Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-20
CITY TAKES STEPS
Council Makes Arrangements to
Send Delegation to the Wat.
terways Convention
TO BE HELD AT WASHINGTON
Sets Aside $500 and Invites Commercial
Organizations to Cooperate
Consider the Trail.

At the meeting of the city council
last evening steps were taken to send
| delegation from this city to Wash.
| ington, d. c., to the meeting of the
National Rivers and Harbors congress,
Dec. 6 and Z. On motion the sum of
$500 was set aside to defray the eX-
penSeS of a delegation, and arrange
ments were made to take the matter
up with the Rock Island Club, the Rock
Island Business Mems association, and
the manufacturers, with view to send.
ing a representative delegation to
Washington. The delegates from sur
rounding cities will be asked to Co
operate with those from this city in
making arrangements for the trip. A
committee of five, including the mayor
and City Clerk Schaffer, and Aldermen
Anderson, Robbins, and Dauber, was
named to confer with the commercial
organizations regarding the sending of
delegation, and this committee was
later instructed to take up with these
organizations the subject of raising the
$3.50 due the Upper Mississippi River
Improvement association.
To Act on HarbOr Line.
While the subject of waterways was
under consideration, Mayor McCaskrin
suggested that a committee be appoint
ed to confer with other committees in
regard to a course of action on the
question of a harbor line. On motion
of Alderman Wilson, the mayor APP
pointed committee of three. composed
of Aldermen Wilson, Brooks, and Ben
son. to act with the city engineer and
city attorney, in conference with COM
mittees representing the commercial as
sociations. A public meeting will be
called soon by the engineers for the
purpose of considering the harbOr line.
The mayor offered resolution, which
was adopted, providing for a commit
tee of five to investigate and report on
available routes for rapid transit inter
urbans into the city. The committee
named is composed of Aldermen Bloch
linger, Eckhart, Smith, and Sherwood,
and City Engineer Treichler.
Track Ordinance Considered.
The proposed amendment of the fran
chise ordinance of the Tri-City Railway
to permit the use of the
Shanghai Trail. was the subject of
discussion, and finally itI
was voted to defer action on the Ordi-
nance until the aldermen have an OPP
portunity to secure personal infOrma-
ton as TO the satisfaction given by the
rail in cities where it is now in use.
number of letters from city officials
of cities where the rail is used were
read. but the aldermen were not salts
fed with these. Aldermen Brooks and |
yesterday made an in |
yestigation of the rail at Muscatine, |
and found it to be decidedly unsatis- |
factory there A number of elements |
entered into the discussion, one being |
he effect of this rail on the team traf- |
ic and whether teams would be driven |
rom the tracks. Some of the alder
men argued that such a result would be
benefit, and others that it would be
detriment. Another matter consid-
red was the effect of the style of rail
IN interurban traffic, it being stated
hat the interurban cars can not salts
actorily use the present girder rails.
Is it had been stated that there was no
nxiety for speedy action on the ordi-
lance, it was decided to lay the matter
'ver until further information could be
ecured.
For Inspector of Meters.
Alderman Trenkenschuh offered a res
luton, which was adopted, instructing
he ordinance committee to report an
rdinance creating the Office of inspec.
or of electricity and gas, and of cleo
ric and gas meters. 1t is the plan to
trength of the electric current tested,
nd to have the inspector see that all
leters are accurate.
On motion of Alderman Dauber, the
ity engineer was instructed to prepare
n ordinance for the rebuilding of the
idewalk on the north side of Third
venue, between Eighteenth and Nine
zenith streets. and other defective
-alks in the Fourth ward.
On Bridge Tolls.
Alderman Sherwood again brough'
p the question of making the Rock I
yer bridges free, and on his motion
)mmittee composed of Aldermen Sher-
God, Lawler, Pratt, Brooks. and Tren-
was appointed to consider ,
ans for abolishing the bridge tolls.
A resolution offered by Alderman i
nderson was adopted, requesting the {
ri-City Railway company TO permit ]
e letter carriers when in uniform and
the discharge of their duties to ride
i its lines without charge. Several of
lie carriers were present and explained {
lat this action will not only be a ben /
it to the carriers, but will enable the {