The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-04-09


Lancaster presented the petition OF c. +.
Phelps asking permission to cover 30 feet
of the railroad strip abuttlng
Sixth street, with a photographers tent
Petition referred to Committee on Streets
with authority to grantprayer OF petltlonand
the rate of ground rent,--On motion OF
Alderman Yocum the Clerk was directed
to incorporate the Mayors veto message in
the minutes of the proceedings of the coun-
Gil and furnish them to the printer for pub
LEGATION. Alderman Wright presented a
petition of Dan Hartman, representing
that the sidewalk at the cor
ner Of Sixth street and Com
mercial was in bad condition, and offering
to reconstruct the same at his own cx-
pense ii the city would furnish the lumber.
On Alderman Woods motion the petition
was referred TO the Committee on Streets
and then the council adjourned.
The manner in which American cities
have been burdencd with debts for all sort
of schemes Is well illustrated by discus,
sion that is now going on at Minneapolis,
Mimi A resent issue of the Tribune of
that city contains an elaborate, and withal
ingenious attempt to demonstrate that a
proposed municipal loan Of $2j0000 for
the aid of narrow gauge railroad will not
increase the taxes OF the town in the
slightest degree, nasmuch as the increase
in the amount and value of taxable prop
erty consequent upon the magical influence
of the road when in operation will more
than couatcrbalance the apparent increase
of taxes. We have painful reminder in
this paragraph, of the spccious reasoning
and exhibits in which we honestly and con.
scicntiously INDUCED, less than dozen
years ago. We believed and ciphercd il
out to our entire satisfaction, that Cairo and
Alexander county could invest 100000
in the c. & V. and c. & St. l.. railroads,
and then, without any pcrccptiblc increase
in the rate of taxation, provide for the pay
ment OF the interest and, under the opera
ton Of the so-calcd "ralroad grab-law,
create a sinking fund that would take care
of the principal. Under this dclusion VIC
| ovuur,ol ,b, annru,,,,c hur,lnn ou1 ,rn Oh.
tanned the convicted railroads. Years have
elapsed since then; but where are the ma
chine shops, toundnes, repair shops, and
the many other industrial establishments
which the railroad companies would erect
and maintain Where are the hundreds of
families that these industries were to bring
to our midstl Where is the 100 per cent
of population that was to be added to town
and country within five yearc after the toot
OF the whistle Of the first through train was
heard resembling through the hills and
valics of Alexander county, Where is
the doubled and quairupled wealth of our
people; and the amazing increase Of bust.
ness these notwithstanding to our
| predichons-we sure to bring
usi And where, OH where
is the "so-callcd railroad grab-la T.
In the value Of our property We realized nc
increase; the shops and busy mechanics are
not here; the increase Of population in
town and country, failed 10 come; the grab
law has been wiped from our statutes as
unconstitutional; our taxes have been in
creased from 81 on the 800 to s., and We
are groaining under the weight Of debt,
that We are seeking to lessen, lest we fall
We have the roads; and, probably quite
all that the companies contracting
them promised to us; but
recalling the past, We are lost IN amazcment
that sensible, rational men could have hon
cstly INDUCED in such golden dreams as
those to which we may charge the great
bulk of our present Indebtedness, Mime.
apolis is indulging in like rosy visions, and
is destined to like sad awakening In
advance We extend to her our hcartest
sympathies,