Rock Island Argus., 1901-11-25
THAT WALK HUMP
People Still Discussing the Per-
mitted Second Avenue
Change.
REGARDED AS A DIsFIGURATIoN
While Object May be Approved, the
Destruction OF Uniformity
is Condemned.

The alterations in the lay of the
fiagstone walk on the Second avenue
side of Bengston block is still the
source of considerable discussion,
and criticism of the mayor for
Exceeding his authority to the extent
of permitting the change is freely
heard.
The law on the subject is very spe-
cific and plain. Paragraph . of the
29th chapter of the revised city or
dinances, relating to sidewalks in
general says "AI sidewalks shall
be laid at the proper established
grade. All cutting. filling and grad
ing preparatory to the putting down
of sidewalks shall be done by the
city; all sidewalks shall be construct
ed that the outer edge shall be
upon a level with the grade of the
center of the street and so as to in
cline upwards from the outer edge of
the sidewalk towards the buildings
or boundary of the lot AT the rate of
one inch in three feet"
Had | realized what was going to
be done with that walk" said Il Sec
ond avenue business man, expressing
his Indignation over the proceeding
this morning, Il would have had an
Injunction out before this. The fact
that | did not dream that the mayor
would exercise prerogatives clearly
belonging exclusively to the council,
in the matter of granting permission
through me off entirely. If we have
any able men from the Fourth ward
who know their business or who
care for the appearance of the busi-
ness part of the city, we will hear
from this matter at the next meet
ing of the council, and if the Fourth
ward aldermen, are too timid to take
it up | hope that some of the other
aldermen will. to the end that we
may see if the mayor either through
lack of Judgment or executive ca
pacity, or n desire to override the
council, can go ahead allowing the
town to be torn up, and the uniform
appearance of the sidewalks of the
city to be destroyed
I've have been for years striving
to get uniform walks in this city"
said another citizen. land here we
have the most unusual spectacle
of an Indifferent mayor allowing the
good that has been done to be de-
stroyed.'
Object May he All Right.
Il like the removal of the bench
that has disfgured the fronts of
many business blocks since the es-
Establishment of paved streets" said
another citizen. 'and the change
could he made To work out all right
in this view of the case. But | am
speaking only of the general effect
of the matter. As far as the indi-
criminate alteration of the grade of
walks is concerned. that ought not
to be allowed. Surely the mayor
should not he authorized to license
proceedings of this kind, and the
council itself should in my judgment
be very slow about giving permission
to alterations. There should be
uniform system of sidewalks. and
such n system should be strictly
maintained. If it can be done in n
way that will do away with the
benches. so much the better"
II do not take so much exception to
the change in the walk, although /
can not say that / admire it, as ! do
TO the precedent was the view adj
vanced by another business man. IF
the mayor is To allow one property
holder 10 make a change of this kind,
why should he not extend the same
privilege to another. AS long as he
Disseminated he may continue to do
so unless he is stopped. No one can
Justly blame the owner of the prop
erty He has looked to the mayor
for permission and has received it,"
Destroys Uniformity.
Still another citizen expressed his
belief that the entire block had
been ruined so far as the sidewalks
were concerned by the mayors
course in allowing the change of
grade. For" said the gentleman, re-
referred to. lit will be necessary now
if the change stands, TO bring every
walk in the block TO the line of the
changed walk to make the street
look right and to prevent a return To
the appearance of years ago when
that very block was all up and down.
As it is there will be a hump there
until something is done to remove II.
Judging from the general tenor of
the remarks that have been made
since the effect of the change in the
walk in question has been seen. the
subject is one that is very apt to
come before the council at its next
session. AS the matter now rests it is
clearly within the province of the
council to determine which grade
line is right, the one to which the
walks through the block between
Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets
TO which the walks have all been
laid. or the one which has now been
established under the authority of
the mayor.
The uniformity of the block
should be preserved. As has been
said before Rock Island worked for
years and spent much money in the
interest of uniform sidewalks The |
city has secured them at last and
the people are not apt to look pleas |