The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-07-05
THE PROPOSED STEEL WORKS,
SAYS the OttGwa RepNbLican:

Says the Ottawa Republicans
1t is not creditablc to a city OF ten thou,
sand inhabitants and more wealth lNali any
other of ITS size in the state that any dilllcul,
ty whatever should be experienced IN get'ihg
q loan of Sl50000 for an enterprise Which
all acknowledge will add fifty per cent 10
both population and wealth inside OF hVe
wears. And yet we fear stigma IS 10 resi-
upon the good name of Ottawa, Tor IL no"
looks as if the steel works project must De
abandoned because that amount cannon oe
raised.
Cracking at best is very miserable OuSl'
ness, and it is infinitely worse when there Is
no lust occasion for it. On the contrary 10
what is said above, We are assured by gentle
men who have been quite active ana ell
cient in the matter of attempting to raise TINS
loan for the steel works, that the amount can
be raised artttol any difficulty if reliable anu
responsible assurance can be given to our peo
pie that they will get what they are paying
for 1t is a SANDER on Ottawa to say that her
people have been penurious ana pinchlhg
with their money when matters OF public IN
terest were presented In the way Of eXpcn-
diturc of money as matter OF public spirit
and liberality, we are ready to compare the
record of Ottawa with any city of her size
in the west. Some of her ventures may not
be protitabe-Some of them were not expect
ed to be-but they speak alike for her public
spirit and liberality.
There will be no difficulty in the way OF
the proposed steel works-so far as Ottaw'S
part in the business is oncerncd-itthe com
pany proposing to erect them is what we
hope it is But on that subject, before our
people pay their money, they must have posi-
tive information There is nothing to justify
a suspicion that the company is not all right,
but we must kH0ir that; and we now under
stand the next step-the question as to our
aJility to raise the money being scttled-will
be to get positive information on that point.
There is no occasion to be prccipitatc in
the matter 1t is very easy matter to get
half il dozen eastern men to come here and
spend $4,000 of our money in putting up
buildings, paying themselves big salaries
while doing so as superintendent, architects,
and the like The point our people are con-
cened in is, when the buildings are erected,
is the company such as will be ON hand with
their machinery stock, and 400 or 800 men
to 90 to work Thepcople ofRock Island, Il few
years, ago expended some $4,000 to erect
buildings for a watch factory. A couple of
adventures got a good years pay to boss the
job: but the company was fraud and the
remain unoccupied to this day.
When G. w. Meeker, j. d. Ward and the
other owners of the monster rolling mills in
Chicago offered to erect rolling mills at Joliet
or bonus Of 5000, the people of that city
Knew they had a concern worth millions of
lollars to deal with, and had no hestancy in
losing the arrangement. Ottawa will bel
quite as prompt to meet her part when she
ycts good bond. We are firmly of the
opinion that she will get such a bond, The
Mes Silicon Company is big concern, and
for aught we know, may be able to to buy upI
Mcekcr, Ward ~ Co. In short, having no
reason to doubt the entire good faith of the
and their ability and purpose to do
all they promise, we regard the prospects off
he steel works at Ottawa as very hopeful and
indeed