Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-12-27
County Bonds.

words" to the people of Iowa county, ex-
planatory of the ''Dodgeville meeting, "and
of the "olI powerful influence that pre-
vented its complete success.
| There was at the meeting, three princi-
pile parties, and each had "two-fold OBJ
ject'' in view, to-wit:
First, The People Of loaca County, rep
resented by delegates from the towns, who,
q Think really aoantsa to compromise y
settle, and aoipe out the County Debt-yet
feeling sorely .aggrieved at the necessity,
and much disappointment at the Immediate
result of thirteen years erpe,ssiue laU suits.
Second, "The Attorneys for the County"
Gas they sign the firm), who represented
Themselves ''much," and ''their end of the
County," "somae," and who came there
''cut and dried, determined upon fifty
cents on the dollar, or no settIemsnt, which
secures their other object, to-wit: no es-
tension Of the railroa9-until things"
should be made agreeable to somebody-and
here comes in the why and wherefore-the
ifs and ands-the legal arguments, &C.,
&C., C'the mysterious influence. y
Third, the Bond Holders Represented
by myself } and "who show their willing
ness to settle" by offering to discount
about one hundred thousand dollars ($10O,-
0oo) Of the aohole debt for ready pay, or
extend the time of payment through seoen
gears to accommodate those mho can pay,
and to Mr6s0 Off t,oenty .fpe thousand DOL
lars ($25,000) to meet the case of those
who are poor, andsmay find it hard to pay
Now having fairly stated the three cor
rers of this County debt question:" as
presented at the meeting, to be entirely
frank and candid, l viii state my ''two.
fold'' object. 1t was to satisfy srsry man
IN the County Of tie folly and uselessness
of paying costs and lawyer's fees Ito the
"tune" of another $50, ,oOo) to "stave off ="
and roll up the debt another ten years, and
the soisdom Of compromising now, on the
best terms possible to be obtained under the
circumstances.
My other object was to have the money
of the county expended IN the County, and
about as much more aoith 1t, which 10 my
mind, would be bettersand cheaper for the
people than to pay fifty cents and have
the money taken out Of the County. When
the railroad is extended through the whole
length of the County, and ultimately to
Tomah, think it would be worths as
much TO the county every five years as
the whole amount of the County debt, and
[ am confident that the railroad so extern
ded would prove a good property. Do
you not see that on this plan everybody is
benefited and nobody harmed The
County credit" helped to build the road
to Mineral Point, and gacs that citya "6en-
eft.". The County debt" has "paid er-
penseo lor ten years Of attorneys for the
County" (and something handsome besides.
and it is but fair that they should "let the
people rule little while" Now, if the
payment of the County debt can contribute
towards extending the road through the
whole length of the County, and giue the
County "a 6ene1t,' why should Mineral
Point object, or why should anybody OBJ
ject.
Mr.. Joiner, (who perhaps more than any
other man, represents the present minds of
the people of the County, says Of his prop
osition: "But had notaith in its being
accepted. have ecer said, the time has
nerer been when compromise could be
effected, and believes it is the same vot
Ny object was two.fold," &C., &c. Where
came these doubts, this present lack of faith
and deceptioe sayings, the conflicting imau-
ence at cork at cross purposes to preoent a
compromise and settlement? Let these sev-
eraI facts answer all such and similar
statements.
In 1923 the County authorities could
haue prerented the issue of the bonds.
In lS545 the County could have "com-
promised" and taken up it's bonds at f,ftv
cents on the dollar It was not done.
In 1867 the County could have "com-
promised and taken up it's bonds by re-
turning the rail road bonds to me, without
the cost of one dollar. Nobody did it.
In 1858 down to 1864 the County could
have Compromised and settled its bonds
at less than sixty cents on the dollar, yet
in all of these sic long, eventful years, no.
body thought 1t asorth sohile to do it.
In 1859 and go the County could have
Compromised" its debt and had therefor
in connection with Mineral Point, Wald-
wick, and old stock holders, one half O:
the full paid stock of the rc-organized rail
road, without any ten or t,oenty thousand
dollars fees to any attorneys for the
County" This last consideration perhaps
shows the reason why it wasn't done.
In 1866 the county could have "com
promised" and settled its debt at less than
seoenty .1iee cents on the dollar. The'people
thought this too much to pay.
IT IS NOW TOO LATE to settle upon any of
the foregoing terms. A debt, declared
by the courts to be legal, valid. and a
Judgment mortgage hen on all of the tax