Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-08
MAYOR TELLS OF
PLANS FOR YEAR
Number of improvements Now
Under Way That Give Prom
Use of Early Completion.
BELT LINE Is RIGHT MOVE
Few Cities of Rock Islands Size I'm
dertake Such an Enterprise
Uniform Lights.

The mayor delivered the following
message at the meeting of the city
council last evening:
Rock Island, Ill, Nov. 7, 1910.
To the Honorable City Council
Gentlemen: l have the honor to pre-
sent short message covering some
of the important things done and do
ing during this administration, and
some things that should be laid out for
the future by this body.
We will complete by January a fl
ter system that will insure pure, clear
water to the citizens of Rock Island.
! We will complete the Sixth ward
sewer system within one month that
will take care of all surface drainage
and afford sewerage to properties in
| the very heart Of the city one-half mile
| square, or 800 acres of land, at an ap-
proximate cost of 500, 900, and about
| four and a half miles in length, which
has been largely borne by the proper
| ties within this territory
| We have laid and are laying water
mains in the aggregate three and one
| fourth miles, at probable cost of $40,-
| 900, and each and every main not less
than six inches in diameter.
We have after five years placed the
| business districts of the city in a posi-
| ton so that before the conclusion of
this year the telephone poles of the
Central Union Telephone company
will be dismantled and the wires plac-
ed under ground. The work, in fact,
will be begun within the next three
weeks. and have limited a perpetual
franchise to % years of life, without
one dollars cost to the city.
Placing Wires Under Ground.
1t now remains for us to compel the
placing of electric light wires to go
under ground and really make the bus
mess streets modern and up-to-date and
progressive.
A movement was begun in this city
council not more. than eight months
ago by the passage of an ordinance
regulating street lighting of proper
ties Since the passage of the said
ordinance many properties have taken
advantage of this measure and petit
tions are almost complete both on Sec
Ond and Third avenues for a complete
system of lighting. The city along its
parks and city hall should immediate.
ly install these lights as per ordin-
ance, as an inducement to private
properties to follow the example of
the city. The city hall property should
be lighted at once
We have arranged to complete a per
feet fire alarm system for the city and
install same by Jan. l. This will give
US a first class police alarm system,
and dispose of the obsolete antedated
system that we now have.
We have granted extensions to the
Tri-City Railway company and receiv-
ed a large improvement in railway
service, and when fully completed will
be of great value TO the city and prop
eTty. We also secured a bonus of $685.
GOO to repair and rebuild the Rock
river bridges which today are in i'm
mediate need of reconstruction in or
der to make the travel and passengers
safe There was no fund from which
we could secure the available money
to do this with and it afforded our
only remedy to meet this emergency.
Aid to PIOw Company.
We have lent our approval to the
giant undertakings Of the Rock
Island Pillow company in its efforts TO
increase its plant in the west end of
the city. vacating TO it the street and
avenue terminal for this specific pur
pose.
We are cooperating with the propos-
ed Belt line, which is materially the
work of the industrial commission.
This is an enterprise such as is sell
dom undertaken by any city of this
size. 1t will be a great advantage to
all merchants and shippers on account
of the switching privileges it will give,
as well as reduce the freight rates to-
ward the factories.
We have granted permission to the
Rock Island Sand & Gravel company
to improve the river front between
Nineteenth and Twentieth streets at
cost to it of $4,000. This has proved
great advantage to all coal mer-
chants and the government in loading
and unloading heavy freight and other
material.
Things to be looked forward to:
First, get busy and compel all COM
panies to repair the pavement of the
city wherever they have removed it
in the carrying out of their work in
the past and demand the strict en- |
forcement and rigid regulations in the
future. Second, endeavor to devise a
plan to get the avenues in the business
districts repaved. Third, by all means |
get the sewerage system completed in |
the Seventh ward this next year.
Annexation Advocated.
Fourth. Make an effort to annex a |
new tract of territory south of the city |
limits, reaching to Rock river.
There are many more things to be
G..A.. -. Ill