Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-21
WANTAVENUE OPEN
Council Asked to Continue Sixth
From Twenty. eighth to
Thirteenth Streets.
RESIDENCES ARE IN A POCKET
saloons in Fire Limits Made to OBJ
serve the Petition Re
quirement.

There was a petition read at thS
meeting of the city council last even
ing for the opening of Sixth avenue
from Twenty-eighth to Elm streets. 1t
was presented by Aid c. c. Wilson.
who stated that for years the owners
of property in that vicinity had been
endeavOring to have the municipality
continue the public thoroughfare
through those two blocks. He pointed
out the inaccessibility to residences,
and showed that in the event of fire
il would require a run of eight blocks
instead of three for the No. 5 hose
company to reach house lying in the
Sixth avenue pocket. The opening of
the avenue will require expenditure
of a large sum, as the line runs
through several lots on which are To-
Gated fine homes that would have to
be removed. The petitioners expect
the city to bear the expense. but Aid.
Frank WeStbay said since he had been
in the council the city had not paid
for the opening of a street. He be-
lieYed the people whom it was to
benefit should defray the cost. Should
the avenue be opened it is likely it
would be done through condemnation
proceedings. The petition was re-
ferred for a report at the next meet
ing of the council.
Decline to Open Bid.
Aid. Benson read a communication
from Contractor Henry Tappendorf in
explanation of his failure to comply
with the requirements of the city in
bidding on the construction of the pro
posed new pavilion in Spencer square.
Mr.. Tappendorf held that he was
guided by the advertisement appearing
in the newspapers which did not call
for the inclosing of a check by the
bidder. The other two contractors
who figured on the work accompanied
their bids with checks for 500 each.
Mr.. Tappendorf did not send a check
and his bid was not opened The two
others were rejected Aid. Benson
produced check for 500 that had
been handed him by Mr.. Tappendorf,
who wished the council to open and
consider his bid. A motion to do SO
was lost by vote of to 6.
Government of the saloons.
An ordinance amendment. offered by
Aid. Wilson, was adopted embracing
the fire limits in the regulation per
tanning to the establishment of new
saloons, owners of property 500 feet
on either side of the proposed location
having first to affiX their signatures to
a petition of consent. Heretofore this
rule applied only to that portion of the
city lying outside the fire limits, Fiji
teenth to Twenty-fourth streets and
north of Fourth avenue.
Street Sweeper Taken Trial.
The aldermen Quibbled for an hour
over the ordering of one of the Austen
street sweepers, to investigate the
working of which a special meeting
was held one night last week. Aid
O'Connor said the paving first should
be placed in condition before a sweep
er was gotten. He did not believe
sweeper could be operated satisfactor-
lily on the streets here. If it would
work on Twentieth street between
Second and Third avenues it would
do any place in the city. Aid. Sexton
favored human sweepers. He wanted
no machinery secured to cheat the
poor old men of the city out of their
only opportunity to earn a days
wages. He told of the experience OF
tumwa. Iowa. had with one of the Aus
ten sweepers. He saw it in operation
there. and it acted like a drunken man
hunting for his home. Ottumwa rele-
gated the sweeper to the rear and re-
turned to the old plan of hand sweep
ing. Aid. Anderson made a motion
that the city purchase one of the
sweepers. but Aid. Sexton did not see
why the company would not send a
machine here on trial without action
of the council if it had such confidence
in the sweeper. A representative of
the company present stated that the
contract read that the sweeper must
be satisfactory to the council before
accepted. Aid. Sexton said that re-
minded him of a self binder he bought
once under similar conditions, the
agent holding that there was nothing
the matter with the binder The trou-
bic was with the operator. He did
not know how to run it. Aids. An
derson, Robbins and Eckhart referred
to results Davenport and Moline were
getting from the sweeper, and thought
Rock Island should be in the process
sion for clean streets. The agent of
the company agreed 10 the amending
of Aid. Anderson's motion to read that
the sweeper be purchased when it
worked acceptably to the council, and
| it was adopted.
The council adjourned to meet next
Monday evening. when the annual APP
preparation ordinances will be consid-
cred.