Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-19
FUNDS LOW; CUT
FORCES OF CITY
Three Men Are Dropped From
Police and One From Fire
Departments.
AFFECTS OTHER BRANCHES
Whole Telephone Situation to BE
Threshed Out Before Council
at Next Meeting.

EMPLOYEES are to be separated from
the municipal pay roll because of in
sufficient funds to pay salaries. After
an investigation by the finance com
mittee, ordered a week ago, at the
meeting of the city council last even
ing Chairman Frank Lawler of the
committee read report recommend
ing a reduction of three men in the
police department and one in the fire
department; that the work of the
health department be attended to by
the health commissioner, plumbing in
spector and health officer, without the
employment for the present of addi-
tional forces, and that the street COM
missioner act as foreman on all work
carried on under the direction of his
department, dispensing with the serv
ices of the usual assistants, or fore
men. 1t will be recalled that at the
previous meeting it was necessary to
appropriate from the contingent fund
in order to meet pay roll deficit. Re
Gently 100000 was borrowed from the
city banks with which to tide the mu-
nicipality over until saloon license and
other revenues began to come in. The
city has reached it's borrowing limit,
and must get along with tvailable re-
sources until there is replenishment
from the regular channels. The coun-
ell adopted the recommendations in
the report of the finance committee.
To Reopen Telephone Question.
1t was decided that at the next reg
ular meeting of the council some de-
cisive action be taken in reference to
the status, legally and otherwise, of
the two local telephone companies. |
Last evening the street and alley COM !
mittee reported recommending a de-
NAL of a request of the Central Union |
for permission to build extensions in |
the city outside the fire limits. The |
council concurred, inasmuch as favor |
able action on the petitioR~of the COM |
pany would have recognized the va |
lidity of the company's franchise in |
this city The contention of the coun-
ell is that the company has no franchise !
at this time. The company for the |
past three years has been seeking |
50-year extension of its franchise, !
promising to make certain improve
ments contingent on such a grant. In |
the meantime the company has had |
the city enjoined from interfering with
the operation OF its local plant Just
now the company desires to rebuild /
its lines in the residence section, stat
ing that it is ready to expend $4,000.
Alderman McNealy said that the Union
Electric company apparently was not
giving any attention to its patrons, and
he believed it was about time for the
to do business or quit.
Electrical Board.
The mayor, in a special message, rec
the creation of an electrical
BOARD, to be composed of seven mem
oers: The mayor, an electrical con
ractor, a manufacturer, a fire insur-
lnce representative, a building con-
ractor, an expert electrician Ca mem
Der of the journeymen's uniOn), and
he city electrician the latter to act as
secretary of the board. Such a board,
he mayor held, if it properly perform
ID its functions, would prevent exces-
i've fire insurance rates, would min
mize the danger of accidents, and
prevent encroachments upon property
~ wire poles. The matter was re-
erred to the fire and light and ordi-
lance committee to report at the next
Meeting.
Grade Question
Petitions were read from property
wners on Thirty-eighth street and on
Eighth avenue protesting against
hanges in the established grades on .
hose thoroughfares. The petitions
7ere referred to the board of local i'm !
rovements.
Those Elite Posts
Alderman Blochliner called atten- I
ion to the fact that at the previous
leeting three days were allowed the f
of the Elite theater to re- v
love the posts supporting the portico a
i front of the theater building. He
oticed the poles were still there. Aid 2
rman LaVanway explained that dur t
lg the day he visited the building U
nd saw the men installing the new /
on supports, and that looked as
1ough the posts were to go. Here a
he matter was dropped
Water and Sewer Extensions
The owners of Lincoln court addition
ere permitted to install water and
ever pipes on condition that they