Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-13
NEED BOND ISSUE
DECLARES MAYOR
City Executive States That Cost OF
Southwest Storm Drain win
Probably be S135.00O.
SAYS TOPOGRAPHY Is PECULIAR
MeConOchie Ayers That Lay OF Land
Makes In Rock Island Perfect Sys.
tenn Difficult TO Secure.

Mayor William MCCOnoChle today
advocated q bond issue to cover part
Of the cost for the southwest storm
drain, plans for which are now being
pushed. The city executive declares
that the cost would perhaps be $780,
900 and points to the peculiar topogra-
ply Of the land as the cause for this
cost. lie says that perfect drain
system is hard to secure,
Following is the statement from the
mayer:
For the last six months the city
commission has been figuring on
storm drain, which all who have been
connected with city affairs, as well as
the people living in the various dis
tricts of the city affected, know must
be done to save large sections Of the
city from overflow, not only occa-
sionally, but several times year, as
has been the case during the past
season.
The city of Rock Island. unlike
most Of the cities in the Mississippi
valley, is o hard city in which to Sc
cure a perfect sewerage system, for
the reason that the land along the
river front is higher than 1t IS five or
six blocks back. Sewers laid to run
to the river. which is the proper
course, are impracticable; therefore,
whenever the river rises to certain
height the water from the river would
flow backward and drown out the low
lands OF the south and west parts.
All cities should have a regular
sewerage system before they COM
mence to put in sewerage. But 10
make maps and establish grades for
such a system costs more money than
the ordinary small city can stand, for
they are paying for laying founda-
tion by which pOsterity will be ben
Gifted and should pay for at least a
portion. That is what we will have
to ask them to do in this case, by a
bond issue The commission as a
whole has no personal or property In
terests In such an improvement. Only
Va
the improvement for the benefit of
those who are not as fortunate and
will have 10 ask the cooperation of all
good. loyal citizens to help the prop
erty benefited.
Burden Too Great for Property.
The burden would he greater than
the property could stand Such pol
icy could not and should not be en-
forced. A certain part of the cost OF
this improvement should be borne by
the property directly benefited, and
the balance should be paid out of a
bond issue, because future generations
would continue and expand and con-
meet with this system as we have for
80 years until we have overloaded the
present system.
4 have no criticism for the Fifth
avenue sewer It was built along the
best plan that would relieve the stu
alton as it then existed and the amount
Of money they then could raise and
their policy to build as much as they
could pay for out Of the general fund
each year.
Before streets were improved and
additions laid out numerous water
coures paralleIing the river back
from the river from five TO twenty
blocks carried off the surface water
This water must now be taken care
Of by our sewers or a storm drain
system, which we have not, but must
have TO save our city from flood
which each new improvement increas-
es. We want the public to understand
the true financial condition, and we
feel ii is our duty to push this i'm
urcvement as officials and taxpayers
although the improvement will cos'
US money with no compromising ben
efits. We believe it is our duty to hell
our neighbors.
Our plan is to start at the Missis
sippi river near the Rock Islant
Bridge & Iron works and extend cas-
lust north of their office with con
crete sewer which will be seven fee
By ten feet, as far east as Fifth street
The bottom OF the sewer where it en-
rers the river will be one foot allow
low water mark, with gates and pump
ing station at the most available poin
in that vicinity.
Different Sized Laterals.
"One lateral will go north from tn
main sewer on Fifth street TO Elev
enth avenue. The main sewer o.
storm drain will continue east from
Fifth street on what is about Six
teenth avenue, to the east side o