Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-18
TO SELL CITY HALL
Phil Mitchell Offers Property to
Municipality for
$4,000.
ON EASY TERMS OF PAYMENT
Proposition Refcrred-New Quarters
for Smallpox Ambulance
Other Matters.

Chairman, Kennedy, of the health
and police committee, acting under
instructions received at a previous
meeting, last evening presented be-
fore the city council the offer of
Phil Mitchell for the sale to the mu-
nicipaiity of the present city hall.
The price named was $4,000 and easy
terms of payment were provided. In.
the first place an offer was made of
a 6-months' option for $500. Mr..
Mitchell agreed TO pay the taxes now
due and called attention to the fact
that the interest for the first year
at ; per cent would be but $500, or
5000 more than the annual rental now
paid. The deed was to be given over
upon the payment of $1,000 down. At
the end of the first year another like
sum was To he paid and then either
$1,000 or $1,000 annually as the coun-
ell might elect till the total amount
was raised. Another proposition
was made for the renting of the en-
tire building i'm case the offer of sale
was not accepted. the monthly rental
being fixed at 5000. Both offers were
referred to the health and police
committees.
Home for Black Maria.
| The, health and police committee
ialso brought in recommendation
for the power to build Il shed for the
housing of the smallpox ambulance
at the isolation hospital at the west
end of the city. which was granted.
One of the reasons urged i'm making
she request was that the presence of
the ambulance at the old hose house
OF. Iwcnty-siNth street Cheprives that
building of its usefulness as place
for holding elections and the renting
of other quarters will cost as much
as the shed TO be erected.
Cab License Increased.
! Amendment to the ordinance reg
ulating the rates charged by hack
mon and providing an increase i'm
their annual license from 50 to 50
was passed. 1t provides for uni
form charge of 80 cents per hour for
man and hack or dray in doing all
kinds of hauling except that of bag
gage. For single pieces of baggage
the rates are to be - cents for any
distance not over 20 blocks. 30 cents
for a distance not over 80 blocks. and
- cents for distances over 80 blocks.
For more than one piece a reduction
of 20 per cent in the above rates is,to
be made. The bond is left at $500 to.
prevent teamsters from competing
in the business.
Park Protection.
The committee on parks was en-
powered To cause number of signs
to be secured and posted in Long
view park warning people against
despoiling the trees there. Ii was
shown that there has been Il DISPOSE
/ ton to take advantage of the permits
sion given to citizens to cut the dead
trees for firewood. and the live ones
have been fcllcd by mistake or 9th
crwise.
Aid. Wilbcns asked for Il report
from the watcrworks committee on
the condition Of the pump at Weyer-
haueser & Dcnkmann's mill used for
pumping out the slough in time of
! high water. lie declared il was not
in working order, and the committee
was instructed to bring in recon-
mendations in regard to it at the
next meeting.
\ petition from the Empire Coal
company for permission TO run an
other track across First avenue at
the foot of Seventeenth street to their
coal yards and to be allowed to place
new roofs on the wooden buildings
was referred.
The Naval Reserves were given per-
mission to sae the council room as Il
dining room for their annual ball
Tuesday evening, Feb. -.
Petition for Saloon.
Frank +. Nogel petitioncd for per-
mission to open saloon at the cor
ner of Fourth street and Third ave
nue., and Aid. WilIlens. in champion
ing his cause, brought i'm an ordi-
nance giving permission for the cs-
Establishment of saloons outside the
fire limits without the formality of
getting the consent of adjoining
property owners. providing there is
another saloon i'm the same block.
This ordinance was referred.
AId.~ Robbins introduced a resolu-
ton, which was adopted, instructing
the ordinance committee to prepare
an enactment giving city officials
and employees police power to enforce
the weighing of coal on the city
scales where any doubt exists as to
the sort of measure that is being
given.