The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-12
~ &c. E. DoDaE. City Clerk.
The following Is the Proposition alluded
to as Presented hy p. L,Gable, ESQ,


to as Presented by r. l.. Gable, Esq.
To the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Rock
Island:
At a meeting Of the board of directors of the
Rock Island Il Peoria Railroad Company I, as
President of said Company, authorized TO pre-
sent the accompanying contract to your honorable
Body, and to propose that the same be executed by
the parties thereto, ON such conditions and with
| such notifications thereof as might deem it ad-
visable to make.
| The city Of Rock Island owes me s404se about
| $4,000 Of which is in judgment against the city,
and S27 ,0oe of which is snow past due The
whole ofwhch Indebtedness propose surrendert to
the city, on the payment to me of S2I ,240 in cash,
the transfer and surrender to of the stock of the
city IN said company and the execution of the ac-
companyng contract the S19 600 therein alluded
being considered as thereby paid by said Company.
If the city should desire me to do so, I further
propose to take at par $4,000 in new bonds of the
city. bearing 10 per cent interest payable on the
first day of May next, and annually thereafter and
the principal payable in ten equal annual instral-
| msnts, commencing on the first day of May, A. d.
1865, for which instaments of interest and prinei-
pal coupons to be attached TO said bonds which
coupons shall be receivable for all city taxes and
city dues for six months before they respectively
become due, with the further understanding that the
city shall take up, at par including accruedinterest
at least $4,000 Of said bonds, whenever the city
realizes that from Wilson's Island and the
bridge leading toihe Island of Rock Island.
If the city so desires l will consent to such mod
hcaton of the contract would be made by striking
out the following words therein, to-wit land which
by itself with its connections with other roads
shall form continuous line of railroad from Rock
Island to Chicago ST. Louis" the effect of which
| would be to make the depot grounds mentioned in
said contract liable TO be shared with any railroad
company coming into the city from the South or
West without reference to the length of It's road
A few weeks since, your honorable body proposed
as q final settlement OF all matters in dispute be-
tween the city and myself, ''to pay me the amount
Of money indicated in this proposition to relin-
quish to me the city's stock in said company, to
guarantee to the r. l. P. R. R. Co. al rights and
privileges enjoyed by said company in said
city and to add the block of ground in front of
block TO the present depot grounds of the cempa-
n.y. That proposition declined by me in that
form, simply for the that the rights and priv
ieges Of the company the city were not definitely
and distinctly set forth, whereupon your committee
and jointly prepared the accompanying contract.
as the most satisfactory and advisable adjustment
with reference to depot grounds, which could be
made, not only for the accommodation of said com
pany, but particularly for the protection Of the
city's interest with reference to said grounds by
making them as available as practicable for other
railroads coming into said city.
If by the rights and privileges enjoyed by
the company your honorable body meant the rights
and privileges secured by the ordinance Of July I4th
1856, If the rights and privileges alluded to-
those secured by that ordinance as modified by the
contract of June goth. 1857, wil consent 10 such
modification Of the accompanying contract a. will
carry out the intention OF your honorable body,
that subject.
The r. l. d P. R. r. Co. seeks no increase what
Of its rights and privileges, as il understands
them, but it does seek have them 80 definitely and
finally fixed and secured as TO efteetuallv prevent
any future city council which may DC hostile TO said
road It's owners or managers from interfering with
its reasonable and necessary ghs and privileges.
BY any hostile legislation whatever.
1t is matter of entire indifference to the company
whether the accompanying contract is executed in
Its present form, whether the ordinance of 1856.
whereby the company obtained the .xcIusire use
OF the depot grounds in front of blocks 3 and )
is made the basis of the adjustment, or whether that
ordinance, as modified By the contract of 1897
whereby the grounds IN front of blocks ., 3, and
,, well the track the levee. were TO be
shared equally between all railroad companies whose
roads should come into said city from the SoUth or
West, should be made such basis.
As citizen, however, / greatly prefer the con-
tract rs prepared without any modification, for the
simple reason that regard that distribution of said
grounds as the best that can possibly be made for
the interests Of the city and other railroad eompa-
Mes and for that reason and for that reason only /
prefer it.
In behalf Of said company I therefore propose
the execution of the accompan wing contract on the
conditions aforesaid, with without such modifca-
tons as are herein alluded to. as shall be deemed
most advisable by your honorable body.
In conclusion permit remind You that the
overtures for the settlement of these matters came
from you and not from me, and that have uniform
ly met them IN spirit Of candor and frankness.
without ever having insisted that any settlement
whatever should be made but II this effort fails
shall insist that the time has when as a more
matter OF justice to me, of your citizens pro
yi7ion should be made for the payment of so much
Of the debt against the city is in my hands and
past due Very respectfully, Yours,
2. l.. CABLE.
Rock Island, November TO- 1866