Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-18
HIT LUNCH AGAIN
Aldermen Take Another Run
Along Route, But Fail
to Agree.
GOES TO THE NEW COUNCIL
Petition From Liquor Dealers Associa
tion-Reduction in Water Rates
Proposed.

| The city fathers took another trip
along the free lunch route last night,
but failed again to agree as to what
desires of the saloonkeepers who are
seeking to have legislation enacted to
relieve them of a condition that compe-
tition has forced upon them.
| There was read a communication
| from the Rock Island Liquor Dealers
Protective association indorsing the
resolution offered at the previous meet
| ing by Aid. Sexton and requesting that
the council adopt such measures as it
saw fit to insure the adjustment of
the restaurant feature of the saloon.
| w. L. Ludolph, the city attorney,
asked for an opinion. said that the law
vested the right 10 regulate the saloon
| in the city, and he believed the council
could order the discontinuance of the
| lunch. either free or for sale. Aid.
Oberg said that he had had II years of
experience in the saloon business.
Lunch Not rs Bad as Liquor.
In all those years he had daily a bite
of lunch for his patrons, and he did not
remember of ever having poisoned any
one, making this point to refute the
charge that the serving of the saloon
| lunch was injurious to the health of
the community. He said that if the
people who frequent the saloons could
survive after drinking some of the
liquor served the lunch would never
| touch them Aid. Sexton took the po-
sition that the council should encour-
age the saloonkeeper in his endeavor to
elevate the standard of his business.
Aid. Eckhart said he was ready to vote
to put an end to the lunch if the sa-
lOOnkeepers would agree to live up to
the letter of the city ordinances-close
| their places at midnight, remove the
wine rooms and eliminate prostitution
should Agree Among Themselves.
Aid Robbins thought it would be
| folly for the council to enact such an
ordinance as was asked. If the sa-
| loonkeepers were unanimous in their
wish TO discontinue the lunch feature
| t would be an easy matter for them to
| agree TO do so among themselves. 1t
was not necessary for the council to
| pass law compelling them to do so
Aid. Sexton replied that while the sa-
1
putting an end to the free lunch. there
we're certain men engaged in the bus
| mess who built up trade by serving
meals free. These would not sign a
petition, because as soon as they quit
serving food they would lose the bulk
If their trade
Not Allowed to Sell. Either.
These men should go into the res
taurant business. He moved to in
struct the ordinance committee to pre-
pare an ordinance to be presented at
| he next meeting of the council making
forfeiture of a license penalty for fail
IRE TO observe the new law, which
should taboo both the free lunch and
the one offered for sale A substitute
motion by Aid. Robbins TO refer to the
new council prevailed.
More Asphalt Paving.
| Property owners have petitioned for
| the paving with asphalt of Fifth ave
Tue between Eighteenth and Tween
1eth streets. The petition was read
asst evening by Aid. Benson and refer
red to the new board of public improve.
| nents.
| Cut I'm Water Rates.
Some time was devoted TO a discus
sion of water rates. Ii followed the
offering of an ordinance amending the
ordinance governing water rates fixing
the monthly minimum meter rate at *
| cents, cut of % cents per month.
Aids. Benson and Wilson wanted to see
it reduced to 50 cents. The former
thought it would be profitable invest
ment for the city to place meters on the
small as well as the large consumer
AID. Anderson disagreed. He said an
average of SIS was expended in the in.
stallation of a meter Placing one on
1 house that paid Sc per year surely
vas poor investment, in his opinion.
| The ordinance was referred to the new
| council.
| street Is Closed.
Col Henry f. Curtis was before the
council urging the adoption of the plat
Of the Curtis second addition south of
Fifteenth avenue and east of Twenty
| fourth street A dispute has arisen
over the opening of Twenty-fourt h
street from Ninth to Fifteenth avenues.
Col Curtis said that the street had
been dedicated many years ago but
lat it had been fenced in by Mr. Nc.
Carty. owner OF the property adjoining
On the east Col. Curtis said that the
parties that he represented we're not
disposed to open up Fifteenth avenue
Tor the benefit of the McCarty prop
erty until Twenty-fourth street was
! opened The plat was laid over. and
the city attorney instructed to ascer-
tain whether the city had legal title TO
me street between the points designa-