Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-23
PEOPLE WISH TO
SEE CITY CLEAN
Are willing to Pay for Proper
Attention to Streets
and Alleys.
TIME NOW TO BEGIN REFORM
s,,n,.et Has Been Sufficiently Asitated
50 That Public Cooperation
Is InsUred.>

ia change in the method of clean
DE- Rock Islands alleys and streets
.. ~ be made or rather, IL they are
s,o be kept clean. the city commission
,hoBld not neglect to provide whatever
t,ads are necessary in the appropria-
,,op ordinance which is expected to
-.ce,ve final action next Monday even
ing.
there is no doubt that the people
a. = whole desire to see a more eff
tent system OF cleaning inaugurated.
rbev do not begrudge expenditure OF
nnbIic funds for this purpose because
svervone can see the results and all
. .hare alike in the benefits. The ques-
.,o7 has been pretty thoroughly agi-
,ated this spring through the work OF
,ba vigilance committee OF the civic
dAnartment OF the Rock Island Wom-
ems club and the recently organized
rock Island Rotary club. II reform in
,Lis direction is 10 be undertaken at
ali 10 better time than right now can
be found TO make beginning
Suggestions Are Good.
The recommendations made by the
sneciaI committee of Rotary club
members which investigated the sub
iect should be seriously considered.
AS was pointed out the filth and de-
bris which IS thrown into the alleys
and streets in violation OF law is re-
sponsible for the difficulty in keeping
clean The laws covering this matter,
however. are not enforced, and the
--sr.
late them because the city has been
undertaking 20 haul away, at least once
q year. everything which the people
dump IN the alleys. 1t has come to be
a habit with everyone to throw it in
the alley when anything which can
no longer be used or conveniently
burned or destroyed by other means
comes TO hand. For this reason the
public is not TO be blamed and neither
are the city officers, who are merely |
following custom
But the public must be educated in |
a different manner, If any real reform |
IS to be accomplished, and q begin !
ming must be made somewhere in en- I
forcing the Law. The Rotary club COM !
mittee suggested that examples be
made OF the wealthier offenders first, |
starting with the business or better /
residence districts. IL the people gen. /
orally see the regulations enforced in |
these localities they will be more dis
posed to cooperate in the movement. |
Once the people, or a majority of them,
are led TO actively aid the move for a
clean city there Will be little further
trouble, for violation OF the law will /.
no longer be the general nor the popu-
lar thing.
Annual Cleaning Insufficient.
But before any systematic effort is
made TO secure general cooperation
the health department must be pre-
pared to do its share. Experience has
shown that an annual cleaning is not
sufficient For a short time after the
rounds have been made the alleys pre-
sent neat appearance, but it is only
for few weeks. For ten or eleven
months in the year they are going
from bad 70 worse. Other cities have
tried continuous cleaning and have
made a success OF It. They find the
cost is little II any greater than the
once year plan and the results are ,
far more satisfactory.
Rock Island is entitled to as good ,
service as any other city. The people
are willing TO pay for IL and the COM
nissioners will have ample backing II
hey take hold of the matter in a bust
lesslike manner