The Ottawa free trader., 1881-04-23
The g, b. s. q. and the Emigrsnts.

last week we gave the version OF MIR. Marvin
station agent at Ottawa, OF the treatment ot ID
!, Ottawa Minnesota cmigrants by the Z. b.
Lk,ailroad company, and below we give Freigh
u ,.,er u p. Ripley's version of the same ous
= lad abundant reason to complain, the Urtaw,
party are entirely indebted to and should hcaI
their objurgations solely upon the c. NJ & St
Paul company, whose inability to perform wha
they agreed to caused all the trouble.
CHICAGO April l2 1881.
EDITOR FREE TRADER-Ddr Sir: For some
four or five days | have been in receipt, from
various sources, of newspaper Items taken from
| your columns and others, in regard to our
"shameful treatment" Of certain party OF
cmigrants which left Ottawa last week for Min.
nesota. While in general 1t avails but little to
rehearse the history of such transactions through
the columns OF the newspapers, we have been
so frequently and so persistently misrepresented
| In this matter that must beg the indulgence OF
q little space In order to make AS plain and as
brief statement as possible of the facts in the
case, so that we may not rest under the imputa.
ton of having deliberately swindled so reputable
| party of gentlemen as were those who left by
your city over our line last week.
The contract was made originally by our line
and the Chicago Milwaukee d st. Paul Il. r.,
and was substantially as has been stated In the
various communications, viz: That the party
were to be taken under certain conditions to
cago, Milwaukee II st. Paul K. r. The party
originally decided that they would leave Ottawa
on Tuesday, March 90. We had cars there on
Monday and an engine and crew there on Tues
day to assist them In loading. They did not
get ready to start until Thursday afternoon, and
we were obliged to keep an engine there during
that time. Had they started on the day origin.
ally fixed they would have had no trouble. As
II was they reached Aurora on Thursday after
noon during the height of the trouble between the
& lava II II and thp Cbicoyn MiIwau.
kee & st. Paul. Our Division Superintendent at
Aurora Mr.. Geo. Alexander, telegraphed this
office for instructions as soon as he ascertained
that 1t would uot be possible to send the party
via Davis junction. The agent Of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul Ry., in this city, refused
to take the party via Chicago, though we pre-.
ferred to bring them to this city. Consequently
we did the next best thing, and arranged to take
them via Rock Island. 1t should be SAID, how.
ever that Mr.. Alexander offered to send the
party back to Ottawa, which was declined The
party once having decided to 90 via Rock Island,
we gave them another coach at Aurora SO as tOI
make them as comfortable AS possible, and, on
arriving at Mendoza, two engines were put upon
the train expecting that they would be able toI
get through without difficulty. but snow having
drifted very badly on the branch track the train
was stalled two miles west Of La Moille, and was
Obliged to return to that station and spend the
night As soon as possible, the snow plow was
started to their assistance, with orders to run
ahead OF them to Rock Island, which was done.
am unable to see what we could have done
for this party that we did not do We certainly
had no connection with the trouble between the
c. Il |. and c. NJ. Il st. p roads, which resulted
in the tearing up Of the connection at Davis
junction, nor could we have foreseen that
trouble before the party arrived at Aurora. We
are certainly not csponsible for the G. NJ & st.
p. Ry. declining to take the party via Chicago
and again, we certainly cannot be held RESPONSE.
BILE for the snow which fell and delayed the party
between Mendoza and Rock Island. Everything
that could be done 10y us for the comfort OF the
party was done. While we can Of course make a
great deal OF allowance for the feelings of those
who spent the night IN the snow drift only
thirty five miles from home, there Is nothing in
the facts TO warrsn: the charges OF 'falsehood"
and "trickery" which have been made by some
Of the correspondents Of the Ottawa papers. We
could have had no possible object in treating the
party badly, but, on the contrary, had every in.
centivc TO satisfy them.
Railroad men are accustomed 10 bearing In
silence large amount OF newspaper abuse, but
IN the present case the attacks on us have been
10 numerous and outrageous that cannot re
rain from giving our side Of the story.
F. p. RIrLEY,
Genl Freight Agent C., B. & Q. r. r.