Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-03-13
STILL IL DOUBT.


ance with resolution presented by
Mr.. Rowe--puhli<hed III the TRIBUNE
some weeks ago-after being IN the
hands of the Committee on State a
fairs for a long time, was reported
back to the Assembly last Thursday.
with a recommendation that it be In
definitely postponed. hr. Rowe
and Mr.. Robinson opposed the report.
and urged the reference of the bill
to the Committee on Railroads, which
prevailed, and thus the matter at
present rests.
Mr. Rowe, in his speech against
indefinite postponement, said that
all the allegations of til" resolution
were true. and referred to the his.
tory of the road He said % years
ago the city of Mineral Point cast
900 more than their legal vote, and
thus imposed on The county heavy
railroad bond indebtedness winch had
weighed them down ever since, the
company having agreed to pay the
intere I on the. bonds and that they
ould hold the county harmless. bat
they had only paid interest for two
wears. Now the county had been
sued for these bonds. and judgment
obtained, and no taxes could BE- col
lectrd in the county, because the
people were opposed to paying taxes
for what they never had the value Of.
The city Of Mineral Point had paid
Sl26 900 in gold to aid this road for
which they received not so much as
4 railroad hide He also alleged that
the com pany had defrauded the state
Of license money due on rebate re-
ceived from the Illinois Central, for
which they offered 10 pay Si.500.
while it Was believed $4,000 was
due. He read from the Mineral
Point TRIBUNE and made statements
TO show that the road oppressed and
wronged the people IN regard to high
charges and lack of accommodations
for freight. He said the people of
Mineral Point would pay $4,000 TO
have this charter repealed and it made
his blood boil TO ser how it wronged
the people.
Mr.. Robinson made quite lengthy
and very effective speech in favor oi
the passage Of the bill. The follow
ing Is an neon lete synopsis OF his
remarks:
This resolution is for the purpose of inves;i-
gait ~ IN. y The affairs of II railroad company
WHO huid Il charter from the state. Now, sir,
ii they hold their powers and privileges from
The STATE, ii i, 10 the stale they are amenablc
for The manner i'll which they have performed
their duties under tina charter
This prcamhte Represent, that the said Min
cral Point Railroad, among Others Of HIS acts
has received Tor many years draw back on
all earnings, aud TIN ough business coming and
going ovcs 10 mites OF the ILLINOIS Central
Railroad, and that in the report OF its earnings
10 the Secretary OF State it has not reported
The samc, and that 10y so doing il has dci;aud
ed the state out of Il large amount Of money
that il ought TO have received Tor taxes on the
same that they (and according tn statements
ma ie before the committee who had ttil, mat
ter before them, it appears that that word
means one man, have done other thing, which
require that IN Investigation should be had
nto their affairs. Ii il alleged. and | have no
doubt oi the truth Of the charge, that they
have been III the habit oi charging unfeusun-
ably high rates for freight, that The road has
BY such charges end the unac2ommoda,ing
spirit OF its managers, been damage To the
interests OF he peope of that section Of the
county, and that the prosperity oi the county
has been seriously injured III consequence
thereof.
Now, Mr.. Speaker. if the charges in that
resolution are true, and The charter granted to
them has been abused, | think that il Is very
proper That the Legislature that gave these
powers. should institute inquiries a. To whcth-
er tn have been property exercised or not,
whether they have been used Tor the interests
of the public, or liz oppression and annoyance.
i Know that IT Is maintained that railroads are
not seeking he pueHC coed, but profit hat
they are only the means To the accomplish
ment o. a particular purpose, and that pur-
pose is tho enrichinG OF their owners. This is
the view of railroad men hut have the PEG
pie no rights Have the representatives ot
the people no power To investigate, to search
ont, whether these men (to whom they have
entrusted the privilege of being the common
carriers for whole community have not, in
the spirit Of pride ana avaricc, totally ignored
the rights OF every one but themselves There
is no doubt but they have, i'll very many in
stances done this. But there is one startling
fact that. While the Legislature of this State
has granted charters 10 many different com
panle>, l have yet Ia learn of one instance
where they have repealed, or even Investigated
into The affairs of one of them. Now, Sir,
what does this show bug, that once invested
with such privileges, they virtually have it
Their own way, and white the power that
made them i in full force and operation it is
hardly ever used To protect The people | sec
noihm. unreasonable in this resolution Ii
merely asks for an Investigation To see whcth-
or this company have done that which their
charter obu.ates Them 10 do. and il there !,
anything unreasonable or improper in this,
have been unable 10 see il.
lie gave facts II show how the
people were oppressed aud swindled
and earnestly urged the passage OF
the resolution. He said there were
Jndg meniS OF some $50 900 against
the county. and its citizcuS. which
they never could pay while the city
Of Mineral Point had paid SIPS. 600
In gold. aud 1t was hut a reasonable
demand that an Inquiry should he
made TO ascertain whether the road
had been used as means of opnres.
sion 10 q pponlp which had don, 90