Rock Island Argus., 1905-07-11
CAN PLAY GAMES
Department Was Never Ordered
to Discontinue Them
at Stations.
ISSUE IN COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor and Committee on Fire and
Light Agreed on Conduct of the
Men in the Department.

According to the reports from Mayor
| McCaskrin and the committee on fire
| and light, the members of the fire de-
partment have never been restrained
| from the privilege of indulging in
games of cards and checkers in proper
places in the stations, but the order
was given that such playing should be
| among the members. and not with Wis
itOrs, and that it should be in the
| rooms that were intended for. such
| amusement. Other things were sug-
gested to the firemen, such as securing
books from the library, but that was
left to their own discrimination.
Eckhart Presents Resolution.
These facts were brought out last
evening at the council meeting upon
| the presentation of a resolution by Aid
Eckhart, giving the members of the de-
partment the privilege of playing
games among themselves and their
friends, when not engaged in the per
fOrmance of their duties. Aid. Eek
hart also questioned the authority of
the mayor to make any rules for the
department, saying that that power
rested with the council.
Mayor Answers.
While | am mayor said Mayor
McCaskrin, the firemen can not play
down stairs. They will play upstairs
where the rooms are provided for
them. In the central station they have
their billiard table upstairs and can
have their card tables upstairs, and
that is where they will play Their
games shall be among themselves, and
not for the visitors who may come loaf
ing around there.
"A report was printed that Julius
Vincent had left the department be
cause the rules were too stringent He
denies that he ever said such thing
While these slurs are being thrown at
the conduct of the fire department
want TO refer to a conversation | had
with w. B. Mcintyre in which he said
that he would turn in the best report
from this city now that had ever been
turned in by him. shall enforce these
rules regardless of any resolution"
committeeman Talk.
Mayor McCaskrin called for an ex-
precision from the committee on fire
and light, and in response Aid. Sexton
said that he, with others of the com
mittee was present when the order was
given to the firemen. This order" he
said, was given apparently with the
idea that it would lead them to take
up other ways of amusing themselves
The playing of games was not CON
iemned by the mayor. No demand
was made that the tables be removed
and no order given that they could not
engage in games hereafter" Aids
Dauber and Robbins both indicated
that the rules in the department were
satisfactory TO them, and nOtwith-
standing the prevailing idea that had
gained place from current rumors, il
seems that there have been no new or
ders in this respect issued
Aid. Eckhart desired that the resolu-
lion be- passed anyhow, but a motion
o refer to the fire and light committee
made by Aid. Anderson, prevailed by a
vote of to g.
Map Proposition.
Representatives of the Iowa Publish
.ng company were before the council
with a proposition to make maps OF
he city of Rock Island. A series of
line different maps, showing water
mains, sewers, gas mains, electric
poles and house numbers will cost So
SIS. Various other propositions were
submitted and the matter was referred
to the water works and finance com
mittees
Mayor McCaskrin announced that he
had served notice on the Central
Union Telephone company to remove
certain poles that had been set with
out first securing permission from the
city. and this matter will probably soon
come to an issue.