The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-05-15
The Water Power improvement.

The Water Power Improvement. X
For the present, at least the apprehensions
we expressed last week that the public inter
est in the water power question might be
suffered to languish, may be dismissed, in
spite Of a soporifc attempted to be admin
istered by local contemporary, who charac.
terises any proposition tor the city to vote
money or bonds in aio Of the work as ICON
fidence game" declares that the people of
Ottawa, as collective community, have noth-
ing more to do with rhls matter than they
have with various elevators or mills or ma
chine shops in the city;" and who advises
that, instead of voting material aid to per.
sons undertaking this work, our people shall
"help them By kind words and friendly
offices, but gire them nothing" We have no
time to waste in fighting wind like this. If
this water power is a matter Of so much inn
.portance to our city, and we are losing mil
lions Of money and thousands of population
by allowing it to sleep, our people are insane
if they are not willing to vote comparative
ly small sum Of money to bring it into active
being.
Happily the people are more awake ON the
subject than ever. 1t Is the common talk in
every office and shop, and on every street cor
ner. The pressure has walked up the city
council, who have passed resolution to stir
up the water power commissioners to action,
and appointed committee to confer with
them and the various companies on the
subject.
We also note with pleasure q couple of
very ably written communications in the last
Ottawa Republican on this subject. The
writers not only evince ability and intelli.
gence. bat have struck the right chord to ex-l
cite our people and men of means to action.
We are thus warranted in, saying that the
conviction Of this community is thorough and
profound, that on the Improvement Of this
water power depends not only the future
growth, but substantial existence of our city,
for a city cannot live without support, and
the Improvement OF our water power is the
only source to which Ottawa can confidently
look for support to insure its future growth
and prosperity Therefore the serious aues
ton before lis is, shall We, now, when we still
have the means, use them to insure our future
greatness, or shall we, look on with listless,
lazy Indifference, hoping somebody else will
do something to help us, until we become 40
impoverished as to be unable to help our
selvess is there a citizen Of Ottawa who de-
sires its decays Is there one who would not,
shed tears OF regret over its sepulchreg If
there be such among us, they are very likely
OF that class who came ameng US poor, but
have amassed fortunes, and propose to spend
them elsewhere. There are instances where
the bloody handed robber has sat compla-
Gently on the body Of his victim and counted
the greenbacks for which he committed tho
murder. This is strong figure, and we use
1t only in the confidence that there are none
such among the citizens of Ottawa. Our last
hope lies in this improvement, and we will
so Tar Ar to agitate the subject effectively.
There are now two Incorporated companies
IN existence to undertake the work. Let the
people insist that one or the other, or both
combined, shall go forward If neither will
90 SO, then let us demand that they turn over
their franchises to the people of Ottawa
Should this demand be refused, then will the
people know who are the parties that are
working the ruin cf Dur city,. But in case
one, or both companies combined, determine
to prosecute the work Immediately, then let
Our citizens come forward literally and sub.
scribe the stock: and then, ii there are really
men among us who stand in the position OF
the "robber," we shall know them.
+. San hour or two before going to
press We received lengthy but important
communication on this water power question,
tor winch, we regret exceedingly we were un.
able to make room in the present issue. II
will appear in our next.
A Nut FOR GRANT, Gen. Geo. II. Thorn.
as, who rs q military officer and a man i