The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-07-27

return or cancellation of the $275, 900 of the
bonds now in the custody of the First Nation
al Bank of Madison; but there are other de-
PENDANTS in the suit besides the firm above e
mentioned, and it has not been thought ad-
visable to ask an order for the return Of those
bonds before the final Judgment in the cause
2. The judgment which We expect to OBJ
tain will be for the return of the bonds and
the coupons, which w. Bro. 8. ought not
to retain, or, in default OF such return, foi
payment of their par value. w. Bro. & S.
will doubtless prefer to return the bonds.
8. As to the amount OF bonds which
ought in equity, to be retained, by w. Bro.
& S. in consideration of their expenditures,
or, rather, of the benefits which it may ap-
pear that the county has received. or will re-
ceive by reason of the expenditures, I have
given my views to the County Board in let
ters of Aug. %, 1877 and of Feb. Is, 1878,
addressed to l. W. Gates, Esq, their chair
man; and l have supposed that my views
were known to the citizens of Superior who
cared to know them. ls5,0O TO $4,000 is
the amount indicated to Mr.. Gates.-ED.
TINES.
f. As to the length and cost of the litiga-
tion: 1t is difficult to say just now long, or at
what cost. suit may be kept in court, where
one of the parties esteems a lawsuit luxury,
or hopes to tire out his adversary. have
not supposed that w. Bro. g. s. belonged to
that class of litigants.
| have always been in favor of fair set
tlement of the controversy IN which your
couHty is involved, and should be glad to
hear that Mess w. Bro. & s had offered
terms of settlement which your County Board
and your people were willing 20 accept, and
which the court would approve Of, as justified
by the proofs in the case, upon any reason
able or even liberal construction of them.
Very Respectfully
P.L. SPeoNER.
Although in the above Mr.. Spoon
er does not fully answer all our
questions, yet enough can be gath
cred from what he says to show
that the prospect is not as hopeful
for the county as our people gener-
ally believe. 1t will be seen, too,
that he strongly favorsa compro-
mise to take the controversy out of
the courts and bring it to an end;
in fact in this connection it may
be stated that he intimated, in con-
versing with Mr.. Relf, that he
scarcely expected to live long
enough to see the matte, settled in
the courts.
The subject has been discussed
considerably here of late. quite ear
nestly by many, and we believe
the weight of sentiment, as develop
ed thus far, favors far, honest
business-like settlement, one to
meet the views and satisfy the
interests of all parties. People ar
que in this wise: The $350,OOO of
bonds with interest aided up to
date now amonnt to over 100000,
nearly twice as much asthe assessed
valuation of the entire county and
everything in it, our county being
the second in the state in point of
debt, the wealthy and populous
county of Milwaukee being the first.
The fact that such a debt exists
against us is shown by tts records
here, at Madison, and published in
the Financial journals of the day,
and strangers or parties ccntem-
plating investments or the develop
ment of industries here do not stop
to enquire the origin Of the debt or
It's business; the mere fact that it ex-
lists Is sufficient, and they carry their
money and enterprise to some less
be-clouded section. Rival localities
about us delight in parading our f.
nancial condition to the world, and
in contrasting it with their own, to
our great disadvantage, in many
cases, no doubt. In fact we happen
to know of a recent instance where
an official high in the management
of leading railroad, who was post
ing himself as to points on the
axe, was advised repeatedly, with
an air of caution, that he chad better
not visit Superior; the county there
,an do nothing; she is head over
heels in debt; owes over half a mil
ion and can't raise tax enough to
'un her schools" and such like talk,
and the consequence was the official
lid not come to Superior as he had |
Intended.
Superior will no doubt some day
secure a railroad, and the first road |
hat we look for is the Wisconsin
Central, on its way from Ashland
o connect with the Northern Pa
,ific. That road cannot long re-
main without this connection, and
york may be commenced on it
ooner than many expect. Know
ng our present condition they
would hardly approach us for
lid of any kind, but would be in
,lined rather to avoid us altogether,
and seek the more difficult but more
lirect route south of Superior in
going to the junction. If we were
free of debt. or comparativelv so