Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-18
Ordinance Committee Not Ready to
Report and Measures Not In
the Files.

ll!t HAY WY akGu l. liity tGeAti
We'll, the committee isn't ready to
report They have been referred TO
the city attorney, and he isn't through
with them The attorney is going to
work on them tonight explained Al
derman Wilcox
City Attorney George D. Long was
not present, but the mayor stated that
he would be present later.
where are the oTGinances?' asked
the mayor, and the reply was that they
were in the hands Of the attorney, and
that no copies were in the custody OF
the clerk. Inquiry by the mayor re
yealed that the city attorney requested
them Of the clerk.
They never should have left the
clerks possession" said the mayor.
After d long wait, when Mr. Long
did not appear the council adjourned.
The attorney appeared on the scene
few minutes later and he said he
would make a formal statement TO the
council at the next meeting to explain
the situation. He declares he was not
to blame in the matter. He says he
was through with the ordinances. and
that he left them with Aldermen Will
cox, Ryan and Geisler. and asked them
to bring them to the council meeting.
explaining to them that he wanted
to escort his sister to a train and that
he would be late in reaching the Coun-
eli chamber. He says the aldermen
took othe- papers brought before the
council last evening, and took per-
sonal papers of his which he had spoS-
en- of and laid to one side. hut that
they left in his Office the copies of the
ordinances relating to salary in
creages.
Matter Of raising salaries has been
before the council several months
There were delays for various reasons
till six weeks ago when the council
directed a special committee to draft
ordinances The ordinances were
presented and laid over a week be
cause Of absence Of one alderman.
Then when they were formally offered
they wore laid over because the min
GRITTY Of the council objected to action
till they had gone to the ordinance
committee in accord with the council
rules. They went 10 the committee
two weeks ago. and were to have been
up 70 action last evening
When the ordinances went to a vote
/ at the last meeting the count showed
4 five for adoption and three, Aldermen
Wilcox, Ryan and Geisler. voting neg
, atively-
When Alderman Wilcox last even
ing asked to be excused from voting
on the allowance of bills, because he
! is interested in the city horseshoeing
shop and that concern had bin be-
/ fore the meeting, Mayor Johnson
+ squarely challenged the legality Of
allowing bills In which an alderman is
directly or indirectly interested Mr.
{ Wilcox claimed he had asked the city
/ attorney for an opinion in the matter
and been informed that he could ac-
cept city work under circumstances
/ explained. Dr. Johnson declared the
states attorney had given him the
i opinion that such proceeding is fatty
7 Illegal and that the council should
not under any circumstances allow
such q bill. Alderman Wilcox did not
vote on the report but it was adopted
by unanimous vote.
VIII Bay New Auto.
Alderman Lundeen presented to the
council the problem OF furnishing the
police department with an auto patrol.
The cid car Of the department is out
Of commission and in need of extern
siye repairs. Alderman Lundeen ex-
pressed the opinion that there is no
economy in operating the old machine,
and that it should be sold for Junk
a combination ambulance body. His
recommended purchase of a Ford with
a combination amupblance body. His
/ views were also supported by Alder
man Wilcox, who moved that the
police and fire committee be directed
to Investigate the purchase OF new
auto. In the meantime the police de-
partment viii use q taxi cab for nee
essary police runs.
On Plumbers Trail,
Plans were made by the council for
rigid enforcement Of the ordinance
requiring that before pavement i
opened to make water and sewer con
lections permit shall be obtained
and deposit made to cover cost Of
replacing the street surface. The or
dinance was adopted in December
1914, but it has never been fully en-
forced, and the plumbers have been
simply notifying the plumbing in
spector when they want to open pave
ment. 1t many instances the surface
has not been replaced.
4 1t was proposed that licenses be re-
yoked, and that arrests be made in
cases OF future violations. The ordi-
nance fully covers the problem. hut
IT involves establishment of system
which perhaps accounts for failure To
operate under it. and the blame rests
as much upon city officials as upon
the plumbers. Alderman Carlson
proposed also that the Moline Heating
u Construction company be denied
The privilege of doing work in the citv
till an account for blocking of a GER
tain sewer be settled. About S. is in
VOWED. but the city has not been com
pensated
Waterman Map.
City Engineer Warnes was directed
10 prepare map showing all wafer
main and sewer locations IN the civ
This Information is now In very in
convenient form. and the map is mucb
needed Mr.. Warnes suggested thai
The present Is an excellent time Ia
undertake such work, while there is