Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-06-29

MINERAL PoISr, WIS, June 81, 1871.
II the Pcoplc of Iona Gcunyi

The proposition laid before you en- the
3lst of March last, asking for local AID
TO extend the Mineral Point Railroad
north through Iowa County, and to To-
nah to connect with the Western Wis>
consin X. f., has been so much mlsrep.
resented that, perhaps, 1t Will be well to
rG1ew it and look at some other matters
in connection with the County ndebted>
ness
At the time the arrangement was made
with the officers and directors OF the
Mineral Point Railroad to extend its iue
north, the matter Of obtaining local aid
for that purpose was fully canyassed,
and it was thought that the people OF
Iowa County were not able to give the
amount of local aid needed to extend the
road through tho County, and pay the
present County Indebtedness. 1t was,
therefore, thought best to solicit that and
from the towns, and give to them IN ex-
change dollar for dollar Of the old bond
| ed Indebtedness | was OF the opinion
in making that propositions that no one
could say it was wrong, or that 1t was
meant as a catch, or designed to create
new Indebtedness, or tor any other
purpose than to aid in constructing the
road and thus, while helping public
enterprise, wipe out so much OF the Old
debt and secure Trunk Line of road
through the County for the benefit OF all
/ You will see by reading the law OF
our State, under which action was to be
taken, that the Mineral Point T. r. Co
| g., hn III MI
and proposed to place that stock, togeth-
err with like amount OF the old debt In
the hands Of u custodian, and that so
fast as the aid was paid, to purchase that
stock by giving the same amount IN dol
lars of the old debt The acceptance Of
the proposition, and the giving Of the
necessary aid, would in no way interfere
with the litigation in the Courts.
The proposition made by VIM, L. Hen
ry was. that should first settle with the
County for the $500 900 of County in
debtedness for $50, 900 or Fifty cents on
the dollar, and take IL new issue Of Iowa
County bonds for that amonnti and that
they would then go to work and have
the towns give their bonds as bonus or
aid for $iaOO00 thus making the $500
900. 70 this proposition simply repli-
| ed that could not do 30, and 1T was an
outrageous proposition; and as yet | can
see it in no oSher light
| The Indebtedness Of the County was
arranged for the purpose OF being used
| as 80 much cash to aid in the con-
struction Of the road, for which to take
! fifty cents on the dollar ana run the risk
of the towns or County giving me a
bonus OF $4,000, was, thought very
unreasonable; in any event, had to
make the owners of the old Indebtedness
good. dollar for dollar. was quite will
! inc to give up the 100000 OF the old in
debteduess, which | could get for the
same amount Of dollars to use in cons
structing the road and 1t would have been
and would now be quite lmmater nj
whether 1t was called giving up the old
! indebtedness at fifty cents on the dollar,
or called paying that sum for the indeht-
! edness. My object WAS to benefit the
public in two Ways. One was by build
| ing a most important road through the
| County, and the other was to enable the
people to help by reasonable contribu,
ton, such as they could well aliogd, and
at the same time free themselves from
! litigation and the disagreeable apprehen
| sions arising from long standing claims
against them, II ! am destined to fail
the fault shall not be mine, and in case
of failure. ask my fellow citizens to
take the will for the deed
! After making the proposition of March
! 3lst, it became necessary to satisfy he
people Of the towns that they could
hold, rs towns, the proportion OF the
/ County indebtedness that they might
! take as a final payment OF their part OF
the County debt. For that purpose, |
wrote to some prominent and we'll known
gentlemen for their opinion in regard to
the matter, and without hope Of fee or
reward they kindly furnished me with
! the several articles which have been
laid before you, Through the papers of
/ our County,
AS it has been charged that | had
\ bought up the press, etc, les me say, IT.
! all candor, and in Justice to the editors
OF our several papers, that | did not ap,
proach either of them with any oiier TO
buy them up; but simply said to them
1 that should need the use OF their columns
Tor the purpose of placing certain mnt~
ters before the people, and would pay
for it They published the articles and
have received their pay; and they are
entitled to your foil confidence, support
and patronage, as much rs thouLh they
had never published an article for me-.
Much has been said about the mus
sice of the old debt, and such words as
d" Fraud Rasca ity," Swinlle,' and
many other pc; names, are freely used to
sour the minds Of the people also charg,
ing the blame for difficulties where it
does not belong. 1t is well to look at