The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-05-19
DOrsey's Troubles.

A deal is being said about Senator Dorsey.
and still there is coming to the surface fresh
evidence every day giving renewed interest to
the subject. Dispatches from Denver, Colorado,
give information that legal proceedings have
been commenced there against Dorsey for SER
vices rendered to obtain an Increase in the mail
service, and get addition pay therefor, on Star
Routes in Oregon, by one F. R. Wilcox.
Respecting the complication a Portland, Ore
gon, dispatch says: When Dorsey began to
operate in ''Star Routes" in Oregon he remem-
bered that Wilcox had come to this State, and
as his relations with him had been of the most
intimate kind, he fixed upon Wilcox as the
man to help him work up to higher figure on
the mail routes in which he had become in
terested. Dorsey first telegraphed to parties in
Portland to learn if Wilcox was there. Having
ascertained that he was, he wrote him stating
what service hewanted performed, and directed
him to go to Eugene City, giving instructions
at the same time how to get up petitions, have
them signed, and make sub-contracts for carry
ing mails. The petitions were to be forwarded
to Washington to be used in. getting the SER
vices and pay increased. For the service re-
quired Wilcox was to receive $5 day and his
expenses. Dorsey drew up in his own hand
and forwarded to Wilcox the following form of
petition, on which the signatures were to be
obtained, which was forwarded to the Post
master General. "The undersigned citizens of
Bridge Greek, Oregon, beg leave to earnestly
recommend to your favorable consideration an
increase of the mail service between Eugene
City and this place to a daily line and ask that
the speed be greatly increased. This route
supplies large and rapidly increasing popula-
ton, and is the sole means of conveying intel
ngence TO great poruon OF nouInern oregon.
We believe the public interest will be greatly
subserved by an early increase of this service,
and We earnestly recommend it." To this
Dorsey added the following words sInstruc-
| tions to Wilcox: OF course you want the word
| ing as wellas the handwriting of each person
to be as diffrent as possible" Dorsey then in
structed Wilcox how to sublet routes. We have
the space only to say that contract for carry
| ing the mail from Eugene City to Bridge Creek
was let for 80, 468 and subsequently increased
| to $22, ,460. The contract stands in the De-
partment, as received from Eugene City to
Mitchell, and in the name of ]. NJ. Peck,
brother-in-law of s. w. Dorsey. Another Star
| route in Oregon, known as the Lool1ing-glass
Route, was expedited from 81, 500 to S13, IT'S a
year. Though Dorsey telegraphed Wilcox that
he was interested only in Bridge Creek and
Looking-gl glass Routes in Oregon, the statement
is probably to be understood only as notice to
Wilcox that these were the only routes that he
! CWilcox) was to work upon, for the greatest
swindle of all is in the route from Dallas to
Baker City ria Canon City, which was,
under the manipulations of the ring, increased
to service of six times week, which is wholly
unnecessary, and the pay raised from $S,-
2SS to $72. $40. Mr.. ]. III. Peck also has
another expedited route, viz: From Canon
City to Camp McDermitt, most of the way
through country without population and in
capable of sustaining any. This route was ex'
pedited from 81, ,s38 to S21, 500.