Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-12
SHALL THE CITY
FOOT BILLS FOR
SMALLPOX CASES
City Council Debates Question
of Paying Expenses of Those
Under Quarantine.
COUNTY MATTER is CLAIM
Burlington Given Right to Install Ad'
ditional Switch Tracks by Vote
of 3 to 2.

was discussed pro and con at the
weekly session of the city commission
yesterday afternoon. Has the city the
right TO force people into quarantine
and then refuse to supply them with
the necessities of life? This was an
other phase of the same question and !
when the city dads got through with
their deliberations the answers to
neither had been found.
BILLS COMING IN.
The matter was brought up by Com
/ missioner NJ. T. Rudgren, who stated
| he would like TO have the council de-
/ termine upon a definite policy. He
/ declared that already a number of
! smallpox bills had come to his Office
! and that soon deluge of them was eX-
pected following the epidemic of some
months ago. He also wanted to know
/ if the health commissioner is to re-
cieve extra compensation for handling |
| smallpox cases.
! Mayor Harry Schriver investigated |
the city code and found that the ordi- |
nances provide that all bills for pro- |
visions for people in quarantine must |
be met by the county. What right |
has the city to say what bills the
| county shall pay?" declared his honor.
Il believe that when the public health
demands that people be placed in quar-
antine and their incomes are. thereby
cut off, it is up TO the city to supply
the necessities of life. I don't believe
we can let them starve.'
Commissioner Archie Hart thought
the bills submitted ought to be paid
by the city and felt the merchants had
waited long enough for their money.
, Commissioner Rudgren stated that
with poor people, it might be all right
for the city to foot the bills, but quer-
, led, How do we know they are poor?"
You can bet if they are in quaran-
tine, they're poor" was the rejoinder
Of Commissioner Hart.
The matter was finally referred to
City Attorney James F. Witter, who
q stated that he thought the city could
not be held for bills for smallpox pa
tents and that the state laws provide
that the county meet these obligations.
The matter will probably be further
q considered when the bills are formal
~ presented for consideration.
TO BUILD SWITCHES.
The Burlington was given the right
to construct additional switch tracks
z between Twentieth and Twenty-frst
d streets, south of the depot by a vote
s. of to 2, Commissioners Reynolds and
st Rudgren voting no. The company is
,r to pave Twenty-first street from Third
at avenue north to the railroad tracks
le as one of the conditions on which the
~ petition to put in the trackage was
;e granted City Attorney J. F. Witter
I'd stated that he believed that the Bur.
re lingtOn was given the right TO install
lg the tracks under the ordinances adopt
ed in 1908 and that permission from
d. the present council was not necessary
ms This was the position taken by the
or Burlington but the road wanted an un
e. Outstanding with the city officials il
to I order that there would be no occasion
to to stop the work when it was started
TO PETITION FILED.
en- The petition asking that the distric
rs south of the city limits to Brasha
Id street and from Twelfth street to tn
river in South Rock Island be annexed
,st was formally filed with the council
er The mayor stated that the petition Wal
es- signed by III property owners out 0
tie a total of 155 and that three-fourtns o
&C the voters in the proposed district hat
NJ their names attached to it. The pet
all ion for annexation VIII be considers
on at the special election and the propo
sition will be placed on the bottom o
the ballots for yes or no vote.
y a.
II are now part of the city, as ord
= nances were considered yesterday Pre-
in viding that they be added to tn
nd Fourth and the Seventeenth precincts
communication from Building II
spector Stapp was received and place
in on file, which stated that the buildin
av formerly occupied by Morris C Levi:
IN 2300 Second avenue, which had bee
w damaged by fire, had deprecated NOR
NJ than 80 per cent and therefore shout
les be condemned.
rs On motion of Commissioner Hart,
en-. Tom was allowed $50 rebate on hi
ne, sewer. Mr.. Tom recently appeare
en- before the council complaining thu
sic when he built his home it was his III
On. derstanding that the sewer was to
er. placed in the alley, but that later ii
RS. mains were brought in from the frol
ISIS which necessitated the expenditure
Dst- $50 on his part and this is the SUI
yra which the council repays to him.
am ACCEPTS INVITATION.
gle An invitation was received fro
ev- the Industrial Home association as
-iss ing the members Of the city commit
Ier, sion to participate in the Labor de-
eys, parade and on motion of Mayor Schl
ers, yer it WIS accepted
-rle The plat for the fourth addition
- Brooks grove was fled and accented
ter. |
Larkin Soap Clubs of Tri-cities Picni
be st Campbelis island Aug. IA A
ugh members and friends invited. Meet
1t, Thirteenth street and Fifth avenu
ally Moline. at q. N. If weather is u
and favorable, will be postponed until Au
'ug- 81 For further information call Ro,
Island 1094.-(Adv.l