The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-01-16
FREE BRIDGES! FREE SCHOOLS
The Fox River Bridge Declared
Free! Free! Free!
THE ILLINOIS RIVER BRIDGE SOON
TO FOLLOW.

the Fox River Bridge Company is in fair way
to bring forth its intended fruit, and we suspect
good deal more. The idea of the company we
imagine. was, that enough persons interested in
the bridge could be induced, by making the
bridge on that condition free to them, to buy
fifty dollar shares.of the stock, to place major
ity of the stock into tho hands of these small
shareholders, who could then get together and
vote the bridge free and turn it over to the city
It rssulted, however, that enough purchasers of
the stock failed to present themselves. Then
the company attempted to force the thing by
largely increasing the tolls to the non-stockhsd-
ers. The effect was still disappointing. The
towns of Rutland, Manlius and Mission, instead
OF coming down gracefully, became indignant at
what they viewed as an imposition, and declared
they wouldn't cross the bridge at all, but instead
OF hauling their grain and pork to, and buying
their goods at Ottawa, they would go to Mar
settles and other points; and they forthwith pro-
decided to do 10. Of course this would never do
Every business man in Ottawa began to feel the
| effect; and some other plan must be adopted to
| give us free bridge across Fox River A few
prominent citizens took the matter in hand
John Stout and ANDREW Lynch, we believe,
leading of-and at their suggestion a sort of
informal meeting Of the city council and num-
| Der of leading citizens met at the council loom
on Thursday evening (7th) to talk the matter over
The conversation took wide range. Not only
was the subject of bridges "talked up" but the
GA fua iul c;t 6 A.
city were overhauled 1t was disclosed that the
city was about at the end of its tether in the
way Of raising revenue to defray the ordinary
| expenses of the city government and to meet the
accruing interest and principal on obligations al.
ready assumed. 1t was also disclosed that the
revenues authorized by law to maintain the pub.
lie schools were inadequate to that object, and
that, unless other provision was soon made, the
public schools must be closed at the end of the
present term, for year ard half at least, to
enable the board of education to meet its obliga-
TONS Then it was suggested that the public
square, in its present condition, was an eyesor,
and that a few thousand dollars ought to be ex-
pended upon it Immediately.
The result of the conversation was, the appoint
msnt of joint committee, consisting of Messrs
Colwell, Thomas and Moore, Of the city council !;
Messrs. Courtney, Clark and Rice, of the Board
OF Education, and Messrs. Reddick, Eames,
Lynch, Glover and Fiske, on the part of the citi-
zens, charged with the duty of taking the whole
question of free bridges, the public schools and
public square in hand, and report some practical
plan of procedure on the subject at another
meeting on Friday afternoon.
Prompt at the hour appointed ON Friday the
meeting re-assembled, and the committee we're
ready to report. The report was made verbally
by Mr. Reddick, and consisted of recommed-
alton to the city counsel to apply to the lsgisla-
ture for power to levy sufficient additional taxes
TO enable the city to purchase the Fox Riyer
Bridge (which the city has right to do at an ap-
praisement) to purchase one.half of the Illinois
river bridge, the other half to be purchased by
the towns interested in the BRIDGE the there
after to be fixed at so low rate as only to pay
the interest on the purchase money to purchase
tho gravel road leading south from South Otta.
va; and to improve the public square. Mr.. R.
advocated the propositions Of the report in some
pertinent remarks.
Mr.. Lynch was averse to purchasing the Fox
River bridge. He thought the stockholders ought
to surrender it to the city. He held $500 stock,
which was onc-twentieth Of the stock, and he
would give it cheerfully. If the rest refused
to do 90, no was in favor of building q new
bridge, and tax the stockholders equally with
the rest of the community to pay for it.
The question arose whether and for how much
the stockholders on the Illinois and Fox River
bridges were willing to sell, and committee,
consisting Of Messrs. Reddick, Fiske and Lynch
was appointed to get information on that point,
| to report at an adjourned meeting on Monday
evening W ItHH
Monday the meeting assembled at tho Council
room at 3 o'clock r. NJ. The report Of the com.
mittse submitted on Friday was adopted. The
committee to confer with the stockholders of the
bridge companies reported substantially, that no
general meeting Of the stockholders of either Of
the bridge companies had been held, but that, in
comforting with stockholders individually they
found general readiness among the smaller
stockholders Of beth bridges to donate their stock
to the city, while the large stockholders were IN.
willing to do 10. q
This ended the proceedings Of oitiseas meet
ings, or mixed meetinys Of sieiasns, city coun.
oil and board Of education. All vas new In rod.