Rock Island Argus., 1905-05-02

| each otherss opinions as such. In re-
| firing to private life. will carry with
me many pleasant memories of our Of
| fetal association.
MeCaSkrin's Inaugural.
ITO the Honorable Members of the
City Council and Officials of the City
of Rock Island. H.
Gentlemen: In accordance with
and pursuant TO the requirements of
the city ordinances. l herewith beg
leave TO submit for your valuable con-
sideration the following:
In relation to the present sewerage
system of this city
First find the present system
imperfect and wholly inadequate to
meet the growing demand for the same
should, therefore. recommend that
the city council order the city engin-
eer to prepare Immediately plans for
regular. complete, perfect sewerage
system, and that every effort should
be made TO furnish the citizens with
this growing necessity. II would add
greatly to the upbuilding and progress
of our city should you proceed along
this line of improvement.
building of Cottages.
Il find a growing demand for small
cottages and dwellings in this city. In
one instance there were 40 applications
to rent one tidy little cottage in the
outer section of the city which was
built for the purpose of leasing to
tenants. If this city expects to retain
the present population and add those
who are constantly seeking such ac-
commOdatiOns, these preparations will
have to be made to meet these cOndi-
tionS. | further find that dwellings
pay we'll where they are leased and
that in the business districts the stores
and business buildings are well filled.
This city is in need of office buildings
to accommodate the professional in
terests of our city.
LOngView Park.
"Longview park at present is a sub
ject of much interesting discussion
among our citizens. The gift of the
land of Longview merits that more
should be done in the future than has
been done in the past. The city of
Rock Island must not lag behind its
neighboring city of Davenport in pro-
viding for the people a park, not only
distinguished for natural beauty, but
for artistic finish.
This city has heretofore secured
and paid for the services of a land
scape artist to lay out Longview, but
the mere work of laying out is the
least part of that which is to be done
There is an imperative need that the
actual work of construction should be
placed in the hands of a landscape en-
gineer.
Under our city ordinance, the park
commissioner is Required to work with
out pay Under such circumstances it
is not to be expected that we can Sc
cure the services of a proper party to
lay out supervise and complete the
work that must be done to make the
park such a place that is now demand
ed by modern cities. a person may
have sufficient taste and ability to see
that the lawn is properly cut and the
trees trimmed, but may be wholly
lacking in the taste and ability to su-
pervise and direct the permanent work
that must be done to complete the
park as it must be completed
''Longview park must pass through
the formative period, the walks and
drives laid out the lakes made. the
bitches stopped up, the
sidewalks and land properly graded;
and this must be done with profession
al skill; hence l suggest that the city
secure the services of a competent
man, and let it be understood that all
be under his direct control, and wholly
directed by him, that the responsibility
shall rest where it belongs. There is
no doubt that if the city will take hold
of LOngview park and place it under
the charge of a skillful and professional
man to permanently construct and lay
it out, so that it will not be disfigured
or distorted, then the people will take
some pride in assisting the city if nee
essary, or adding to the park such orna-
ments as will lend TO it's attractive
ness; but, above all, let it be under the
absolute and full control of profes-
sional landscape engineer, and let all
others, whether park commissioner or
workman, be subject and responsible
to him.
StFccts Oh the my
Il find the pavement in many places
in a condition that demands repairing
Immediately. In many blocks the soft
bricks have entirely given way. and
where most of the heavy traffic is car
ried on in few blocks in the main
part of the city they will require a
complete new layer of brick, or else
in the course of few years an entirely
new pavement
Some cities-Decatur, ILL.,, being
covered many of their brick
paved streets. which have become worn
and rough on account of their age and
travel, with a layer of asphalt | had
the privilege of visiting the said city
a few weeks ago. and found them
in splendid condition, and the may
or and citizens of that place think they
have solution of the troublesome,
wornout-pavement problem, and if what
could learn was true, some such steps