Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-06
GIVES HOT
REPLY TO MAYOR
East Moline City Attorney Says
DIR. Johnson Can run His Or
flee and I'll Run Mine"

difference between instructed"
and empowered" City Attorney
George ID. Long last night. in a
communication to the mayor ana
city council of East Moline, at
tempted TO explain his side of the
question as to whether or not it
was his duty to take steps to col
lect municipal funds which are
missing and to even institute suits
10 recover the sums if necessary
as DT. q. F. Johnson. mayor, in a
recent letter given to the press,
stated that Mr.. Long had been in
structed' to do The lengthy let
ter OF the attorneys was in reply
TO the mayors rebuke of a week
ago, but was presented at last
nights council meeting and not
/ through the newspapers.
Had he been instructed TO act in
the matter the city attorney de-
, cIared he would have had to do
/ so, regardless OF his personal Opin-
( ions, but since he was only en-
/ powered to act, he maintains that
] he can use his own judgment in the
I matter and until the council orders
I him to -AO differently he will con-
/ Linue to use his own judgment. lie
/ said that he wished TO inform the
! people Of East Moline that the
1 mayor was not running his office
I and Will not as long as he is city
! attorney. I say TO the mayor here
and now to look after his own at
/ fairs and that if he is running the
! office OF mayor in the same man
/ ner that l am running tie office
/ Of city attorney the taxpayers OF
( East Moline need have no cause to
/ worry AS far as the duties o.
/ his office allow him to 90, he Will
go. and he stands ready at all
times to siVe the advice expected
/ from his office, he stated
luasmuch, as an official of one
/ OF the East Moline banks has told
( him that some interest money has
been paid to the city from some or
/ their records which the accountant
/ did not have in making his audit,
{ Mr.. Long holds that suit against
/ the banks to recover any interest
/ which ii is alleged is due the city
/ would be unwarranted. AS soon as
Z the accountant can be brought
/ back the matter will be Techecked.
/ lie stated that he had no know
/ ledge OF the mayors name being
! forged to q check and urged the
mayor to give any information ne
! has on the subject to the council.
( Mir. Long was present at the
meeting. The letter was placed on
file Following the reading of the
I communication, the regular June
business was transacted. but the
allowing of the months bills was
defeated, the Wilcox faction OPP
posing the motion. Later in the
evening the monthly report was re /
considered and The allowing Of all
bills excluding uncontirmed po-
licemen. was carried. A balance
OF SI.2SS was reported in the gen
eral fund and 1913 was the total
amount of the months bills. Be
cause the bills could not be met
with the amount on hand the city
attorney was instructed to draw up
resolutions providing for the Dor /
rowing of $4,000 from the banks OF
the city on notes signed by the
mayor and city clerk. This it was
figured would tide the city over
for 50 days. Motion was carried
and the resolution read later in
the meeting. Resolution passed.
Hogs became the subject Of a
discussion for several minutes,
someone asking the mayor his
opinion on the keeping Of such /
animals within the city limits. 1t
seems that complaints have been .
received about the unsanitary con /
ditions accompanying a number Of /
stys within the city lines. The T.
MAYOR said that, inasmuch as many I
were being urged to keep hogs at /
the present time as a conservation /
measure. he thought that it was (
all right, provided the premises /.
did not become a menace to health. (
However, he stated that il they /
we're Objectionable to neighbors T.
the health commissioner would I
have to see TO it that they were +
removed.
BY d unanimous vote the street .
commissioner was granted a two /
weeks vacation. Obnoxious weeds I
along the d. R. l. & y W. right OF .
way came up for discussion and .
The council voted to instruct the /
citv clerk to notify the railroad to |
cut them. Other roads have already /
done so.
Because lead pipes are being de- +
downtown district the city clerk .
was ordered to take the matter up /
with the street car company in an .
effort to have breakers installed
by them to prevent this.
The proposition of constructing /
a ditch to prevent water from /
flooding the East Moline lumber /
Yards and adjacent territory after |
every rain was referred TO the |
street and alley committee. The /
d. r. I. q \. W, by the cOnstruc-
ton OF a side track, has diverted
the natural course of the water,
resulting in much damage. The /.
road has given the city permission
to construct the ditch until such
time as the city sees fit to put in