The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-05-13
Fishing for Bonuses. "Wtll Vel
walk Into MY Parl0r, Said the SPt
der 70 the Fly',..A Railroad Meeting
in Freedom County.

in Freedom County.
ALBERT LEA, Mimi, May !, 1875.
Editor Anti Monopolist:
P. I. Barnum's Great HippOdrome has been |
beaten at last, and Dan Rice laid in the shade |
Our citizens were highly entertained last even !
ing by set OF railroad sharpers who are en-
deavurng to have the township of Albert Lea
vote them bonus to aid in the construction |
Of the Minneapolis & st. Louis Railroad: 1t is
really amusing to see what cheeky fellows
they are. and what means they devise to in
duce eur leading men to aid them in their
plundering schemes. They puff our city--ten
us what rich country we have and how
they feel for our interests; and that aH we
need to make US wealthy is their road from
the Southern market.
This story has rung in our ears before =
when We were called on to mortgage our chill
dren's children's interests to the Southern
Minnesota Railroad for 80, 900, and 500 for
holds good whenever it is completed TO this
point. Now we are called upon to bond our
selves again for enough to p epare the road
bed through Freeuorn county, which amounts
to the little sum OF csc, 500.
The meeting was called to order by Brother
A. G. Wedge, Of Itasca Grange No sn, e laws
yer by profession, and at present County At
| torney, J who moved that E. G. Stacy be ap-
| pointed chairman, which was canied without
dissenting vote Poor Stacy !-h0w my
heart bled for him Is he went forward like
doomed man to the gallows; for it must be re-
membered he is Master Of Albert Lea Grange
No AGO. After stating the object of the meet
| ing. he introduced Mr.. w. w. Hungeriord,
civil engineer of the proposed road, who told
Us how dearly the Minneapolis people loved
us and how earnestly they wanted TO pay US
Chicago prices for our wheat to grind IN their
Washburn mills. He spoke about half an
hour, and seemed to be the perfect model OF
man.
Brother Stacy then introduced . Mr.. A. D.
Barnum, who proved to be the Mr.. herriman
Of the occasion He told ue what prosperous
people We were; and cited rs to our city e
prove the assertion. He read stattstio OF the
amount Of grain exported from this village and
merchandise sold in Albert Lea he toid q
what the Southern AinneootA RAilIeAd wers
charging MS to take our wheat 70 market, and
even proved (as he seemed TO think) that hi
| road Will reduce the tariff on wheat TO Chlcag,
cents per busbel He told Us how Ceda
Falls. Iowa, had aided railroads, and wha
Minneapolis had done for his road, and that
We had sold our children to the Southern Min
nesota Railroad TO the tune Of ~, 900, We ha1
not aslf bed for railroads in comparison viii
J what other Villages had done. He Close.
BY assuring the people thst
they would vote = bonus
our farmers would SION cut their farms up in
70 town lots md cell them It d 900 per acre
/ sfteS tae iafsvrst qftls 1scsk,, which q cou1s
means special election. Whether orr PEG
ple are willing to sell themselves again, Re
mains yet to Be seen, but from conversation
|, have had with several parties, i looks dcube
J full
5 CeftEnly they ought not to DO 90; isr O.
{ taxes foe The East -FOUR yem hase ban a
= cent on the valuation; and ksoo 81 - =
fssns o. ~ 4eigAboSAood thst are soe Pdsa
tered Ocey WITH AOytg1Ges.
+ Yours,
eI TAX PAYHR-