Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-14

the Rock river bridges free; an OPP
portunity to provide revenues that
will bring the street fund up to what
it should be; an opportunity to In
sure the long needed enlargement of
THE city fire department; an oppor-
|tunity to provide funds to improve
the fire alarm system; an opportunity
to- place on better financial basis
every department of the city. The
Lefty sustained considerable loss to-
|iday in the fire in the city hail. The
building must be repaired and re-
modelled. Here is a means OF insnr-
ling funds for that improvement
DR.. Ostrom's remarks were without
Ieffect, and the combination was the
Arouse~ Feeling.
There was present at the meeting
1.-THE largest audience which has at
tended council meeting since Mayor
lSchaffer was inaugurated. The knowl-
edge that the council would act on
the two saloon measures attracted
many. and few were there out of
curiosity, to see what damage the fire
had done.
The keenest interest was manifested
| in both the restricting and the, ST 900
saloon license ordinances, and the re-
| suit of the vote aroused considerable
| feeling. Already there is talk of a
| petition to submit to a vote of the
people a proposition to fix the license
fee. not at $1,000. but at 500.
Theye is little doubt but that a prop
osition fu->increase the revenue from
saloon licenses woald carry, and it is
possible that the people will get an
opportunity to express themselves eft;
fectively during the coming year
One or two of the aldermen who
voted against the two measures claim
that public sentiment, in their wards
they have found, is not in favor of in
creasing the saloon license fee. The
chances are however. that there is
not ward in the city where the
proposition would not carry by q
round majority if it were submitted
to vote of the people.
There is-no chance, now, to increase
the fee before May /, 1909, for in or
der to become effective May l this
year. the ordinance would have TO be
adopted in time for it's publication 1(
days before the first Monday in May
The new council. even should it fee
ldisposed, could not raise the license
for the next fiscal year. and the PEG
pie are helpless to change the fee un
| til next year.
| Pass Others BY.
| The council deferred action on Tho
two other pending ordinances. that fol
Ecertain regulations in theaters, and
that to create the office of electrical
, inspector. Alderman Tuckis, who
submitted the theater ordinance
Iasked for further time for the stud,
OF the situation. and there was serious
objection on the part of several alder
men to action on the electrical in
Ispector ordinance Alderman Ostron
4 suggested a9vdte on the latter meas
.ure. saying in doing so. THE council
| is not disposed to increase the city
revenues: perhaps it favors a new
means of expenditure" The mayor
did not put the ordinance TO n vote
and trwill not now be taken up s;by
i the present council.
= Vote IL Canvasset.
Before adjournment the council can
To the surprise of all, it was fOunt
that instead of tie vote in the Fiftf
ward Alderman G.. l.. Schmid wa:
elected to succeed himself. by plu
rality of five votes. The mistake wa:
made in the returns of the SECOND
lprecinct of the ward. where thu
judges incorrectly carried out -th'
tally OF votes. The. tally column!
have at the top a figure which show:
the total of the tally in the column i:
Icompleted. The error was due to con
fusing the meaning of the figures a
the head of these columns. Instead
of the figures carried out in the pol
book, the tally sheets showed the fol
lowing returns:
William Cochran, d. .222 76 304
G. l.. Sehmid. n. -. 81 .22S 209-
The poll book carried ont the figure
to show 81 instead of &c votes 70
Cochran in the second precinct.
The same mistake was made il
three other instances in the same pre-
cinct The other returns were foun,
] ito be practically as given in the III
official returns published by TIL
] Argus.
Report ON Fire.
II Mayor Schaffer formally brought t
the attention of the council the los
sustained by the city in the city hal
fire yesterday and on motion of A
herman Oberg the mayor was author
!, lied to adjust with the insurance con
pany representatives the insuranc
due the city.
!. Alderman Ostrom suggested to til
n council a possibility which was We.
terday suggested TO The Argus. tina
of remodeling the city hall so that
} will be used entirely for city pu
poses. and by cooperation with tn
} militia, the naval reserves and tn
lefty Industrial commission. secnrin
IAN appropriation from the state fo
n