The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-05-25
LYONS RAILROAD.

LYONS RAILROAD.
Our readers will remember what we have
said heretofore in respect to the officers OF
this Road--how far the following CORES
pondence to the Chicago journal agrees
with cur representations, they are able TO
Judge. especially il they are recunarily IN
tcrtsted:
May 18th.
.Messgs Internationally, in passing
along the line OF the Mississippi and Rock
River Railroad, found continuation OF a
runor which has within short time made
some stir in the private commercial circles
OF your city, relative to the deep cmharrass-
man,-not to employ stronger tcrm-oi
the parties having in charge the constrne-
ton Of this line Of road, aud that Of the
LYONS. Iowa Central1 Railroad. The facts
connected With the same having been most
fully and painfully developed IN the sections
oil country alluded 70, deem II matter Of
Importance to represent the affair through
the columns OF your widely spread journal
fer the double purpose OF setting the pubic
on their guard, and OF hespcaking justice iof
numerous persons Whn mas be the innocent
sufferers in the storm ot indignation now
rising. / allu,le 10 the late short comings
Of II. p Adams, the contractor on the tor
nser road. and also with other parties on the
latter.
Work was begun en- the NJ and X. X.
line i'm Feb. 1883, and is ut the present
time advanced to about three tourths OF the
grading. Operations commenced on the
Iowa road some three months later or n
4 a. fr5, tbirtx ,,,ilAs ahDuf "a g.
fourth OF the labor remains incomplete. \
failure has, as We have said, taken place
and ASSIGNMENTS made Ut the property on
both contracts, to satisfy the dem lnds oil
creditors to whom u heavy Indebtedness
will remain after the entire assets diSap-
pear. On the two lines there are upwards
of three hundred luborers; which. with the
engineering corps, Sub-eontractors, over
seers, clerks, &c. will swell the number t.
full five hundred persons. For the past two
months or more there have been no pay
ments made Is this large body Of men, many
81 whom have their families with them, but
all have been put of from day to day ana
week To week by Adams, the head operator,
with speeious promises, the work IN me
meanwhile progressing, and the entire i2rcc
of GENERATORS and teams wholly dependent
for support nron credit, which, through the
generous confidence inspired among The
farming community BY the general success
Of rail enterprises IN the West, has been
without difficulty heavily taxed, until the
SENS due TO operatives and parties III the
vicinity Of the Fulton line, who have freely
trus ed them for labor, produce. &c. has at
tanned the amount Of $4,000, and, though
| cannot give Is accurately the figures tor
the other, or Lyons line, they can scarcely
be less, and some are Of the opinion that
matters there are in even 4 worse condition,
You cannot imagine the state Of fee
inc prevalent among the lah1rers, the suf-
fcrers in this unfortunate affair. Ordinarily
impatient at what they believe an made
quate compensation for their labor, their
cruel disappointment nj being thus deprir
ed of their hard earned pittance, amounts al
mast 10 frenzy and By threatened violence
they have caused several Of the higher sub
brdlnates on the contracts, 10 seek safety
III flight, az with characteristic indserimina-
ton they willnot be- persuaded thateach per
son connected with the paying department
IL not directly res ponstAle for the withhold.
ing of the so often promised funds which
for the period named, seem To have foaai
their way no lower than the head manag
III the concern
Some OF these gentlemen are now in
Chicago. and to their own pecuuiary toss
must be added the more deeply painful cir
cumstauccs, that suspicion must attach to
them, with those unable in this Instance to
distinguish cor nection, with participation,
In that which Will in the public mind take
rank on the shidtsI sid, Of misfortune -
The occurrence il unfortunate for the con-
panics Of the two ro-ds, as | understand
chat the work on both contracts has been
largely over paid, but in this matter the
public have little interest. the officers Of
each having ubuntantly ep.nrcd, on every
occasion, their ability 10 take care Of them
selves. However beyond this, aud the
more to be regretted, because more kecnIy
felt misfortune 10 tins individual creditors,
and injurious effect upon railroad enter
prise in the west is inevitable. Caution,
Il should in all, and vet there is a caution
akin 10 suspicion, too often tn result ofsuch
instances, which. in rural districts operates
powerfully upon the success OF this species
Of enterprise, than which none has more
fnlly developed the wealth and resources
OF Illinois TIE subiacr will soon be "a
matter of public gossip, and its details fully
gwen, have thought best to place in your
possession the authentic facts for disposal
as you may see 1T, ).