Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-01


To the Voters and Taxpayers of the
City OF Rock Island:
l hereby announce my candidacy
for the Office of commissioner for
your consideration at the primaries
to be held March II, 1919.
In coming before you at this time
I wish to make G few statements
regarding my stewardship of the de-
partment of public health and safe
an outline of the work done and i'm
visions Of this department
First consider the health depart
ment, which is q vital department
as it pertains directly to the health
and life of our city. This has been
conducted and improved to such an
extent that health authorities admit
it is the best of any city of our size
in the state, and of some even larger
cities. When l entered my office
four years ago, found the so-called
pest house" in a deplorable condi-
ton. Immediately the building was
| improved by putting in two
| furnaces, two bath rooms, hot
and cold water, provided six addi-
| tional bedrooms, thus providing
| separate quarters for men and
women. These improvements at an
| expense of $500 made the lace a
comfortable hospital for cor ,Agious
diseases, and one of which we are
not ashamed. This department
throughout is conducted on an eco
nomical- basis, but the best service
is rendered to the sick and unfor-
tunate, at less expense to the tax
payer than ever before.
The garbage collection and dis
posal has been carried on in a most
charge of the department, the city
had two WORKOUT four-wheeled
wagons and two two-wheeled carts,
which had to be repaired in order
to render service for the season on
which we were just entering. The
| following winter / had them thor
oughly overhauled. rebuilt and
painted at wagon shop at an eX-
pense of $675. Since that time we
have purchased new equipment, so
that today we have ready for SER
vice, six double wagons, one single
! wagon and two carts for garbage
| collection. The same deficiency
existed as to horses. The horses we
then had for use were mostly re-
| tired fire horses, but today we have
seven good teams in the service of
| this department. Three years ago a
garbage incinerator was built at an
| expense of $20,250, which is one of
| the city's best assets. During the
period of its operation, we have de-
| stroyed approximately 5,577 tons of
garbage and 1,1S6 tons of rubbish,
| thus keeping the alleys free of dis
ease breeding refuse, and the city
! in a healthy condition. All these
| improvements have been made and
paid for out of the regular allotted
taxes and no bonds have been is
sued for payment of same.
The fire department is deserving
of special consideration. Many i'm
provements have been made, both in
the efficiency of the men we are able
to employ and the motorization of
the equipment. During the past
four years we have built and equip
ped a fire station in the newly an
nexed territory at an expense Of ap-
proximately $4,000; new station
known as No. at Thirty-first street
and Seventh avenues has ben erect
ed ut a cost of $4,000, replacing an
old frame shack unfit for habita-
ton and this property has been en-
larged in the rear by the purchas-
ing of a tract of land 80 by 60 feet
in size, thus providing this station
with a driveway in the rear; we
have also purchased one 1000 gal
lon per minute pump and hose cart
at a cost of $4,000; one COmbina-
ton hose and chemical machine at
$500; also l 900 feet of fire hose,
and paid for the 1000 fee: Of hose
ordered by the last adm .Histr&iion,
and a number of large current bills
which We're willed to us by the
previous administration, and which
were paid for out of our regular ap-
preparation. Our fire department is
we'll equipped and efficient 10 high
degree and it is my desire to be able
to open again the No. station,
closed on account of lack Of funds.
in order to provide better service TO
the bluff district. All OF these i'm
proyements h8ye been made and
paid for without the issuance OF
bonds, as / am not a believer in
NOR gaging the city any more than
ones private home. l believe in i'm
provements and economy, but
don't believe in going into debt
The police department, which is
generally the target of the public
regardless of whether it has done or
has not done its duty, has done I'M
usually good work during the past
four years. considering the larger
population under it's surveillance,
due to the war, economical and
labor conditions. without any ser
iC $ disturbance. This department
has apprehended and brought to
trial Charles Schoessel murderers
which still fingers in the minds Of
our citizens; also the murderers of
Sheriff Wigers, in which case we
are sure of conviction: and the
murderer CT Peter Jelvik, whose
execution for the crime we so we'll
remember Our records show that
this had been one OF the busiest per-
iods i'll the history of this depart
ment Seven thousand two hundred
city cases and 1000 state cases have
been tried. and many other minor
cases have been investigated, too
numerous TO mention. OF whlcb no
record has been kept. We have en-