Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-01
Mr.. MEDILL PRESENTS FACTS
CONCERNING CITY'S FINANCES

stead, the credit of the city was most
excellent. and no trouble was encoun-
tered in borrowing money, when nee
essary, for the prosecution of great
improvements.
The Indebtedness of the city at the
close Of the last Medill administration
may be readily and easily explained.
Il was caused by the inauguration of
large and comprehensive improve
Inents such as the purchase of 2G12
acres of land known as Reservoir park.
the construction OF the reservoirs the
purchase and laying of miles of lG and
20 inch iron pipe from the pumping
station to the reservoirs and return TO
the city mains, the almost insurmoUnt-
able task OF procuring drainage from
the reservoirs through a treacherous
"~il which caused a heavy expense,
and the permanent Improvement of the
levee, which in added appearance to
the city has paid for itself over and
over again.
While it is true the city may have
been able to have done with less land
than was acquired in the Reservoir
park, in fact the original purchase was
lG12 acres leaving a tract of 10 acres
lying between the south limits of the
reservoirs and Eighteenth avenue. yet
at the solicitation of the press of the
city and many of the prominent citi-
zCns, the administration contracted for
the remaining 10 acres in order TO pre-
vent its being used for other purposes.
and 10 afford opportunity to expand
the reservoir system if occasion ever
required IN the future The purchase
Price OF this tract t2Gh acrcs) was
SzJ,CJo, and the city requiring all o.
the available money on hand 10 clear
The land Of stamps and to commence
the reservoir, catered into contract
with the owners to pay fer it in pay.
ments Of $4,000 per year until paid for
the same to be taken from the water
works revenues. Il was all paid for
III the following four years and the
land now exclusive Of the improT,.
ments IS worth over $4,000.
Surely this is no; a bad investment.
At the same time this transfer was
made. the administration prevailed up
on the Davenport syndicate to present
the city with a tract of land (some 40
aCres) at the mead Of Seventeenth
street and is now what is known q
Lon%yiew park. valued at over $50. 900.
We certainly should be entitled to
some credit for this acquisition.
In order 20 continue the coustruc
ton of the reservoir ana to pay foI
The whole train loads of iron pipe pur-
chased the city council authorized ana
issued bonds or vouchers to the ex-
tent of $4,000 to Be redeemed out Of
the watzr rentals AZ the rate Of 81 .g0g
per year until paid.
The revenue Of the waterWorks de
partmCnt at that time was >0Out $3O.-
600 per year. The cost of operating
the department was $1,000 annually,
leaving a balance of $4,000 per year
To care for the $4,000 payment on the
land and $4,000 bond due each year
The bonds are now all paid, the last
one having been paid in January last.
AS to the levee improvement. will
say that at the Inauguration of this
movement. the city had no money on
hand to undertake it, owing to the eX-
penSe incurred in the large number of
been made such as the paving of 81
blocks of streets. the building of seven
miles of sidewalks, the construction of
the reservoir. the laying of a large
number of water mains, etc.
This situation was laid before the
council. and as the railroad situation on
First avenue was then being adjusted,
the demand was general that the
leyee should be improved and thus re
move the eye sore that had been
isceptacle for trash and rubbish for
so many years. Consequently, a con
tract was let for the Improvement with
the understanding that the contractors
were to receive their pay the following
year.
The Rock Island & Peoria railway
company and the Rock Island Ferry
company each donated $500 toward
paying for the Improvement. and the
improvement being completed in April
81 - -