Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-16
COUNCIL ADOPTS
PHONE ORDINANCE
Central Unions Franchise Is
Renewed Without a Dis
senting Vote.
is TO REBUILD AT ONCE
Company Promises to Do the Right
Thing by the City-Scene in
Municipal Chamber.

n
terday, was adopted by unanimous
vote by the city council at its ad-
journed meeting of last evening Bust
ness men who have followed the four
years fight between the city and the
telephone company believe that a lib
eral ordinance has been secured from
the corporation.
The officers Of the company have main
tanned that they were handicapped in
the matter of service by the inefficiency
of their local plant and that the only
means of obtaining relief was in the
acceptance of a new ordinance by the
council Now that the company mas
been granted a new ordinance, the
public will in a reasonable time eX-
pect and demand improvement in the
service here.
Promises of the Company.
H. w Rottger, Illinois superintend-
ent for the company. said:
1T is only fair 10 presume that our
company is making a big investment
in the city of Rock Island with the
single aim of so lettering and enlarg-
ing its facilities for doing business
patrons. Our business is selling serv-
ice. The better we can make it the
more subscribers we will secure.
More subscribers means increased rev.
enues to our company here While
our company has had its differences
locally, we are well satisfied with our
new ordinance. We have been as
liberal as we could be with the city
and now we want the people to believe
in our promises that We are going TO
do the very best that we know how
AssuTedly we are not going 20 spare
expenses in properly equipDing our
Rock Island plant"
Mayor McCaskrin signed the ordi-
nance this morning and W. B. Mann,
the company attorney, who engin-
eered the legal side of the long pend
ing controversy for the company.
left with a copy of it for Chicago.
Under the conditions of the new
ordinance. the franchise of the com
rany is extended % years. expiring
on the same date as that of the Union
Electric company. Work on the re-
building of the local plant is 10 begin
April l next. the Improvement TO in
Clude the placing underground of all
Of the wires in the fire limits. The
company states that it VIII eEpenI
bout 100000 in rebuilding its Rock
Island plant
Manager \. ]. Beverlin stated to-
day that the company would install
an entirely new plant. the most mod
ern type and one of the best in the
country and it was not unlikely
ing
Scene In the Council.
Almost at the ouset of the
meeting scene occurred which
looked for few minutes as
though il might result in seri-
Gus turmoil within the council cham
Der. This was precipitated by Alder
man Borst rising in his seat. after the
reading of the telephone ordinance. and
moving an immediate adjournment of
the council, charging that the mayor
was ircapacitated. Mayor MCCaskrin
promptly resented the imputation, as
sorting that while his voice was husky
from the exposures of the au-
tomobile ride in the afternoon
over the proposed route of the Rock
Island Southern intCruTban, he never
theless was fully competent 10 dis
charge the business of the evening
end did not propose to have the se5-
sion adjourned on his account
Refuses to Entertain Motion.
The mayor. apoiogizing to the alder
men and the large audience of spec
tators for the loss Of his voice,
being able TO speak barely above
whisper. and replying that he under
stood the insinuation of the Seventh
ward representative, refused to enter
tain a motion TO adjourn. The senti-
ment of the other members Of the
council opposed any further delay on
the telephone ordinance. and insisted
that it be either adopted or rejected
AT once Alderman Borst called for
conference with City Attorney J. +.
Wittor. When this was ended Le
withdrew his motion. The rules were
thereupon suspended and the tele-
phone ordinance was put upon its pas
sage. and it was adopted without
dissenting vote.
We have a great volume Of bust
ness before us, gentlemen" the mayor
remarked "and want to say to you
if you adjourn you will do so over my
head. l am absolutely disguised with
the remarks of one Of your members"
Aldermen Leave Seats.
At this juncture Aldermen Borst and
EllinwoOd. asking that they be excused
from further participation in the meet
ing. arose from their seats and started
to leave the council room. Alderman
Frick then moved an adjournment. but
it was not entertained by the chair
Alderman Ellinwood. returning to
his seat. insisted that the motion Of
Alderman Frick be put; calling the
mayors attention to the rule that a
motion to adjourn always is in order.
The mayor brought down his gavel
and said that the motion was not de-
batahIe