Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-01-28
DAVENPORT, IOWA. THURSDAY. JANUARY 2s. 1869
Peoria Camden 4 Rock Islund
Railroad


Peoria Camden 4 Rock Islund
Railroad
EDIrogs DgNocRAr -We asked Of the
Directors of the above company a deeisien
on Gaal lsca ion and have obtained il: and
nov know whore We stand, and how the
thing was done, and may profit BY the ss
son. Had We demanded this decision six
months ago, IS We should have dsne, that
much valuable tine might have been saved,
and another road in progress.
Was absent, At the time the fnal loca
tion was announced. but have read the pub
lished accounts, including the semi ofiC a
statements Of tho Rock Island gus, and
wish to review tie past and present condi
ton Of this,ff.r, in order to profit for Il e
fGtu5e.
our comments on tue contract arc yer
tnent aid true. 1t Is q plvte sure ndsr
Of the enure subscription to q single md.
vid1al, who Will have the poyer. ard whose
interest i! viii bs 10 delay construction to
The latest possible moment, and, il ever
built through 10 do the least ro's,ble bus
mesa, and earn the least revenu,, III the
1
the Cable ling tie entire franchise and
property for The iron and squ ptneut, W tn
power 10 sell to any party whose interest
II may b, 10 cls5s the rosi forever as a
through route.
The transfer i, nov msie 10 party who
can give no assurance of any through ar
rangement Tor business anywhere MT be
| ing u part Of any llne built, or sure 10 be
| built.
| Ii is made in defiance OF the W SHE'S Or the
great rnsjoEiiy Of The people at the wes.e n
terminals, clearly expressed by voting
down, almost unanimously, proposition
10 issue bonds by the Camden route, aud
then voting by large majority for tie
route ria Molne. Il IS made against the |
wishes, the ln'eres. ard of.repeated pros
test of the peope of Davenport. on whose
patronage it mu largely depend FOR sup>
port.
! Without SAVING . dollar 10 cost, or An
inch in distance, by such location it ig-
no,es tho important aud RAPIDLY growing |
manufacturing CITY o. Moline. aud eli
hance fer n share III its great and remunsr-
ating traffic.
1t takes the subscription voted by the
towns on the line, and the city and county
| Of Peorla-the latter Of which we're un.
| dsnUtedly given with the expectation of
| seeming business-and against the interest
| Of three o! the cites on whose growth
| and trade the road dspcrds Tor success
uses the company tn perpe' ate an odious
| aud burdeusorne Il oaopoly On one Of the
prime necessities OF life, ard an irdispensa
| bic element 10 the maintenance and exten-
| sion Of manufactures III Ro>k Island and
Davenport in tact strikes down at one
| blow, one Of the chief o,.ves on cur part,
| for aiding IN any way the success ot the
| line.
| All these sacrifices afe made without the |
| slightest necessity th.rctcr, or any reasons
| which will bear ,nemeuts sinvestication-
| those put forth IN the -ifgus being mere
Shams ana ials.ties to cover the uuc' nd |
tional backing down Of tile Preside L from
ali his public ard private edses.
| We all remember his definitions sup
ported by two OF the Peoria Directors
that he would never spend dollar, till he |
ksew he had secured means to prepare the |
road throughout xior the iron, nor even
! then. until he knew where and how to in>
sure the ironing and equipment that he |
would have whole line o. none, that lie
would not negotiate with Mr.. Cable, until |
| be was in a position to build the road |
| without him that he would have nothing |
to do with tho Csai Valley road, unless by |
unconditional ownership, giving them full |
control, the same as Of any other mile Of |
the road And TO me, as en- individual |
after repeating these assurances he SAID,
| "nness Mr.. Cable made to the company |
unconditional propositions before the votes
were all taken he would not entertain ,hem |
| al all.
| | consided in his promisss then believ> |
| ing him honest, knowing him to bo an en-
trgotic and Industrious worker, and sup |
posing he wss engaged for the benefit of |
| Peoria and the whole line, and consequent |
| " for NJ, and so gave tho enterprise my |
best efforts here and elsewhere, thinking |
| the work was under the charge CT q man |
who would mot listen 10 the voice Of the |
| chRrmer, however cdnningly moduNted !; |
or prostitute the presidency OF the compsn |
to the mere advocacy Of single interest |
| using all his influence TO make such d.ays |
| and naueurate suci measures woul |
create seeming necessity 10 change his !
| base, f,r from the time Of the Peoria meet |
| ing in Nav or June last, he has been as I'M
| firing in his efforts to ba nls his own hoard !
a majority of whom Claim to have favor
ed ;hc Moline rsuis, and the proposition o.
| the Eastern party, as the best ior tho com
pany and compel an alliance with Mr. Cable,
AS f the latter had gwen him hal I his read
an sstravagance, however. OF which | would
not accuse that gentleman whose ability,
energy and persistence in securing his
en6s, commands my ada iration, and in
cresses my regrets that they are used
against instead Of for the people, compell
ing me % oppose a scheme which sacrifices
all We have long worked for, ard which ne
cesitates new combinations in order to
secure our ends, for We must not for mo-
ruent relax our purpose, OF be disnssrtsned
by a single betryal.
have no idea tha; the people Of Peoria,
or even any Of their directors. really favor
ed the Cab'e proposition. but they must
be accountable for their acts while tbey
hold five cut Of nine directors-M Moline and
Rock Island none, ard Davcnportbut one
who, from first to last, has protested
against the proposed slaughter o. our ins
te.ssts and the utter sacrifice Of our money,
if pad. Many questions have been asked
ne about suqscription. which will answer
tomorrow. not wshin. to protrecs thi,
l,rg article, maie necessary 10y the mseni
,udc Of tho lnterests involved
| say unhe sitsiinely it is better for US to
havofo road at all thAn the ghost OF q
chance on the plan Ir,pcsed. Better to
blds our time, and endure as We have done
than to have = rcd which will do US little
g cd and lessen cur prospects Of . bet
ter.
Three, ifnot five, corporations have new,
or soon will have, an interest in reaching
this point from the East, and oil the COM
panies | know, except the Peoria ( Rock
Island Railroad, seek to build where they
vii! secure the greatest traffic At the least
expense. and are anxious to conciliate the
favor of the people whose support, where
competition sxs,p, is their main strength.
Thore are many quest ons yet 10 he met
sni solved .fo1e this Peoria line 10 built
to Coal Val ey. only. The people Of Peoria
will want to look closer before their money
is taken for ,arght, or their interest trans
ferred to a man who fought it till the sue
cess without him was made sure lin his
eyes, At l,ast).
The people Of the various townships, who
il appears from the statement Of Director
Gould, have already asked some trouble
| 10 b..~ tkn - t,,