The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-19
ROOFING co.
NOT ALLOWED
TO REBUILD
City Council Decides That Lewis
Plant Is Too Great Menace to
West End.

The F. ]. Lewis Manufacturing
company will not be allowed to re-
build or repair it's plant which was
practically destroyed by fire a week
ago. This. was decided at the meet
ing of the Moline city council last
night.
Besides demanding that the old
! plant be left alone, the aldermen
adopted resolution prohibiting the
Lewis company from erecting fac
tory anywhere else in the city of
Moline. This action was taken after
the city had received three letters
that protested very strongly against
the establishment of the Lewis
factory in the city. Some of the
aldermen were of the opinion that
the officials of the Lewis corporation
would fight the action taken by the
city and it was decided to take other
steps if this happened. The city
would strongly enforce the ordi-
nance that states that no combus-
tible material may be stored above
ground in any quantity unless it is
contained in tanks which are en-
closed ii walls IL inches thick. 1t
is believed that the enforcement of
this ordinance will decide the COM
pany against rebuilding in Moline.
The Lewis Roofing company will
not rebuild in Moline if it is forced
to comply with the building ordi-
nance, according to Manager Ma
haffey of the plant, who, it is said,
has intimated this to city officials.
Immediately after the fire sew
eral protesting petitions arrived at
the city hall. Sentiment seems
strongly against allowing the roof
ing company to rebuild because of
the great danger to the factories To-
Gated near it.
Letters of protest we're received
from the Tri-City Manufacturers
association, the Republic Iron and
Steel company, and the Moline Iron
works.
The protest from the Manufactur-
ers' association states that the pres
ent location of the Lewis company
is a menace to the Peoples Power
company. the Moline Furniture
works, the Moline Iron works, the
Velie Motors corporation, and the
Republic Iron and Steel company.
l.. e. Mutt. president of the Mo-
line Iron Works, gives the follow
ing arguments for asking that the
company be prohibited from re-
building in Moline:
First-The highly infammable
and explosive nature of the mater
ial they manufacture and store on
their premises and which burns out
periodically, places all the west end
factories in danger of being con-
sumed in a confiagration.
Second-In the distilling of some
of their chemical products, the
fumes that are cast out are very in
furious to the lives of our work |
men.
Third-From the fact that there |
is only a small water pipe on Sec
ond street for fire protection, it is !
impossible for the f1remen to con-
troll the fires which periodically !
break out in the plant Of the F. J.
Lewis Manufacturing company, and |
as stated by one of our local fire |
men, sooner or later they will be I
unable to control the fires, and 9TH |
er factories anu property adjoining |
will be consumed by the flames.
Fourth-The F. J. Lewis Man |
ufacturing company was formerly |
located in Rock sIland, but we I'M
derstand were forced to leave the !
city of Rock Island on account of
the restrictions that were placed
upon them by the Rock Island city |
council.