The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-02-11

sssaws. H.. Saturday. February II, 1871.
Water Power Meeting.
In compliance With the directions Of the City
Council of the city Of Ottawa, . meeting Of the
citizens of said city is called to meet at the Court
House, On Saturday, Feb. II, 1871. at o'clock
Pm. to eonsder the resolutions in regard 70 tho
bonds issued in aid Of the Improvement OF the
water power now pending before the council.
D. 2. JONES, Mayor.
The resolutions above referred to were offer
ed by Alderman Lynch, at meeting Of the
council in the forepart of December, and are
rs follows:
Whereas on the Goth day of July 1859, the
citizens of Ottawa did. by vote, authorize the
Mayor to issue bouds of the city to the amount of
$60.000 to be paid to the party who should
agree to accomplish fully the Improvement Of the
water power at Ottawa;
And rhereas, w. H. W. Cushman, for and in
consideration OF the said 100000, did, ON the I'd
day Of August 1869, covensnt and agree with
tho city of Ottawa to improve the said water
power without unreasonable or unnecessary
delay;
Asd xsere1s, nearly seventeen months have
elapsed since the city 90 contracted With w. H.
W. Cushman, and yet work on the improvement
has net been commenced, although circumstances
in the interim have been most favorable to the
execution of the work;
And sohereas, the bes. interests of the city re-
quire that the Improvement BE- made as soon 40
posslbls, and other responsible parties stand
ready to undertake tho work, and agree to COM
plete the same during the year 1871, in case the
city will place the $50, 600 bonds in their hands;
Rcsolced, that committee of three be appoint
Cd, whe shall wait upon Mr.. Cushman and re.
quest that he assign and transfer the bonds of
the city for $4,000 In his hands to q person to
be designated by the committee, said bonds to be
held by such party designated until he shall, by
order Of the council be directed to pay them
over to tho party or parties with whom the city
may contract for the improvement Of the water
power at Ottawa.
. The Mayor was authorized to call this meet.
ing six weeks or more ago, but letter from
Mr.. Cushman, published about that time, in
Dictated desire on his part to he present at
the meeting, on which account it was deferred
until his arrival. Since then, it has been
daily rumored about town that Mr. Cushman
and the ccrporstors of the Ottawa Manufac-
turing Company, under whose charter he pro-
posed to make the water power improvement,
were having consultation with a view to
transferring the enterprise frsm Mr.. Cushman
individually to the company, and 1t is under
stood that such an arrangement has been effec-
ted, and that the company, of which Mr..
Cushmsn remains member, are fully determ-
ined to 60 on with the work as soon as the
season will admit of it. Yet while such il
probably the fact, the City Council of the city
Of Ottawa, with whom Mr.. Cushman entered
into solemn contract on this subject a wear
and half ago. contract which remains un.
fulfilled and is, by it's terms, if not forfeited,
at least forfeitable, think that, in
the transfer Of that contract by Mr.. Cushman,
and the bonds Of the city which it involves to
the amount of at least 100000, said council
have right to be consulted. Not having
been consulted in the matter, however, but
their very existence ignored, and no informa-
ton having been vouchsafed even to the pub
lie in reference to matter in winch our whole
people take so profound an interest, we pre-
sumo the council see no reason why thev
should not insist on the call Of the proposed
meeting, and, after getting the sense of the
meeting on the proposed resolutions, to pro.
coed to act ON them. That course, at least,
would be likely to bring to the knowledge of
the council, and through them to the public,
the nature of the arrangement" effected be. |
tween Mr.. Cushman and the corporators Of
the Ottawa Manufacturing Company, and !
what action is expected ofthe council in view |
OF that arrangement" for it is hardly sup.
possible that the arrangement" whatever it
may be- can be carried into effect without |
some action of the City Council on the subject
becoming necessary.
Appalling Railroad Disaater.