Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-18

March II, 1917. Since that time no
bill has been presented. The coun-
sci, however, since then has given
some time to the case before the
supreme court and what this will
cost the county Will only be known
when bill is presented TO the
board.
The board of supervisors will
meet Tuesday of next week to or
ganize. Since the Jail matter was
first brought up, the board has I'M
dergone numerous changes in its
personnel. OF the original Jail
committee alone, only two members
remain on the board. John Upton
of Bowling township and Supervisor
kerns Of Moline. Supervis
Ors Wright, Tubens. WeCkel, Bur-
govne. Hanna. Sievers and Nc
Murphy have either been defeated
in nomination or election or
were not candidates for places on
the board.
Thus a new committee and new
/ board will inherit the difficulties
precipitated with the letting of the
contract by the board of supervis-
ors on June %, 1915.
Float Bond Issue.
Repeated complaints on the part
Of grand jEries which inspected the
Jail led to action taken by the
board of supervisors in the sum-
mer of 1914 to cause to be present
ed to the voters of Rock Island
0n VIII hoV E7sa
county shall issue bonds in the
sum of $4,000 for the erection OF
a new county jail.
Various grand iuries brought IN
similar reports from time to time
that the present county Jail is an
unfit place for the housing of pris-
oners and that it was inadequate
to the needs of the county.
The bond issue for the Jail was
authorized by a reasonably sub
stantial majority of votes at the
state. congressional and county
election held in November of 1914.
The board gave its time in the De-
cember session TO disposition of the
bond issue, a Davenport concern
taking over the bonds.
A jafl committee was appointed
composed Of Chairman John Upton
and Supervisors kerns, Wright,
Weckel, Burgoyne, Rubena Hanna.
Sieyers and McMurphy. The COM
mittee made several trips to cities
which recently erected jails and
which had Installed the latest
equipment for buildings OF this
kind. Upon finishing these fnspec-
ton trips, the board employed c.
.. McLane as architect and the
members gave him their ideas con-
corning the architectural scheme
they desired.
About this time there came nu-
merous requests, in line with The
suggestion made by The Argus In
mediately after the success OF the
bond issued had been assured the
autumn before. 10 build the Jail
elsewhere than on the court house
square. However. tle plans Of the
architect, which were approved By
a majority OF members OF the
board. were designed with The idea
that the jail was TO be constructed
on the court house square. Just
west OF the court house When
the matter OF the location of the
fan was up before the board a ma
3oritv vote was recorded in favor
Of locating the prison on the
square, This action was taken at
the Juns session Of the board,
Litigation Begun.
The litigation. which mss covered
period of nearly three years, was
then began. Bishop +. VI. Dunno,
head OF the Peoria diocese of the
Catholic church, brought suit
against the county asking an in
junction TO prevent the building OF
the jail on the court house square.
The contention was that in the or
igfnal town of Stephenson when
plated, the square commonly call
ed the court house square now, was
designated asa public square. II
was the contention OF Bishop
Dunno. the Peoria diocese owning
lots abutting upon public square,
that he had an easement or right
/ to prevent the use of the block for
any purpose other than a public
square.
I On June "A, 1915, Judge F. d.
Ramsay heard the ISSUES and on
June % held that Bishop Dunno
was not entitled to an injunction.
In the meantime between June II
and %, the general assembly Of
the state passed an act. which s
usually spoken of as the leoe law,
prohibiting counties from erecting
fails within 200 feet Of q building
used exclusively for school pur-
noses. This bill was no. signed by
/ the governor until June "a and
none Of the parties to the suit nor
the court knew OF it being signed
until after Juage Ramsay had de
MED the injunction. On June %
ground had not been broken nor
I had contracts been entered into to-
! The building of the jan
After the injunction decision mad