Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-07
CITY IN DEFAULT
Eventually Will Have to Pay Bill
of Commiss oner
Caetjer.
TOO LATE TO REsCIND ACTION
Should Have Been Done at Meeting
Succeeding One at Which Ac-
count Was Allowed.

\ The city of Rock Island still is in
! debted to c. F. Gaetjer, commissioner
of Longview park. in the sum of $3.50.
The bill was allowed one month ago.
but payment has been refused on the
ground that the council failed to desig-
nate from which fund the money should
be drawn.
Some of the aldermen. following the
Injecting at which the bill had been
passed. announced that they would
Icllange their vote at the succeeding
tIneeting. when il was said move
would be made TO rescind the action in
allowing the bill. But this action was
never preached before the council.
Hence. legally. the council has default
ed. if there was ever a serious intention
not to pay Mr.. Gazetteer. and he is en-
titled to the amount mentioned.
The council cannot now rescind the
action. 1t is too late. 1t should have
been done at the meeting next succeed
ing the one at which the bill was al
lowed. This is the opinion of w. l..
Ludolph. the city attorney. There was
a report that Mr.. Gazetteer was to pc
tition for a writ of mandamus to COM
pei payment. But Mr. Ludolph says
that he has not heard of any such
move by Mr.. Gazetteer
Mr.. Ludolph states that where the
council fails to specify the fund from
which a bill is to be liquidated the
amount shall be taken from the general
or contingent funds. He says there is
no getting around the fact that the city
has allowed Mr.. Gaetjer's bill and legal
ly owes him the $3.50.
No salary For Comm issiOners.
No act of the council in the past
year has called forth more discussion
than has the Gazetteer bill. Mr. GAZETTEER,
none will, disavow, is entitled to all he
asked, and more for his labors perform
ed in LOngview park. But the legal
proposition involved has been the stick
fler.' The city ordinance states specific
ally that there shall be no compensa-
ton in connection with the position of
city park commissioner. There are
three parks. The men who have served
as commissioners have taken a pride
in their work that they feel has repaid
them for whatever sacrifices in the mat
ter of labor or time that they might
official duties. In the case of Mr.. Gaet-
,jer, however, he was given charge of
the park 20 times in acreage larger
than either Spencer or Garnsey
squares. 1t was yet in its native wild
ness when he assumed the position of
commissioner. He would start out in
the morning to look over work in the
south half and would not be able to
get back before nightfall. When a child
was lost in the city he would be called |
upon by the police department to ascer- |
tain If little one answering the de- |
scription of the missing had gotten into !
the 40 acre wilderness, and ne would |
spend a day wandering through the val |
leys and trees. But these were labors
of love. as well as duties bearing upon
the caring of the grounds.
BOsses After Gazetteer Claim.
What Mr.. Gaetjer asks pay for is
he housing of the park tools. and the
lowers. and for the use of his horse.
and for stationery. and for stamps. and
4 horde of other incidentals that he
claims did not enter into the work that
he commissioners of the other parks
had to perform. The bill covers three
years. Mr.. Gaetjer was told by the al
iermen that the mistake that he had
made was in not presenting an ex-
)ense account at the end of each year.
His answer was that il was simply
neglect on his part. as he never thought
hat the council would refuse payment
when made acquainted with the circum-
stances. The council did not discredit ,
he bill. The council thinks it is due
Mr.. Gaetjer. The council after allow
ng the bill, believed serious mistake ,
lad been made; the other commission
RS were being heard from. and so was
he public. If there was a mistake, =.
Z should have been remedied while
here was yet time. Now il is too late.
Dat is VIII the city legal authority