills II Worth.m ordi-
nance b, adopted.
No Change In Illinois Ordinance.
Aid. Soderstrom. in Offering the
minority rep TT favoring the Hin. is
C I'm mpany's apple .tion. raid be re-
in the same shape identically as it was
when referred to the com mittee, and
re commended its adoption.
At this point Aid. Robbins impor
tuned delibeIation The aldermen
were unduly excited, he said. aud
were lined up in battle against one
auother, when in reality they should
bs laboring as one to see how best
they could serve the city in such an
important undertaking. He wanted
further time in order that all might
be given an opportunity to cool off
Anyway, he had been informed that
neither ordinance was drawn with a
view to properly tecting the mu.
nicipality, and therefore moved that
both be laid over till the December
meeting of the council. He received
a second from Aid. Snyder, but the
motion was ruled out of order by the
mayor.
Rules DO Not Apply.
A vote on the Illinois ordinance
was then called for by Aids. Gall and
White, but before the roll was called
Aids. Robbins and Snyder united in a
request for the laying over of the en-
tire matter until the next meeting
under the rules. The mayor said |
they were too late, by reason of the !
rights of the previous motion Of Aid.
Gall. }
Aid. Kennedy wanted to know of
City Attorney Scott il two aldermen
had not the privilege of having a
report laid over under the
rules of the council. The attorney
produced his law books, but ell the
light they would throw on the case
was that the report bore the same
status before the council as any ordi-
nary report. but when he was re-
by Aid. Anderson that it was
The second presentation of the Illinois ,
he ruled that the alder
manic prerogative claimed by Mr..
did not apply.
Pat to q Vote.
The motion to adopt the minority
report, which recommended the Illi-
nois company measure, was then put
md received the following vote:
Ayes-WilkeRs, Westbay. Eckhart,
White. Gall. Anderson, Soderstrom
Il.
Nays-Snyder. Andrews, Hause,
Robbins. Kennedy-6.
Aid Anderson made the point that
he ordinance was not upon its adop-
ion, but was simply submitted to
vote as to whether il should be con-
,idered, and therefore moved that
inal action be postponed till the next
regular meeting. 1t had been plainly
stated by the mayor the ordinance
vas upon its adoption. but owing to
he fact that it had never been con-
Iidered before. it is held that the vote
AIKEN last night was on considera-
ion.- On adoption it requires a ma
ority of the votes of the members of
he council-eight. Therefore, the
,orDcil could not pass either ordi-
nance last night on account of the
.bsence of one of its mem bers.