Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-06-03
LOWTOATHLETICS
Involved in Proposition Submit
ted to Council to License
Baseball.
GROWS OUT OF PASS PRIVILEGES
Special Rights On Improved Levee
Are Withdrawn-Other
Matters.

An ordinance was introduced be-
fore the city council last evening and
referred To the ordinance committee
which, if passed, would operate to
discourage outdoor athletics within
the city limits. The amendment pro-
vides for the licensing of baseball and
driving parks i'm the sum of 500 per
annum.
The intention of the measure is
thought TO be a result of the stand
the Rock Island Baseball association
has taken with reference to issuing
season passes to members of the
council. Councilmen and city officials
have several times been admitted To
the grounds free of charge. but this
year the practice was of necessity
discontinued. This, according To the
statements made about town by al
ldermen who are supporting the
measure. is To be taken ms the reason
for the introduction of the measure.
which upon its face is both unreason-
able and unwise. If passed the hard
ships involved will affect not only
professional baseball, but other
forms of athletic amusement where
an admission is charged, 10 the detri-
ment of the most healthful form of
sport, both for participants and spec
tators. For no one doubts that ath-
letics in general are highly beneficial.
Professional baseball not only fur
nishes intensely interesting popular
diversion. but il serves to advertise n
city and in other ways acts in man
ner that deserves encouragement
rather than encouragement on the
part of the municipal lawmaking
body.
VIII Disturb Arrangements.
| NJ this time, after the season is
open and all arrangements have been
made. there can be no ground for a
license that would prove a particular
hardship upon the local association.
The passing of aldermen and city Of
ficials to the games throughout the
league was made the subject of an
extended discussion at the meetings
of the league directors before the
season opened and the course being
followed here is also being pursued
elsewhere in the league. 1t is part
of a general plan to curtail expenses
that was found necessary i'm order to
Insure the success of the Three-I
League. II lllNOiNtS no hlSItSDttl W
municipal authorities or lack of app
probation of courtesies extended
lin anV form. OF course. while
it was decided to withhold passes
from aldermen in general. il does not
follow that courtesies cannot he eX-
tended where request is made in the
same manner that official position is
recognized by other corporations.
However. even if free admission to al
ldermen were absolutely refused there
would still be no occasion to Justify
any step toward the suppression or
oppression of place of public amuse-
ment.
| waterwOrks Employees Ask Raise.
4 petition was before the council
signed by all the regular employees of
the city waterworks department ask
ing for an advance in wages of 10
per cent. 1t was referred to the fin
ance committee to report. From the
sentiment expressed on the subject
by the aldermen it is believed that
there will be some hesitation about
lgranting the petition. for if allowed,
other departments will probably voice
similar demands. An ordinance fix
ling the salaries of the chief of po-
lice at $500. night captain $500 and of
lpatrolmen 5000 was referred.
The privileges of the Empire Coal
& Coke company on the improved
llevee. which were conferred by spec
lial ordinance granting to the concern
1.-THE exclusive use of 40 feet of the
foot of East Seventeenth street, were
withdrawn by a repeating ordinance.
THE right had been granted for Il
period of five years. but as the element
of a consideration on the part of the
city was wanting. City Attorney Scott
Expressed the opinion that the coun-
ell had a legal right to revoke it at
any time. The portion of the levee
set aside had been used for the coal
ling of steamboats,. The immediate
Occasion for the action was the ordi-
nance recently passed requiring Ii
cense of 500 from all concerns doing
a permanent business on the levee.
A communication from the finance
lcommittee of the county board ask
ling that the city share in the expense
of Investigating the methods of tax
lferrets with view of employing them
in this county, was referred to the
finance committee to report.
The condition of the Ninth street
road was brought before the council
by l.. Ii. Strayer, who was appointed
chairman of a committee to labor for
it's improvement by the Rock Island
Retail Merchants association. Mr..
iStrayer favored using gravel and ma
cadam and gradually building up the
road He urged that the city devote
at. least the revenues from the toll
bridges at Milan to the building up
of the road and repair of the bridges,
instead of diverting il into other
channels, as has been the custom of
late. The matter was referred to the
street and alley committee to investi-
gate and report at the next meeting.