The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-10

j . e.
81 view wish James =. Parks.
4 The publication Of the charges agains
Mr.. II. A. Cramer. IL sTHE ARGUS o
i Saturday. as taken from the Des Moline
papers. has been the subject Of mucl
comment. and public opinion seems to b
pretty generally found that. SO far q
Messrs. Parks and Cramer are concerned
they are gniltless of wrong intent. bu
there is a feeling of belief in the crooked
ness of Fred Oonway-many openly charg
ing that heais the guilty party. In Satur
days ARGUS was published short letter
from Mr.. Cramer, aud in Sundays Union
Mr. Cramer has copy Of his letter &c
/ Aid. j. Williams of Des Moines. Iowa.
in which he sets forth very terseiy bis
entire connection with the matter and
denies in the most unequivocal terms. any
thing.of crooked nature. Below is
copy of his letter to Mr.. Williams:
OFFICE OF TIE CITY w4rHs WeHK ssso
T. T. williams ESQ Des Moines, Iowa:
/ DEAR SIR-I have been shown an
/ article in the Chicago Times saying that
had made two reports in regard TO esti-
mates of value of the water works of Des
/ Moines. As you are aware. | arrived at
| Des Moines at O'Clock A. NJ on April 81 !.
took rooms at the Kirkwood House and
retired. At o'clock [ was called up by
MIR. Van Cleaye. the superintendent for
the Water Company | asked him his
/ business. He stated that the proprietors
of the water works wanted to sec me
before any of the aldermen got hold of
me, [ told him my business was not with
the Water Company. but with the mem
bers of the City Council. He left me
very much disappointed. In the after
noon Of the same day, the same gentleman
called on me again, stating that Mr., Polk.
president OF the company, wanted to see
me very much. | told him that if Mr..
Polk wanted to see me, he could tell him
where to find me. In the evening, as Won
remember, you and several members OF
the council, called at tie hotel and
remained in conversation with me until
after 9 o'clock. During the time you
were at the hotel, you remember, Mr..
Van Cleave called again and remained
until after you left. He Informed me
that Mr.. HubbelI. MIR. Folks partner,
wanted to see me at their Office. | went
there with Mr.. Van Cleave. 1t is not
necessary to here give the conversation
that took place. Mr.. Hubbell begged for
a copy of the report that would make,
if L could do nothing else for them. told
him that would consider the matter, and
if [ should conclude to do so, [ would
send them a copy for their own use. This
was on the 2lst. On the 22d, on fmy way
TO your office to look at the water plat
for some points was then working on, I
~ nod hxy II Nil
the street corner, He wanted to know if
| could not give the Water Company "a
boom," as we were both in the water
works business, and we ought to feel
friendly toward one another. | told him
[ had the best of feeling toward the Water
Company, and said l was here on bust.
ness and that I should attend to that at
present. He begged me to come to the |
Office of the Water Co.. again, as Mr.. |
Polk wanted to see me, he being sick |
and not able to get out very well, Hav- |
ing met Mr.. Polk before. in Rock Island, |
[ agreed to make him call on my way
back to the hotel Mr.. Hubbell then |
remarked that he must 60 now, as these |
fellows, (referring to four or FIVE gentle |
men on the coruer), were watching him,
called on Mr.. Polk on my way to the
hotel and found be had gone to the hotel
IT,
[ was not coming. We conversed half an
hour or SO, and, when left him, prom
Used copy or the report should be sent to
them. After [ got home. Mr., Conway, of
Des Moines. telegraphed to me, represent
ing, as he said, the Water Company, and
wanted TO make copy of the report. and
desired me to telegraph TO j. s. Polk that
he, Mr.. Conway, had my permission I
did so, supposing that he was q represent
alive of the company. He came tere and
and made 8 copy OF the report, which |
signed, supposing it to be q copy of my
report It being only few minutes before
his train time. at his request | signed the
report, and did not take the time necessary
TO compare it. He then informed me that
he Water Company was willing to pay
Tor the copy OF the report. / Informed {
him that made no charge, but told him
hat, If they wished to pay me anything, :
as | had worked extra hours on the origin ,
II to get 1t 10 good shape, he could collect
he money and send me whatever they &.
saw fit to give; that 1 made no charge 9
whatever. | then asked him to hand nv ,
'eport to you. That is the only report | !
made to or for any body. | have not ac-
'epted, received or been promised a single G
'ent in any way, shape or form, except as {
1bove stated, and any statement that | /,
rave attempted to force money out of the
)es MONIES Water Company is utterly,
lbsolutely and unquali6edlv false. These, 7
dr. Williams. are the facts, whether the 7
" ater Company likes it or not. and I am
eady to meet the gentleman at the head !.
# the Water Company in Des Moines at | ],
ny time and prove what | have stated. g
FRED. A. CRAMER. :
Desiring to get at the facts as nearly as
ossible, and to learn from DIR. Parks any
oints in connection with the matter. the ,
ritter of this called on that gentleman j
nd interviewed him as follows: lie
Reporter-Mr. Parks, what have you II
} say in regard to this Des Moiues mat q
'r-or in other words. what do you know 8,
bout it? a,
Parks-Nothing whatever. have had d
D connection with it in any shape, eitherl
reoty or indirectly. The kilograms, as
lblished in the press. relate to matters p
ltirely foreign to the subject, and are in p
, way connected with this water works ar
lsinsss. | never sent telegram signed II
Joseph j. Parks. lin fact never sent a so
lsgram in my life without afhxing my A;
al name. th