Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-15
tepots on the allegation that they en-

tiOd1AI2 O4 "Cct SSNGhttcAln SlltCt
\ verdict favorable to his contention
was rendered by jury in the circuit
court. but Judge E. c. Graves over
ruled a motion to enter judgment on
the strength of a point of law raised
by the attorneys for the defense. who
produced a clause in the statute hold
ing that a union depot might occupy
public street. and that, as the plain
tiff had not alleged that the building
was not a union depot. the entering OF
the Judgment would not be in accord
ance with law. II is understood the
case will be carried by the plaintiff to
the supreme court
How IL Was Accomplished.
While The Argus opposed the orig
inal ordinance presented in the inter
ests OF the Davenport, Rock Island &
Northwestern for the vacation OF any
portion of the river front to any cor
poration, and does not now commit
l itself on what the council has done. as
the effects of such a proceeding can
only he determined by the future. yet
honest appearance than the one for
merly rejected. and that il has carried
IS due in no way to the influences of
either of the railroads interested in
the proprietorship of the Davenport.
Rock Island & Northwestern. but to
the skillful manipulation of the situa-
ton by the pillow company's attorney.
For he saw in the indisputable merits
of his own case an opportunity to kill
two birds with one stone and to enable
the railroads to share in the advan-
tages of a popular measure. While the
cases are different, the one affecting
merely the right to unused streets, and
the other involving in a more or less
degree the river front, yet at the bot
tom of all was the issue of public
spirit against the obstructionist, and
this all along aroused sympathy for
the corporation. particularly in the
case of the Rock Island Pillow COM
pany. although there has all along been
a manifest desire that the railroad be
aided to- the fullest extent possible
compatible with public welfare.
Sewerage Problem of Twenty-second.
The council is confronted with a
perplexing problem on Twenty-second
StAttt- Sult du
addition east OF that street and north
of Sixteenth avenue. He had petit
toned the council for permission to drain
his addition into the Twenty-second
street sewer and the sewer committee
recommended favorable action on the
petition. But Aids. Eckhart and An
ierson raised the question of the safe
~ of further taxing this sewer on &C
count of its proximity to the clear wat
er basin of the reservoir which II is
meant To- drain. One addition alrea iy
emptics into the sewer. together with
the dra!a1Se from the Villa de Chan
tai Wife the fall is great enough to-
remove the possibility OF the sewage
backing Cp so as to come in contact
with the reservoir basin. still Aid. An
derson believed IL would be inadvis-
able TO increase the danger. He saw
a new danger in sewer gas polluting
the water in the reservoir basin, but
this thought had not before entered
the minds of the other members of the
council. and they agreed with Aid.
Anderson that il was best to move
slowly in such an important matter.
Mr.. Curtis had been urged TO drain his
addition to the north. but the city en-
gineer held that this would not be prac-
ticable. So there is problem TO solve
there.
To Enforce Automobile Ordinance.
The chief of police was instructed
to enforce the automobile ordinance
which requires each machine to be
registered with the city clerk and num-
bered. Only ten numbers have been
taken out since the ordinance was
passed. Aid. Eckhart said that he
saw four machines yesterday after
noon that were minus numbers. The
city clerk was instructed once more
to remind the Union Electric Tele-
phone company of its failure to fulfill
its contract for the payment of the
city of per cent of its earnings the
past year.