Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-12-17
Mr.. It. loot has an interview
with the President of the
Mineral Point r. r.


the railroad judgement, for the past twen-
ty-four hours and eight minutes, Detroit
time and the tax being due and collecta-
BILE instanter, or, at least, before the inter-
est for the next twenty-four hours would
accumulate, l, for one, felt disposed to pay
my portion of the tax at once, so as to
have my property clear and unncumbered
for the next levy. So set to work at
once and made oGt the following schedule
of my taxable property, and, taking it un-
der my arm, started for Detroit, across the
country afoot, so as to be sure to get there
by the time the tax was due; and not to
be delayed by an attempt to reach there
by railroad.
1t having become practice to swear to
every thing YOU may have to say to the
County Board, |, of course, verified my
schedule; but, as the affidavit covers thr-
ty-six quires of paper, it is here omitted:
SCHEDULE.
/. One ten thousand dollar railroad bond,
valued at two and one half cents per pound.
2. Two shares in the railroad, including
the dividends from the Judgment against
the County. Estimated.
3. One undivided interest in five acres
of real estate between Dodgeville and the
Wisconsin river, where it IS supposed a
depot will be built when the Railroad is
extended.
4. One proms DRY note for $4,000, due
when | convince the people of Iowa county,
that they ought to pay the railroad tax.
| reached Detroit at /. ID in the evening !;
thu train came in at 5ll in the morning.
proceeded at once to the office of the
President, as the time for the payment of
the tax, and that of making a new levy,
was only seventeen minutes; and found
the President sitting in front of the regu-
lator with his eyes fixed interestedly on
the minute index; his feet were elevated
but trihe higher than his head, and rest
ed on pile of account books, the topmost
of which, was entitled "2nd Mortgage
Bonds Issued First;" while his coat tail
had stealthiy crept through the back of
his chair, and was manipulating the dust
on the floor.
| was on the point of addressing the
President, when | was confronted by a
man, whom took to be an undertaken,
who commenced pushing me backward in
the direction of the door, and asking me
vigorously what my business was. | told
him | wished to pass but ne, without
waiting to hear me finish the sentence.
yelled out to the President, IA man wants
a Pass" Well pass him out of doors, !"
responded the President. The undertaken
was on the point of obeying the order,
when commenced demonstrating in ear
nest, and told him had travelled great
way and wished to pay MY. As the
word pay escaped my lips, the President
roared out, "let him come in"
l walked up to where the President sat !;
and as approached, he reluctantly cast
his eyes down from the clock, and says:
" Sir, what do you wish to pay ?" Il wish
to pay my portion of the railroad tax in
Iowa county,. Oh! oh yes, yes, in
deed, indeed" says the President John,
come here" john, was the name of that
Internal undertaken who undertook to put
me out of doors. Why, john" conlin-
ued the President, |" is this the gentleman
you said wanted "a Pass p Yes says
John. "Why, John, such breach of
professional propriety as you have been
guilty of this moment, can never I've to'er-
ated by me. You are therefore dismissed
from my service at once, and never more
be officer of NINE" The President at
tended door afterward himself, in person !;
and his usual question was, on the pre-
sentation of visitor, Are you from
Iowa county ?'' If the visitor answered,
yes, he was cordially taken IN; but, if no,
the questions ceased.
!" We'll, am really glad to see you,"
says the President. begin to think the
people in Iowa county will all come up
and pay that tax promptly" YES, re-
sponded, think they will. My friend Mr..
Strong and | have had some struggles
with them, but we have pretty generally
got them subdued by affidavits The last
meeting we held there was great enthu-
siasm; and so Jealous We're some to pay
the tax, that they sold the furniture from
their sideboards to raise money, when they
had not pcnny's worth of property to
pay tax on. And poor, old, enthusiastic
widow woman sold her only COW to get
money to pay tax on hog. the only prop,
erty she had that was taxable. And old
Ebenczer Stubbles, who owned farm in
Iowa and Grant counties, sold the portion
in Iowa county, and gave mortgage on
the pc, ton in Grant county, to raise
money to pay the railroad tax on the iowa
county portion! | tell you, Mr.. Presi
dent, we are doing good thing for you
out there"
The President became so enthusiastic at
this bit of encouragement, that he broke
out into an uproarious fit Of laughter, and
| | think never witnessed man laugh sc
before. lie laughed till 1t ran down al
over his face and clothes and stood ir
great puddles on the floor. and the pud
dies laughed till they rolled all over The
floor; and, in fact, laughed a little my
SELF but not such a quantity as th'
President did.
When he became calm again, made &
suggestion to him which pleased him very
much; which was, that as the southern
portion of Richland county, and the east
ern portion of Grant county, were very
anxious to vote tax for railroads, We
would apply to the Legislature the present
winter to have those portions of the two
counties annexed to Iowa county, so they
could have an opportunity Of paying bonds
and save them deal Of expense in hold
ing elections for that purpose. The Presi
dent then proposed to me, coniidentialy
that if | would succeed in getting the Leg
islature to annex as aforesaid, he would
agree to pay me $4,000; which PROPOSE
ton I accepted, on the condition that
could accomplish it hOnorably; that is
without spending any part of the $4,000
otherwise, he would have to multiply it by
all the SnikeS in the railroad and tha