Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-29
Commission Plan in Cedar Rapids

~ OSS<S%S AAS$f/SN%O
,ess of the commission form of NUM-
server whose position as city editor Of
n unusual opportunity. Copyright by
across the Ceaar river at Sixteenth
avenue, one OF the principal arteries
from the country to the packing house.
The bridge was badly needed, to re-
place structure that had been re-
garaed as positively dangerous for
years. The press of the city commend
ed the plan. The alderman from the
sixth ward prepared a resolution look
ing towards the ordering of the bridge.
It was referred at the next meeting
Of the council to the committee on
public improvements, composed of al
dermen representing other sections Of
the city. To cut a long story short,
When that COMMITTEES finally reported,
after lapse Of several weeks, they
recommended the building of three
bridges, one at Sixteenth, one at Third
and the other at B avenue. at an esti-
mated cost Of 100000. The PROPOSE
ton to issue bonds for-ahis aznount was
put up to Che people and defeated by
an overwhelming majority.
The only way the alderman from
the Sixth ward could get his PROPOSE
ton before the council was to agree to
vote for the resoiut ton ordering three
bridges. It was ''yo1i tickle me and
IN tickle you" experienpe that failed
of results because the people sat Down
upon It.
There isn't an honest man living
that-ever sat in city council who Will
not admit ti1at he has had to outrage
his own conscience time and again by
voting for vicious measures in order
to get the support of some Other. alder
man, dominated By a gang OF ward
politicians Or out fbr the graft" who
wanted to get some pet measure OF his
own thru: The man who can say that
he never did anything of that Kind
never got anything for his constituents
under the old plan.
Then there IS another case that the
people Of Cedar Rapids point to. For
many, many years the people have
wanted to get control OF Mays island,
tract of seven acres, high and dry,
In the middle of the Cedar river; in
the very heart Of the city. Less than
ten years ago members Of The council
secured an option On the entire island
at less than $4,000. The people and
the press favered the p4irc1,ase, be-
lieving It to be q bargain, for there
it was hoped to build civic center, to
locate the city hail, county coart house
and other public building. The neces-
sary majority could not be secured in
the council, peanut politics" prevent
ing
Note the Difference.
But when the city adopted the COM
mission plan and elected five men OF
ordinary ability and common honesty
five men elected by all the people and
not owned by clique nor bound by
obligations to any certain section or the
city-they built $4,000 bridge at
Sixteenth avenue, and they are now Is
suing $4,000 worth OF serial bridge
certificates to pay the amount due on
the structure, over and above what
they had accumulated in the bridge
fund More than that, they are now
planning to order a $4,000 bridge at
Third avenue. towards which INTEREST
ed property owners and the street rail-
way company will pay about 10000;
and they confidently expect to build a
100000 bridge at B avenue next year.
paying for all these structures within
twenty two years and without increas-
ing the bridge levy the fraction OF
mill over what it has been for many
years.
And one Of the first things the pros.
ent council did was to buy Mays ISL
and, but at q price more than two
and one-half times as large as that at
which 1t could have been purchased ten
years ago. By selling the old city hall
site the council was able to pay $780,
500 on the purchase price OF the island,
and arrangements have been made Cor
meeting the other payments without
increasing the tax levy. In fact, the
levy has been decreased moro than
mill.
The credit for these things does not
belong 10 the men, half az much as to
the system which permitted them TO
act like ordinary, prudent business
men. The city could have saved At
least $4,000 on the purchase OF the
DI1nu IL the proposition oouia
been pushed thru tho old council: but
tl1e same sort Of tact1cS that 10 long
deferred chs proposition TO briA tls
much needed bridge ~ 8ixteenth av-
emo defeated the island pealaot and
cost the city way moro than the Agxre-
gate wealth Of all the nan -Whe than
sat in the council