Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-16
WANTS0PEN TOWN
Alderman Sexton Introduces Mys.
FERROUS Resolution Into
Council.
o SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY
Aldermen Refuse to Lift Mayors Bur-
den = Hook and Ladder Truck is
Purchased-Five Hours Session.


broken last night with a session last
ing hours and 10 minutes. adjourning
after l o'clock this morning. What
was accomplished in that time was:
| The purchase of a hook and ladder
| truck
Rejection of resolution by Aid. Sex
on expressing confidence in the pres
| ent executive and declaring for an
open town"
| Adoption of majority report recon-.
mending that Theodore Van Hecke sa
loon license be issued providing laws
are complied with.
| Adoption of ordinance providing for
the Improvement of Sixteenth street
between Tenth and Twelfth avenues.
After hearing the representatives of
| the American-LaFr France Fire Engine
| company and the Seagrave company
l upon the merits of their respective
nook and ladder trucks in committee
of the whole decision was reached
| TO recommend the purchase of the Sea-
grave truck at cost of 81 1860. The re-
port was adopted. Aid. Wilson record
| ing the only dissenting vote. One
more step at least is thus taken toward
providing a modern fire equipment for
the protection of the city.
For An "Open Town."
Aid. Sections resolution declaring
for an open town" and nevertheless
aiming TO sustain the mayor, had an
air of mystery about il that few seem
ed to understand. 1t recalled the fact
that last summer the mayor had been
called upon TO enforce the ordinance
requiring the saloons TO close at mid
night, and while ii was stated that the
city was losing money by the enforce
ment of the laws, presumably the Sun
day closing. owing TO the close proXim-
ity of Davenport. no specific reference
was made to the mayors action and
attending escapades or the motives
prompting the same.
An appeal was made for a return to
the majority rule, with the statement
that there was no question as 10 the
will of the majority of the city of Rock
' Island. and the aldermen were asked
to vote for the interests of the city"
In No Way Effective.
The aldermen took the position that
| the resolution was in no way effective:
/ it repealed nothing and~added~ nothing
| TO the ordinances of the city. They
admitted the passage of the midnight
closing resolution, but disclaimed any
responsibility for the Sunday closing.
The aldermen who spoke upon the
question all expressed themselves as
in favor of Sunday saloons and empha-
sized the fact that there is no ordin-
ance of the city that calls for the clos
ing of the saloons on Sunday.
Aldermen who were interviewed to-
| day upon their understanding of the
resolution said that they were unable
| to comprehend it's meaning but that
any attempt to shift the responsibility
| for the Sunday closing would be re-
scented; that they were in no way respon-
sible for ii and the mayor must Shout
der the consequences of whatever is
attributable solely 10 his own acts.
sections Explanation.
Aid. Sections explanation is that it
was his idea to have the council go
on record in favor of an open town in
order that they might share the re-
sponsibility with the mayor and not
consistently oppose him If the lid were
to be taken off
Upon motion of Aid Anderson the
resolution was laid upon the table,
Aids. Dauber and Sexton alone voting
negatively.
No final decision was reached in the
question of the issuance of license to
Theodore Van Hecke at 2129 Fourth
avenue, except that it was put up to
the mayor to issue the same when the
applicant had complied with the law
The majority report of the license com
mittee was favorable and it was set
forth as mandatory if the laws were
complied with. This was adopted.
The first objection set forth was
that the saloon was in proximity to a
church, and with this as the issue num-
erous aldermen were opposed to the is
suance of the license Later some be-
came convinced through developments
that it was only a fight between brew
cry interests and there was a change
of sentiment. John Looney was again
heard on the subject. The legal phase
was introduced and it was shown that
there were signatures of persons on
the petition who were not actual own
eTS Oh Ine property anu With tne re-
moval of these the petition was insult
ficient.
The committee had assumed. as it
has in all previous cases. that the petit
ton was properly signed and had not
therefore gone into that phase of the
case. While the sentiment against
the placing of a saloon near the door
of church or even in the vicinity of
residences is commendable. the fight
seems to have been removed from that
to the legal status and conflicting in
terests.
Not Through Yet.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
council sat for hours, the work that
was laid out for that session was not
completed and adjournment was taken