Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-09
REPAIRS FOR PUMP
Council Votes to Give Immediate
Attention to the Water
Question.
EXPENSE LIMITED TO $1,000
Eight Thousand Dollars Difference
Between Two Bids Re-
ceiVed.

TO eXpend $1,000 in repairing the
Holly quadrupleX pump at the water
works river station on Twenty-fourth
street. The work is 10 be done bv
the day, some competent mechanic to
be engaged, and the superintendent to
direct.
The council arrived at this deter
mination only after another protract-
ed discussion of a subject that has
been. rehashed over and over again
until most Of the members of the
council have become experts on
pumps. at least to hear them talk one
would think they were right out of
the factory of one of the manufac-
turing concerns.
The old pump. which now is prac-
tically useless. leaving the city at the
mercy of the Holly-Gaskin. is TO re-
ceive immediate attention. Its rated
capacity is 100000 gallons in "a
hours. and the belief of Some of the
aldermen who have looked thoroughly
into the pump question. is that it will
give almost as good an accounting af-
ter it has had its worn parts gone
over as it did the day it was placed in
the Rock Island station % years ago.
Points From Opposition.
Aid. Robbins, chairman of the wa
terworks committee. has all along ex-
pressed himself as opposed to spend
ing money on the old machine, and
AID. Anderson last night thought il
was sheer nonsense to do so. He
likened it unto another case of the
old house on which betterments were
contemplated. The owner thought he
could do the job for $50. but if he got
out for 500 he was lucky. Machinery.
in his opinion, was even more deceiv-
ing. If it was the desire of the coun-
Gil that the old pump should be re-
paired, for his part he wanted to see
business methods employed. He ia
voTed the waterwOrkS committee and
superintendent preparing list of
needed repairs and submitting them
at the next meeting, making motion
to this effect. but it was lost. and af-
ter "a substitute limiting the expendi-
ture had been voted down. the motion
Of AID. Blochlinger that the old pump
be repaired by day work and that
sum not exceeding $1,000 be allowed
was passed.
widely at variance.
The Moline Machine d Tool COM
pany had Il bid before the council
to increase the capacity of the old
pump to 100000. placing it in condi-
ton so that it would give satisfactory
service for at least ten years more.
for the sum of $9.5S2.5O. p. ID. Quirll
renewed his proposition read at a for
mer meeting To repair the pump for
$1,000. Mr.. Quirk said the big differ
ence in the bids was due to the fact
the Moline firm planned virtually to
rebuild the pump. while he had found
that IT was necessary only To rebore
the water cylinders and make a few
minor alterations to produce results
such as the city was looking for from
the old machine.
Now Talk the New Pump.
1t was II o'clock when the session
time from 5 o'clock was devoted to
pump talk. Now that the aldermen
have moved to be prepared to meet
an emergency such as is liable to
arise at any hour with but one pump
in working order at the waterworks,
let them proceed with the discussion
of new pump. But do not remove
the old one. Keep that where it is.
and if a new one is installed. build an
extension to the waterworks plant to
accommodate it.
Mayors Position Commended.
The position Of the mayor in refus-
ing to carry out the orders of the
council fer the removal of the CITY
pump in the Elm street plant of the
Rock Island Brewing company. which
has been employed in years past in
supplying the eastern bluff district
with water i'm case Of fire or when the
waterwOTks machinery was disabled,
was commended by AID. Anderson.
who showed the wisdom of the execu-
tive in the assistance afforded by the
brewery pump when the reservoir
supply pipe burst last week Had the
mayor carried out the instructions of
that resolution of the council a large
portion Of the residence district, be-
sides three public schools. with 1000
pupils. Augustana college. st. An
thcny's hospital and the Villa de
Chantal would have been without wa
ter for day. The outcome of Aid.
Anderson's talk was the adoption of
a motion instructing the waterworks
committee to Interview the brewery
and ascertain on what
terms the pump viii he maintained
At the Elm street plant in readiness
for service in future. or until such
time "a other arrangements for an
auxiliary pump for the bluff district
are made