Rock Island Argus., 1905-05-02

lions then it ought to be ten now. This
gives US almost 100000 from this
source whereas it was less than $40,-
900 a few years ago. But / want to
say right here, when your taxes are
raised, don't blame the city of Rock
Island, because the city authorities
have no control over that; you must
remember the city gets less than one
third of the taxes you pay, one-half
and more goes to the maintenance of
our schools; no one should complain
Of that. l would go further. I am
just socialistic enough to want to
make school books free and l have not
child in school either. OF the eight
or 10 per cent you are called upon to
pay annually in taxes. remember only
two per cent is for municipal pur
poses, but the law allows us to add
to this enough to pay interest on our
debt and for library purposes, to main
tain and also to pay for the new build
ing. which at the present rate will soon
be paid for.
The money the city receives from
the taxpayers through general taxa
ton Is only about one-third of our rev
enue. The revenues from all other
sources show a healthy increase. but
the most phenomenal increase is from
the water department. The revenues
from this department has doubled in
the last six years. and one of the most
remarkable things about it is we pump
but very little more water now than
we did then. This has been accom-
plished through the installation OF
meters. and the close business meth
DDS of the water collector, City Clerk
Schaffer and his assistant. demonstrat
ing TO my mind at least SO far as the
Rock Island waterwOrks is concerned
that municipal ownership is pretty
good thing. But the city should not
be niggardly, there are improvements
needed there and needed badly. We
have only one pumping engine that
can be taken into consideration when
il comes to work our duplex engine and
pump. with a capacity of from five to
six million gallons daily; this ought
to be duplicated with one of from eight
to 10 million gallons as a reserve. and
to take care of increased consumption
The engine we have is a good one but
IL has been in use almost constantly
for Is years. 1t is liable to let go at
any time. and then what? The ole
quadruplex could not supply half OF
our requirements, if it did not go toI
pieces in trying and thereby leave the
city without water. We cannot afford
TO be placed in that position. 1t Is an
insult TO your intelligence to tell you
the money required for another pump
ing engine would increase the people 5
taxes. Water consumers alone would
paw it. railroads, breweries, industrial
plants as well as private water con
sumers would have TO pay it, and they
would pay just as much il no new Ell
CINE is installed. The revenues from
the water department is increasing, a
surplus is accommodating in the BANK
and under our ordinance which cannon
be repealed at least for a term ol
wears, you cannot divert this fund for
any other purpose than paying the
waterworks Indebtedness, making eX
tensions and improving the plant, ana
as the revenues more than meet ali
these requirements it would be GRIM
inaI not to install a new pump. espec'
tally when you have the money IN the
bank and if not enough you VIII nave
before the pump could be installed,
and this without interfering with wat
er debt payments or any other needed
improvements.
..The Milan bridges have been
bone of contention for half century
There is no need TO deny the fact We
would like to get rid of them by turn
ing them over TO the county where
I -
would be justified in rebuilding them
all. and give the county free Dill OF
sale. providing they would make them
free and keep them up. but | do no'
helieve they will ever assume that
burden, consequently the only thlng
left for us to do is to rebuild them
all and make them free. and the soon
or they are free the better. The toil
srate has outlived its usefulness. II is
. relic of the past and has no abiding
MACE in our 10th century progress; II
was very essential during the greater
mart of the last century and would De
in anv new country where there were
neither roads OF bridges, where the
nonulation was small and poor. with
no mower to levy taxes on au iinpoVer
;sbed community not having the where
with to keep the wolf from the door
II is n check to trade. and bar TO
progress and should be no longer tol
Grated by a live. wide-awake commun-
itv. The revenue from this source Is
small. scarcely exceeding $4,000. the
community would be more than COM
nensated by the increased trade. We
had six bridges, old, worn and dilap-
idated. three of them two span bridges
one one span and two small bridges
over unused tail races. One of the
small ones we filled up, one of the
double spans we rebuilt last year. and
are now on the second. leaving one
bouble and one single span bridges
still to be rebuilt. and one tail race
bridge to ill which We started to do
but for legal reasons We had TO stop