The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-11-12
Canal correspondence.


f""of ch'coyo democrat,
DEAR SIR Through the medium @
! your paper desire TO lay before the publ
some facts with regard to the recent man
agemeDt OF Canal affairs, for the purpose q
preventing any misunderstanding on tn
part OF those who wish to understand cor
rectly what has been done and is doing il
this department.
ms course would be altogether unncccs
sary were not many persons in this com
muiilty making themselves exceedingly bu
sy at the present time in misreprescntin,
my course; particularly in regard TO Ger
tam complaints made against the Chief En-
S'neer
Dcihg III New YORK the 18th OF last month
i was requested ny some oil the parties IL
nh'efeSl 10 attend meeting OF our cana
oohuhoiuers ana i'lrnlsh them with what in
,orii'a'ioh might possess with regard (,
'he management OF the canal.
| In accordance with this very polite re
quest, ! attended the meeting referred to
ana laid before them the statement which
accompanies this communication. At tina
niee,ihg Mr. LeaVitt was present with Sc
Veral OF the directors OF the bank which h,
controls, and Others Of his associates anC
iflehds' Upon reading that part Of my
communication which relates TO the re,
| marks OF Mr.. Lcavltt in my presence upor
the estimation in which he held the state o
ILLINOIS,, ITS legislature, &C., Mr.. Lcavit
pronounced that statement false Wherein.
on Elisha Riggs, Esq, the Chairman of tn,
meeting, arose and corrected Mr.. Lcavitt
stating to the meeting that the remalt
charged upon Mr.. Leavitt were made by
nm IN his Mr.. Riggs presence, and tina,
the statement confined in the communion
hon was true.
After this Capt. Kennedy, well known in
TINS state as an old contractor on the canal.
ana man OF high rcspeCtibilty, and large
oondholder himself, was called upon 10
make some statements 10 the meeting, but
tne trends OF Mr. Leavitt moved and car
ried an adjournment in a most angry and
uncourteous manner. During the meeting
Inc matters OF complaint on the line of the
canal were referred TO the Board Of Trus-
tees, who have since that time arrived in
this city.
What has transpircd in relation 10 these
complaints will sufficiently appear from thc
correspondence which | herewith furnish
: w : '''t " 1911 W duu mat nave sincere
~ desired full and fair investigation ofthc
complaints and charges made that in the
irst interview between myself and the 9TH
er members of the board upon the subject.
Mr.. Goodlns being present, sad that
some Of the charges made Were true, and
lie would admit them TO save time nm
on which Mir. Lcavitt intertered. and sug-
gestcd to Mr.. Gooding that he had better
plead not guilty to all the charges. and
STAND upon his rights. Ithen felt that an
examination OF official misconduct before
board, one OF the members Of which was so
ready TO spouse the cause Of the accused
Tor me avowed purpose OF conccaling the
ruin could lead to no satisfactory results.
NeVerlheless after that suggestion by Mr..
Leavitt, proposed that Mr.. Gooding should
answer the specific charges contained in nv
communication in writing, and upon his do
ing so, would proceed to establish the
truth OF those disputed by testimony. This
course, which is the customary one in all
IKE cases, the majority of the board refused
to take. then made the further proposition
exhibited IN the correspondence, which was
ilkcwlSe declined.