Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-28
$1,000 SETTLES
THESWIFT CASE
City Council Takes This Method
of Winding Up $4,000
Litigation.
IN COLLAPSE OF A WALK
Ordinance Of Rock Island Sand s
Gravel Company Receives Fur
ther Airing at Meeting.

Mrs. James Swift, ITO Fifth ave
nue.. is to be paid 81, 600 by the city Of
Rock Island in settlement of her claim
for alleged personal injuries sustained
in the collapse of sidewalk on the
south side of Second avenue between
Seventeenth and Eighteenth street
four years ago, in which several
women were injured, none fatally,
however. Mrs. Swift had entered suit
for $4,000 in the circuit court, and the
case was due to be called for hearing
the present week. While the city
authorities did not doubt that a jury
would award Mrs Swift damages, in
asmuch as it was not disputed she was
physically affected by the accident,
the injury being to her spine, it was
not believed that she would recover
anywhere near the amount sought in
her suit and a compromise was Sug-
gested from the side of the plaintiff.
The council held a special meeting
Saturday evening to finally consider
the proposition from Mrs. Swift. who
was represented by Attorney S. R.
Kenworthy. The aldermen were di-
vided in their opinion as to whether
was entitled to the sum stipulated by
her attorney, and on a vote on the
proposal there was a tie. which was
decided aff1rmatively by Mayor G. w.
McCaskrin casting his vote in support
of the settlement. Thus the litigation
ends, the action to be dismissed by
the plaintiffs attorney when called
for trial in the circuit court this week.
Alterations in Ordinance.
Where was a further airing of the
Rock Island Sand e Gravel cOmPany's
ordinance for lease of the river front
between Nineteenth and Twentieth
streets for a period of % years for the
exclusive handling of coal, sand and
gravel to the adoption of which there
has been filed a remonstrance cham
pioned by the local competitors of the
coal business. At the meeting of the
council Friday evening Alderman FL
linwood offered an amendment to the
ordinance providing that the city at
any time after the allowing of the con-
cesSlon might resume occupancy of
the levee for any purposes to which
it might see to put it on remittance
to the company of the amount the lat
ter invested in its improvements. |
Saturday evening the company offered |
a change in the ordinance partially |
meeting the views of Alderman Ellin- |
wood. This change is in effect that |
after 1925, or Is years from date of |
passage Of the ordinance, the city be |
privileged to resume occupancy of the |
1evee on payment Of the Improvement |
investment by the company, provided, |
however, that in doing so it shall be |
understood that the city shall not |
grant to any other corporation en-
gagged In the coal, sand and gravel |
business the same concessions as en-
joyed by the corporation that is to be |
retired from the use Of the river |
front. Alderman Ellinwood said he
would not vote for the amendment as
proposed by the company, as 1t did |
not, he said, meet with the require |
ments fixed in the one offered by him. |
It was decided finally that the council |
meet in committee of the whole |
Wednesday evening to give further
consideration to the ordinance.
Another 800 Raise.
Alderman Borst, chairman Of the |
bridge committee, reported that his
committee had not been able to secure
a satisfactory answer from the officials
of the TrtCtty Railway Railway COM
pany as to whether they would pay
the $500 per year rental recommended
by the council for the privilege of run
ming its cars over the Rock river
bridges. Under the franchise ordi-
nance Of the company it is obligated
10 pay only 500 per year. However,