The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-07-05
Ottawa's Opportunity.

Edft0rs Of Free Trdder:-It seems to be
the order of the day that Ottawa shall be
written up, or over, or down, as the state of
mind of the writer dictates in giving his
opinion Of the wants and prosperity of the
place. Not wishing to prescribe any particu-
lar course OF action on the part of the people
Of Ottawa, it is yet hardly to be expected that
manufacturing interests will be developed
here if we all ask a few wealthy persons TO
advance the whole amount ofthc money need,
ed to secure these much wished for interests
There is not a citizen who owns five hun
drcd dollars worth of real estate but has di-
rect interest in accomplishing this great end
Does any one doubt, if we were allowed to
vote bonds to the amount of one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars, in aid of the steel
works now SO much talked of, that such a
proposition would not be carried?
We voted that amount to the Fox r. r. r.
by large majority, and were swindlcd out
of every dollar. We also voted sixty thou
sand dollars to build dam by a mill site,
but in return we have but one mill by "dam
site' yet with all this apparent folly in the
use OF the peoples money, Ottawa pays al
smaller tax than any town Of its size in the
west today. The writer of this article has
been over the west somewhat during the past
twelve months and has interested himself
very much in finding out the amount of in
debtcdness of many towns in Illinois and
Missouri, and from personal knowledge
knows this statement to be true.
1t does seem that the proposition by east
crn parties to erect steel works at this place
ought to be accepted not by three or five par
ties being asked to furnish the whole amount
but by every individual owner Of real estate
in the town giving something in proportion
to the amount Of taxes he would pay were
bonds voted to the amount asked for. 4 dO2
en- or more towns can be found in the west
with much less actual capital than We have
here in Ottawa that would not allow such an
offer to remain open ten days
Let this offer be made to the little towns
of Sterling or Dixon, neither of them over
udl ~ as 'NNtINt a. NllNl INNt llD OAbN
that every dollar of the money asked for
would be raised within thirty days \ city
that has suffered such Il loss as Dixon in her
bridge calamity, and within thirty days raised
the money to build free bridge in the place
of one that collected toll, and cost over eighty
thousand dollars, is not the town to allow
such an offer to pass unacCcptcd as the peo
pie of Ottawa now have under consideration
The next five years will determine the tut
ure prosperity in a measure of many towns
in the west, SO far rs manufacturing interests
are concerned, and the towns that first secure
capital invested in such enterprises will pre-
sent additional attractions to other capitalists
wishing to invest in like interests
If we do nothing at this time in this dircc-
ton we will become the laughing stock of
towns. 1t does seem as though
there is not property holder in Ottawa how
ever small who cannot well afford to give
$2j, $50 or 800 in cash to secure these steel
works and make fund 10 purchase the
grounds, if necessary, or, if need be, take the
amount in stock.
1t is not advisable to rush into this matter
with undue haste, but first investigate thc
matter and, il all reports are favorable, every
man in town ought To feel sufficient interest
To do something.
Let such an establishment as this we are
now talking of become Il fixed fact al this
place, and it becomes nucleus around which
many others of different kind will soon
concentrate, for with our railroad and canal
transportation, Ottawa offers superior induce
mentS as a manufacturing town.
If the opportunity presented and others
that in all human probability will soon beI
offered are accepted and used to the best adj
vantage, Ottawa can just as well have pop
ulation 10000 by the year 1880 as 10 be and
remain an old fogy, dried up place Real cs-
tate can be be doubled i'm value within three
b earS, and more money can be made in its
advance, with proper care than by loaning
money at 10 or even 20 per cent.
What Ottawa wants is more liberal poll
cy on the part of those who have the capital
inst such enterprises as this one need cncour.
agement by those who have money io loan
just 50 sure - she sun rises in the east and
sets in the west, if Ottawa is ever To- Doe a
manufacturing town, he result must bc .c.