Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-05-07
KNOX is MAYOR AGAIN
Continued from Fifth Page.

81. 1924 OF this amount was for operating
expenses during the period the reservoir was
In operation, leaving the cost OF construction
up to that date Sls7 665.42.
Under the head OF reservoir have included
principal and interest paid upon reservoir
grounds, the two lines OF pipe. the 16 and -
inch mains to and from the reservoir a sewer
leading east and north terminating in the
storm drain. But this sewer was not deep
enough by six feet to drain the clear water
basin, so now have under construction
another one deep enough to drain the lowest
point, running north ON Twenty second street /;
this is also charged TO reservoir construction.
We have been at work upon II for six months
and had expended upon IL TO the above date
SlO,Se5.62, with unpaid lumber bills outstand-
Ing OF S674.31 and the labor yet to be done
will bring with incidentals. tho total cost OF
this sewer rp to nearly $1i.OOO.OO. This has
been a very expensive piece of work: the
north end Is 16 inch tile with rs and US for
sewer connections, the south end near the
basin for nearly leo feet Is IL inch cast iron
water pipe This section is from Is to % feet
deep in quick sand. IL Is unquestionabIy the
most difficult piece OF work ever undertaken
In this vicinity. Under this head we also in
clude the pumping station at the reservoir
with pump. dynamo and pipe connections
complete. but this does not include the extern
sive system OF mains 10 connect the stand
pipe and the other necessary extensions to
perfect the blum service. with the necessary
hydrants and valves. costing over 100000
We have paid out as our share of the above
grand total for grounds upwards of 10000
back bills and percentages due contractors
and for construction and operating expenses
during the past tw7 years $121 a and our
predecessors sTO.6i9.19- IL Will require about
sl2.O00.O TO complete payments on grounds
including interest. $l.6OO.O0 blum pump.
10000 on house aud the sewer lumber bill and
labor yet to be done on sewer s. 10000 which
will bring the cost of reservoir when complete
and paid for in the neighborhood OF sos. 900 90.
The settling basins and filters will have to
be duplicated in the near future to keep pace
with the increase In population. in fact they
have not now the capacity to do good work
and supply the city with pure water when the
river Is muddy.
We believed is was duty to finish this
work Ies-st as far as we have gone and to
do 80 We had to stretch a point and have
overdr..wn cur last years account. with the
full knowledge that the strictest economy
must be practiccd In every department for
some years to come.
We have also expended a large amount for
meters. but no outlay has been more profit
able 20 che Water Department. not only re-
ducing the amount OF water pumped but at
the same time increasing the revenues %
per cent. and with still further outlay the
revenue can be still increased with still less
water pumped.
Typ old
We have had more than our share of sick
ness this winter. but 1t is not local by any
means although the press and some people
who do and ought to know better. try to make
US believe IL is. IL is universal but in all
cities except our own IL seems to be their
policy to suppress the facts. while with us we
have done our best to magnify our misfortune
and publish To the world that our water Is
bad and Rock Island Is an unhealthy place
to live in. 1 have never taken this view OF
II. and myself and family have used the water
just the same as VIC always did. and with no
bad results.
II any OF the chemists or scientists i'm any
of their reports have discovered a typhoid
germ, l have failed to- hear OF IL: they tell US
however. they have discovered something
that looks suspicious and has their character
istics. They will tell you a typhoid germ has
never yet been found. they cover their reports
with a haze OF figures and Latin terms to be-
fog and confuse the average mind SO that
they cannot comprehend it, Why don't they
be honest in this matter and admit they don't
know what is the matter. and simply say Gen
tlemcn, we must pug your leg for $4,000 and
make some kind OF report to preserve the
dignity Of science you will think We have
not earned our money? A Thousand times
better TO do this than To give US some vague
report that means nothing except TO shatter
the nerves of weak minded people and bring
on sickness that otherwise would never come.
have written a number of cities who like
ourselves have been sorely afflicted. but IN
like us. IL is almost impossible to get any
thing out OF them. they are doing all in their
power to suppress the facts. Tho information
received was private and with the under
standing that was confidential and must not
be published. and from the testimony of them
all they do not seem TO know any more than
we 90 and have gone through the same ex-
perience. Some attribute IL to oysters, some
to vegetables. such as celery and lettuce. but
most Of them to their unsanItary conditions
and surroundings; none OF them either water
or milk which they had analysed. generally
using artesian water. They all seem to favor
a strict enforcement of disinfectants Tor ty-
ph"Id and other contagious diseases.
Professor Smith spoke to me a'onE the game
line I'm private which he did not wish to en-
body in report as he said he here 10
snalyze water and not to criticse the
method OF treatment he was no phy 81 al
~ scientist, 1 care not H. W cmI'Ient @ may
be. ':An rake me c. any other mia Wit EScd
hard common horse sense believe that any
system OF sand filtration will prevent mi
crobes from passing through and at the same
time tell us there 81. 600 OF them in a cent?
meter OF water to make II palmer to you
!. 200 of them In a single drop OF water IL
docs not require a scientific mind to see the
absurdity of such proposition. II the water
goes through. the microbe goes through also.
The Engineers who constructed the Reser-
vor never claimed this for the filters but SAID
u would take out most of the mud and yege-
table matter. but not the color or bacteria. not
even a Pasteur filter would do that success
fully.
Reform.
We have had quite craze for moral reform
lately. These strike US periodically but as a
rule no lasting beneficial results come from
them. We know something OF the 50 called
reformers, their lives. habits and characters.
and often wonder why men will not practice
what they preach I could quote volumes
from the pens and brains of theorists upon
his subject without gaining a single practic-
ible idea. We. who are brought into contact
with all phases OF human character have had
/ chance to study and investigate the causes
eading to lives OF moral depravlty and I
must admit am amazed at the standing and
character OF some of their patrons We
'owerless to mitigate these evils without the
moral support OF the public which you never
an depend upon evidenced by the last
'tty election. when the reform candidate for
Mayor a distinguished citizen a courtly gen.