The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-12-31
The Water Power Once More.

Mayor Jones, We understand, had decided
to call the citizens meeting in reference to the
Ottawa water power enterprise, as proposed
by the City Council, during the present week.
but changed his purpose on learning the con-
tents of the following letter from Col. Cush-
man From this letter it will be seem that
Col. c. expects to be at Ottawa about the lotn
prox. where. If the proposed meeting Is post
poned until that time. he will take occasion
to explain TO our people the causes winch
have compelled him to delay the prosecution
of our water power enterprise. Col. c. also
expresses. it will be Observed an entire will
iugness to turn over the whole enterprise to
the corporatsrS or to any persons the city may
designate:
NIDDLEBoRoUGH, MASS,
Dec oath, 1870.
Gentlemen Of tie Free Tader-Your paper of
Dec. 10 has this moment come to me here,
where am detained on account OF my health
from my business in Illinois. ! notice Mr..
Alderman Lynch's resolutions laid before the
City Council, and your remarks referring to
them | wish simply now to say, for myself,
that the resolutions are proper ones and such
as it is the duty-in my oplnion-ot the City
Council to consider, as presume they will,
and will act when they have such information
as they should have, and are entitled TO have.
before them, with Justice to all parties. Some
OF your remarks, although | find no fault with
them, | dissent from. You say, 1.-The
delay during the year 1870 was unnecessary
and unreasonable" / say, the circumstances
surrounding the enterprise and myself do not
authorize that charge. Now we will leave it
to the people to decide. | will, on this point
simply add. that cannot believe you were
conversant with all the facts surrounding this
enterprise; if you were, | feel sure you would
have been more careful as to the words used.
| shall return as soon as | am able-certainly
before the 10th of Jan. next. | will then
make full statement Of all the facts relating
TO this matter, and explain, as | understand
them, to the public interested, at meeting
called by the mayor, the reasons which have
caused the delay,-atter which | will conform
to the substance of Mr.. Lynch's resolution
and return the bonds to the Council from
whom received them But in doing so
shall expect to be reimbursed for the money
have expended for material and interest and
and Of course turn oyer the property on hand.
If there is any one in or a'cdy from the city
tween me and the corporators, and that they
have never refused to perfect the same,
should regret to hear of it, for can, truly
believe, satisfy every one that such an agree
ment was made, and that it has never been
perfected, and when the parties were request
ed by me to arrange the matter as was agreed,
1 understand they refused to do so, and pre-
sented an entirely different arrangement for
my consideration, prescribing terms, rules and
manner of constructing the work which
could not consistently, in my judgment, &C.
cept, for I believed then, as do now, that
the interests Of all interested would not be as
we'll served as they would be by my plan in
other words, cannot accept the plan propos.
ed as the one should recommend.
l will say, that while differ from those
who seek to throw all blame upon me, con-
slider their right to their opinions, and only
say that they should have so well considered
their views as to have never agreed to my re.
quest made to them; for upon such assur-
anees accepted the charge of the work.
Respectfully, your friend
w. II. w. CUsHMAN