The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-01-29
ST. Louis, Alton and Chicago Railroad.


STATEMENT GOV. MATTEsoN.
Since the strike of the employees on the st. Louis
Alton and Chicago Railroad has taken place, va
rious rumors and statements have been circulated,
through the papers and otherwise, about the road
condition and the which led to its suspen-
sion.
Nv time has been so taken up with efforts to make
arrangements to start the trains at the earliest pos
sible moment, that have not found it practicable
to make statement of the affairs of the road Nor
should feel called upon to do now, but for the
prolonged time of suspension, and the published
statement, in the Chicago DdUy .journdt of the 18th
inst, of the committee chosen by the employees,
some seventeen in number, all of whom are engi-
neers mechanics in the companys shop at
Bloomington.
This statement, though signed BY these men, was
evidently suggested by IIasbrouck Davis, Esq, of
Chicago attorney for the first mortgage bondhold-
ers who, contrary TO his engagements with me, has
been exciting the employees 10 this course, hoping
thereby to get forcible possession of the road.
do not blame the men for this movement they
have earned their wages and ought TO be paid, but
| sincerely regret that they should have been led
to such course. when, by doing So they are not
only preventing the road from earning the very
money they want but they are doing the public,
who need the Of the road for freight, passage
and mails, great Injustice. No doubt they have
been stimulated by Mr. Davis to believe that if they
would aid him in getting possession. they would be
paid in full from the first earnings Of the road In
my negotiations with this committee of the en-
ployees have made to them the very best PROPOSE
tons which believed it would be in the power of
the company To fulfil. and | have no doubt they
would have accepted them but for the efforts OF Mr.
Davis 10 make them believe that | was not acting
in good faith aud ! cannot bat hope that the COM
mittee Will yet be convinced that their interest
demands an early acceptance Of my propOslun,
when the road VIII be again ready for action. The
published statement alluded TO- calculated 10 mis-
lead the public mind into the belief that the DIN
ployces of the company have not been paid Heir
wages for the last six 10 nine months, when III fact
these same seventeen men, whose names are signed
to the published document have been paid Or.r IRE
t0D"s1"f dol..us within the last eight months.
greater, by four hundred dollars than the
whole amount now due TO said committee, all Of
which will more fully appear by reference 10 the
sworn statement Of Asa II. Moore, Esq. gen trail
superintendent OF the road, which i published be
low.
The impu,ation is also made in the statement Of
the committee, that ! have used the funds of the
road for my own private purposes 30 far tom
this being true, the road at this moment owes me
tlro k1lHared thouaIsd dol,Irs: and have adj
yanced money from my private resources IN order
10 swell the payments TO who were in the en-
ploy Of the road | have doubt but that if the
object OF Mr. Davis had been understood bv the
employees. that they would have at once secuted
his attempts to them for the base purpose of
getting . control which designed by hiIl
throw all other creditors ofsthe road out OF eteTy
hope Of payment.
an Informed. upon what consider good author
ity, that ilasbr0uck Davis, Esq, has stated To a
gentleman III Bloomin gton that lac had got the com
Tnittee all right 10 accomplish his purposes and
that Il all understood beforehand tn at the
should take place. That back money l. due TO en-
ployees, alike with other creditors, Is true. but he
amount due TO the men, now, l, not greater than il
was when took the road. When requested -
sumo the cotrol, by those in interest, conse hted
solely because wished 70 secure 4 large aInbuni
due from the company 10 myself and because II
hoped by my mana cement It's affairs that all par
ties Interested would reap the greatest benefit. ~
that time the company were owing very heavy
fUatin. debt, than half 4 million of dollars Of
which has since been discharged by Besides
paying this sum, have built nearly three hundred
miles Of fence between Joliet and Alton, and have
expended over fifty Thousand dollars IN makclng
connections at Alton with the IcIre Haute Il -.
Louis road. To enable this company 10 send
its pasSsE ger. through To 1t Louis bV rail. From
that time 10 tins have gwen to it, business my
very best energies, and have made faithful appiI-
cation ofthe roads receipts IN such manner a. 10
challenge the sirctest scrutiny: all my accounts
and vouchers having recently undergone q thorough
examination by an investigating committee.
For more than tweIle months 4 financial cloud
has hung heavily over every branch Of public aud
private enterprise. The effect Of Tins crisis has
fallen with seyerest weight upon the revenues Of all
our western railroads. The past season mas been
sne Of almost constant RAIN and the very woTs; ior
railroad action which has ever been known. The
crops Of Illinois have been almost wholly Gu, Of
and this. with the light travel, has added to the
causeS Of light receipts upon the road
Had the season, the crops and the consequent
enterprise Of the country been equal to former
wears, the earnings of the road might have enabled
me to pay all arrears to cIHPiuvces-to have dis
charged the largest part of the floating debt and
had means sufficient besides 10 have kept the track
and machinery first rate repair. Il has been nv
constant aim and intention since first took CON
troll of the road TO make the ultimate payment Of all
dues to the men employed as well rs those persons
no had supplied the road with wood and materials,
and those who had suffered loss by the killing of
cattle, well Is the security of my own debt, the
first consideration & the very time of the strike
| was negotiating with the bondholders TO give
them control of the road but always have made il
Hrst e,adito" that they should pay in full every
creditor OF the road who included IN the above
meutiuned classes j. \. MAT1ESON.
Springfield, January Goth, ls5".
AFFIDAVIT A. II. MOORE, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT.
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
MCLEAN COUNTY.
l. Asa II. Moore Of bloomington, in said county and
State, being duly sworn, do depose and that
the Superintendent OF the St Louis Alton and Chicago
Railroad that the following is list OF the who
compose committee Of the strikers, called, along
the line of said road; that have examined the
counts of said and find that each Of them have
been paid the following set opposite their respect
i've from May lst 1885 TO January lst SO and
that the sait railroad company indebted TO each of
said the several amounts set opposite to their
spectiye names, up to January lst- 1859.
ANTS paid ANTS due
. from May /, IS to Jan. |, IS. Jan. |, 80
n 81