The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-05-28
auYER ON RAILROADS AND COAL.

At the last meeting of the Board of Trade
Mr.. Guyer took occasion to say that the Coal
Valley railroad was O favorite of his, he hav.
ing been one of its proprietors, and while it
was being built, and for some time after
wards, devoted his whole time and energy to
its success. He thought he was as familiar
with its workings as any man could be, and
he was sure that if the Peoria and Rock Is
land Railroad company connected their road
with the Coal Valley line the monopoly in
coal would continue.
Now, if Mr.. Guyer devoted all his ener-
gies to its success, and only succeeded in
making the road dead failure, and render
ing the citys stock worthless, how much en-
ergy had hep Mr.. Guyer's party certainly
did make a huge failure of everything they
undertook. They rendered both the road
and the mines nearly worthless; demonstra-
ted their utter incapacity to carry on the
business successfully, and then sold out for
nearly nothing. They thought they had a
fast horse, but failed to get even common
speed out of him. But they sold to Q man
who knew how to train the animal, make him
go inside of the sos, and bring up his value
to figure which is the envy of all sham
trainers. If they couldn't get any speed out
of him, and better manager could, it only
shows their incapacity for the business.
Mr.. Guyer's next idea is that if the new
Peoria company should purchase the present
road they too would make monopoly of it.
If he has no more confidence than this, in his
new Peoria company, what assurance has he
that they won'tmake a monopoly of the Moline
route? The best thing the people can do is
to keep their fingers out of the fire kindled
by the friends of either route.
Mr.. Guyer said he could see noreason why
coal should not now sell for ten cents per
bushel. When he was connected with the road
he said it was sold for six cents. Mr.. Guyer
thus gave the public to understand that he
furnished the people with coal at six cents
which was not true. Why did he not tell
the whole story? The fact was that be con-
tracted to furnish coal to Mr.. Cable for six
cents, and Mr.. Cable sold it to the public for
seven cents. Mr.. Guyer next informed the
meeting that Mr.. Cable afterwards got things
arranged go he could fix whatever price he
desired We suppose Mr.. Porter can fix
any price he desires. Any coal dealer can
fix any price he desires. But to keen his
customers at "extortionate' prices is an i'm
possibility. 1t is the policy of any business
man, in the coal trade, or in the dry goods
trade, or the grocery trade, or any trade or
business to keep his customers and to do
80 he must fix prices which will satisfy Them
or other men viii get them away. IF the
prices of Mr.. Cable are "extortionate," why
don't other people get his customers away
There are plenty of other coal banks, and
plenty of money to open them, if fortunes
are to be made SO easy at that business. The
whole country, from here to Sheffield, and
La Sale, is full of coal, and Mr. Gable nei.
Their owns or controls the railroad on that
route.
The simple fact, which troubles Mr.. Guy.
er, and his set, is that Mr.. Cable is making
o fortune out of the business. Now, do these
people expect Mr.. Cable to give them the
money he makes, in a business that they
failed at? Do they expect him to furnish
them with brains to make money in bust
ness they don't understand how TO manage /?
The truth is, the people ought to rejoice that
we have one man who can make the bust
ness a success, and who has been able to