The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-22
THE ROCKFORD ROAD.
A NEW COMPANY ORGANIZED.
MYSTERIOUS DOCUMENT
SIGNED AND BURIED IN THE
ATTORNEYS SAFE.
Secrecy Enjoined Upon all Present.

There was mysterious cir about the
movements of the managers of the Rock
ford road and the friends of MIR, Oster-
berg Immediately on his arrival in the
city yesterday The result of these move
ments was the organization of new COM
pany for the purpose of extending the road
or building new line to Rockford or some
point north. An ARGUS reporter succeed
ing in chasing the articles of Incorporation
into Harson's private house, where they
were left last night, only to ascertain
that the capital stock of the company shall
be three millions, named the St. Louis
Rock Island & Chicago r. r. Co., to be
built from East st. Louis to Rockford,
and that the incorporators are III. Oster-
berg, George Skinner. Walter Trumbull,
Il. D. Sweeney, w. G. Brewster, of Daven-
port, C.. HI. Deere and J. NJ. Gould, of
Moline. These same were also named a
board of directors.
1t was a matter of surprise to the report
er that Capt Robinson's named did not
appear and to ascertain the reason he call
ed upon that gentleman at his bank but
could not obtain any information. He
next called upon the Hon. John B. Haw-
ley with like results. Visiting the office Of
the Rockford road, all that could be
| learned was that the articles of in.
corporation could be seen at the re-
corder's Office. While in the Rockford
Office the reporter was convinced
that there was business transacted al
the meeting yesterday other than the
adoption of the articles of incorporation
above mentioned, but could not learn the
nature of it, except that private paper
had been drawn up and signed by all The
incorporators and deposited with Mr.
Trumbull for safe keeping. and only to bt
used 0hen emergency demands. Mr.
Osterberg and Mr.. Trumbull both assur
ed the reporter that no public paper hat
been executed.
With this assurance he next visited Mr.
Hawley. and asked him if he was at libert!
to tell the contents of the private pape
signed by the incorporators of the new
Rockford company.
Mr. Hawley-I had nothing to do Will
drawing up the paper.
Reporter-Did you sign it?
Mr.. Hawley-No sir.
Reporter-We ere you not asked to sig
it?
At this Mr.. Hawley smiled and locke,
just as he would not answer.
Reporter-Then there was such paper
and you read it?
At this Mr.. Hawley "smole a peculia
smile" aud shut up like clam-tight.
The reporter visited Capt. Robinson an
was fatty told that he would not answe
any questions; that he had refused to sig
the paper at the meeting and that, as the
had enjoined secresy, he didn't pre-
d pose to falkland he didn't and wouldn'
0 Now, just what kind of an enc
gency paper that was is be-
t known to those who did sign it an
t to those who refused and won't lei
s The nature of this document and the r
t fusal Of these we'll known friends of NJ
t Osterbcrg aud his road to sign it will for
!, an interesting chapter in railroad manae
Il meut.
THE ARGUS will venture the opinit
that some of the signers of that docume
Y do not know the nature of it or they wou
d never have placed their names to it,
q else there is no occasion for secresy.