The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-12-31

| c. Fl. SroDDARD, Surveyor,
"With the emolumen.s while another gets
the honors."
Rock Island, Dec. 23d., 1867.
In the Union of the 18th we also find the
following from Supervisor Joslin, viz:
What Did Do.
| MEssRs. EDIToRs:--In your issue of the
| 18th, is found an article from County Sur
| veyor Gould, in which am mixed up with
Surveyor Stoddard
presume Mr.. Stoddard is fully compe-
tent to answer for himself and will give the
taxpayers some light on the subject of Mr.
Gould's ability as practical surveyor. The
part that has reference to myself / propose
briefly to throw some light npon.
The first / ever learned of Mr.. Gould's
ability as a surveyor, was about the first Of
September last, from D. N. Beal, when he
was made a delegate to the county conven-
ton, to nominate Treasurer ans Surveyor.
Mr.. Beal spoke with full knowledge of
some OF Mr.. Gould's surveys, and said that
he (Beal) would not support Gould if nomi-
mated.
The next week the Board of Supervisors
met, and the nominations were fully discus
sed, and not one republican member of the
Board expressed q satisfaction in regard to
Mr.. Gould's nomination. All that did ex-
press an opinion said they did not believe
Mr.. Gould qualified. If Mr.. Gould wishes
to know who some of them were, and ascer-
tain how popular he was with the electors of
this county, he can enquire of Supervisors
Perkins, Wells, and Marshall, representing
the towns in which / believe he had done
the most surveying. fthat should not sat
isfy, inquire of the attorneys, the Board, and
both parties attending the road trial of
Simpson VS.. Town of Coe, where the costs
of suit were not less than $500.
| These are 'facts for Mr.. Gould, instead
of the county, to enquire into. l did, after
learning the above facts, and others touch
ing Mr.. Gould's moral character, suggest to
several of the supervisors that Mr.. Stoddard
be brought out as an independent candidate
l had conversation with Gen. Sickles, in
which stated that the people were not sat
1 isied with the nomination of Gould; and
for which, | presume, | received genteel
damning from the very competent "damn-
ing" county surveyor. ! talked with other
gentlemen in Moline, and the conclusions in
the end were not to bring out an independ.
ent candidate, but sustain the convention.
/ never did say that would do all could
| to injure Mr.. Gould, and in proof that did
| not, voted for him, and the town of Yuma
| gave him within two votes as many as the
| treasurer received; and this after had been
politely damned. IF the gentleman wishes
| any further light, it would be well for him
| to get the election returns, and carefully
look at Coe and Andalusia, where, think,
he has done the most surveying in the last
two years.
As regards the action of the Board of Su-
pervisors in reference to Mr.. Stoddard's un-
| official surveys, can only answer for myself.
l see no reason yet why we should rescin6
them, as brazenly asked BY the county sur
veyor moline wants more light" If that's
so she had better demolish her walking gas
works, organize gas company, and COM
mence the business on scientific principles.
"For the benefit of the people of this
county, who elected me their surveyor, /
propose TO look into the action Of the Board
the editors, that we, in the future. elect one
supervisor at large, and that he be taken
from Moline, so that he can report officially
for the county's benefit, and light up Moline.
If the gentlemsnly surveyor wonld watch
little more closely his compass and field
notes, there would be less complaints from
the people of his cutting four rods of one
mans farm and giving it to another, and SO
on; making corners where none ever existed,
and creating more cause for litigation and
expense than all the acts of the board COM
bined.
If the gentleman is not fully satisfied with
the suicide loficially) he has already CON-
mitted, he will only have to '.iostle'' little
longer to become fully so.
With due respect to A. johnson and all
similar Officials subscribe myself,
Yours, truly, B. B. JosLIN.
n. b. We are credibly informed that the
county surveyor has "county surveyor" con-
spicuously painted on one side of his "ofi-
cial' buggy. We would suggest that he
paint the word "Jostling" on the other side
and make it read, with good sense, "Jostling
County Surveyor or vice versa. "County
Surveyor Jostling." B. B. j.
The record, so far, shows that the Board
of Supervisors, at the instance of Supervisor
Joslin, radical leader in the county, on
the 18th of Dec. passed a set of resolutions
understood by the people, to be damaging
shot at Surveyor Gould. This raised row
in the family, and the next morning there |
appeared in "the official county paper" a
communication signed "Moline," which |
showed that somebody had been hit. This |
shot having taken effect, the Board, that |
day, I'VE mean the radicals in the Board) |
passed resolution saying that by their pre-
vious action they did not intend to "dispar-
age or moderate the ability of our (the rad. |
ical) county surveyor This being pure
ly radical quarrel. the democratic members |
Of the Board took no part in it, but looked
on with great satisfaction. seeing the radical
majority "disparage and moderate" their
surveyor one day and take it back the next.
Two days afterwards ION the l4th) Mr.. C. |
H. Stoddard appeared in the Union with a
kind of spain killer" intended to show that
his surveys ought to be recorded, and that |
he had not said anything against Surveyor
Gould, but the dose did not relieve the sick |
radical official, and ON the 18th "Mloline"
hit back sg ain, declaring that Stoddard had |
made a weak defense that if his surveys |
ought to be recorded SO ought all the other |
nnnffirial snrvavs. and that the profits of re-