Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-05
ARGUMENTS ARE
HOLDING BACK :
DRAIN PROJECT


win only lOV f0et OF tne FOfty-
sixth street storm drain yet to be
completed difficulties have arisen
over the placing Of this last stretch
of the big drain.
William Brooks, owner Of con-
siderable tract of land in the east
end district, has registered the
complaint.
The drain was started Jointly be-
tween Rock Island and Moline In
1917. and the cost Of the project
is estimated to reach $4,000.
1t was completed from the Missis-
sippi river slough up to the south
side Of the railroad tracks at Fifth
avenue. Rock Island, and the work
then abandoned on account Of lack
of material and other unforeseen
conditions brought about by the
war. Obtaining of funds was also
a considerable, hindrance.
However, the work was again
taxed up this year and possibly
can be completed within two weeks
if no serious drawback is occa-
stoned by the complaint Of Mr..
Brooks. ..
In forming the contract for the
work Moline was given full con-
troll as the drain is on the Moline
side of the street.
Property Lines Interfere.
However, before the big drain
can be finished in a way to do the
most good in draining the east end
section of Rock Island a. proper
connection must be made with a
big ditch that runs through Mr..
Brooks land.
The drain was completed to with
in about SO feet of the Ninth ave-
rue intersection when it was at
tempted to curve the drain from
the Moline side of the street over to
the Rock Island side in order to
miss property lines confronting the
engineers on the Moline side. Ninth
avenue, Rock Island. does not con-
tinue into Moline across the border
street as the land on the Moline
side is privately owned. and Moline
has no jurisdiction over its side of
the boundary at the point, although
a street way is open.
In carrying out the double pur-
pose of missing this privately own
ed land and to give the drain a
proper curve for future extensions
the engineers began a sweep that
would bring the drain to Mr..
Brooks property line in Rock Is
land about 20 feet west from where
the ditch through his land opens
directly on to Forty-sixth street.
/ However, by digging ahead 10
feet from the contemplated ending
of the drain an. opening could be
made into the ditch about 20 feet
west of its natural outlet.
Mr.. Brooks contends that this
would injure the value of his prop
erty, and wants the drain brought
to the natural opening Of the ditch.
Moline is unconcerned over the
controversy as that city has moth
ing to do with the drain once it is
brought on to the Rock Island side
Of the street. and any possible
damage suit by Mr.. Brooks would
fall entirely on Rock Island.
The city commissioners spent sew
eral hours walking through the
mud yesterday afternoon in inspect
iLg the project.
Hold Special Meeting.
Mayor Schriver, City Attorney J.
K. Scott and the city commission
ers talked the proposition over in
meeting this morning and decided
that it is imperative to end the
Drain as outlined by the engineers
They said that a 36-inch extern
sion would be run out to the mouth
OF the ditch from Mr.. Brooks land
from the main drain, and claimed
that in case this branch could not
take care of the water, three 60
irch catch basins, one on the Mo-
line side and two on the Rock Is
land side of the street, would carry
the water.