The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-02-03
LATE LOCAL.
The Rock Island Contractors
Syndicate.
HeiIwagon, the Murderer, and
His Melancholy.
The Pest House Possession
Gained at Last.
SYNDICATE.

1t has generally been known in this city
that party of Rock Island builders and
capitalists had secured the contract for
erecting the new State House of Texas 1t
has also been given out that the price
named in the contract was 5000, 900 acres
of land.
The magnitude of the scheme prompts
the Chicago correspondent of the Louis.
vile Courier Journal to give some facts
and information not made public in this
section. The article in question is as fol
lows:
On advertising fer plan and specifica
tons, E. E. Myers, the Detroit architect
who built the Michigan State capitol, was
the successful competitor. On opening
the bids for the construction of the build
ing, it was found that the successful con
tractor was Matthias Schnell, well known
contractor of Rock Island, H., who had
secured the plum. 1t was soon discovered
that Schnell was simply figurehead back
ed by powerful Chicago syndicate. His
bond was fixed at $250,000 and en-
bodied the plans and specifications for the
structure and the entire details
Of the contract, and also specified
that work should be begun on the building
by or before February 1, 1S82-to-day.
Tie bond was signed by Schnell, John v.
Farwell and Charles B. Farwell, of the
well known importing and wholesale dry
goods house of this city. the latter mem
Der Of the firm being Congressman Far
well, and Col. a. c. Babcock, Of Canton,
H., prominent politician of the state,
and ex-Chairman of the Illinois Republican
pondent has discovered that aside from
the above named gentlemen, the real syn
dictate comprises the Hon. j. M. Beardsley,
postmaster of Reck Island, H.; Col. Abner
| Taylor, or Chicago, both prominent Illi-
nois politicians; ]. S. Drake, formerly one
of the proprietors of the Rock Island
| Argus, an eX-member of the Demo
cratic State Central Committee,
and a wealthy capitalist and con-
tractor, and the Hon. A. NJ. Burck, Mayor
of Rockdale, Texas, and well known as a
| Democratic politician of that State. The
Capitol building, according to Chicago
contractors estimates, will cost 81 500, 600;
Myers, the architect, estimates the cost To
| be 81, 700, 600; while the estimates of the
| syndicate above named, to whom Schnell
has assigned hiS contract, has called fol
an outlay of 81, 800, 600; SO that Texas
/ SOs q PStOOo,OOO SapAtOl
building, instead of one costing only ST.
100000. Colonel Babcock, of Rock Is
land, has been settled upon as the execu-
tive of the syndicate. Construction was
ordered to be begun to-day by telegraph
from this city yesterday; and Messrs. Tay-
lor, Babcock and Drake left for Texas to-
night to superintend the inaugura
| ton of the work. This immense
| land grant is situated in what is known
as tina 'Pannaudie,' of Texas, and lies be
tween the Indian Territory and New Mex
leo. 1t is claimed by the syndicate that il
comprises the best agricultural, cotton and
grazing lands of Texas, and also that it
will be so managed as to return its members
| for the expenditure Of the construction of
the Capitol building from 50 to SIS per
| acre, which foots up to the enormous total
| of from SO, 000, 900 to $15, 000, 900. Besides
| this, it is estimated that the policy of the
settlement of the lands which will be
| pushed with great vigor. and which viii be
on the market by March 1 next, will be Of
such character as to eventually yield the
syndicate important political as well as
| financial returns