The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-02-09

i NoAS aug Npthih6 bNN s"N
new levee to show for hundred and TWEEN
ty thousand dollars in cash and railroad
stock. That the present company is respon-
sible for the failure of the other company
to keep up the levee is not asert and
is not true; that it acted contrary to law III
excluding the city from its organization
cannot be truthfully said, but
neither can it be denied that
it took legal advantage of the city
and, in strict accordance with law, beat
the city out one hundred thousand dollars
of stock in the Cairo & St. Louis railroad
After the reorganization, the new com
pany was released from the obligation OF
maintaining the Mississippi levee, over
which it ran upon certain conditions, which
were complied with. The new company
| purchased new right of way
from the trustees of the CAIRO property for
| the sum of seventeen thousand dollars.
This new right of way lies along the inner
side of the new twenty-thousand-dollar
levee of the city, and is protected by it
from the Mississippi river. In order to
reach this new right of way, the compa-
ny must cross diagonally Washington av-
enue and tic Cross levee, and to do this the
consent of the city council and of the own
ers of the majority of the property on either
side of the street, must be obtained. The
latter the company had obtained before
building its embanlSment upon its new
right of way, but the city was not consult
ed. The work of throwing up the embank-
ment was vigorously pushed and, to all ap-
pearances, the company intended to cross
the avenue and the cross levee without
even asking the consent of the city council
to do so. Naturally the city council felt
sore oyer the manner in which the city
had been treated by the Cairo & St. Louis
railroad company in the past. 1t remem-
bered, too, the usual modus opperandi Of
railroad companies, and that it had been
legally beaten once; therefore, it resolved
TO be the frst,to take legal steps to guard
the city's rights and privileges, and to
compel the railroad company to recognize
these rights and privileges. 1t enjoined
the railroad company from cross
ing Washington avenue and Cross
levee, until satisfactory understanding
shall have been arrived at between it and
the railroad company. The injunction was
granted by the circuit court, and the rail
road company has taken an appeal to the
supreme court where it is now pending for
final settlement. Whether it will be sus
tanned or dissolved remains to be seen.
Nor is it true, as seems to be believed by
the gentlemen aforesaid, that the council
Of the city of Cairo peremtorily refused to
negotiate with the railroad company for
an amicable and equitable adjustment Of
the differences existing between it and the
company. Soon after the injunction was
granted the council received an official
communication from the railroad company,
asking for a right Of way over Washington
avenue above the cross levee, and over Cross
levee at point inside of new Levee street,
which communication was referred to the
proper committee, which has, until now,
failed to report upon it. But soon after
this, committee was appointed by the city
council with the express purpose of meet
ing an official or committee Of officials
Of the railroad company, who would have
authority to act for said company; and these
we're to confer with one another and settle
the questions at issue. The chairman of
this committee of the council notified the
company's representative here, Capt. w.
M. Williams, that conference was desired,
but Capt. Williams was not authorized to
act for the company and informed the com
mittee SO. Another communication was
received by the committee from Capt
Williams, asking if the Injunction would
be withdrawn if the railroad company
would come in outside of new Levee street.
But this communication was not considered
by the committee, because it was not ia the
form of an application from the com.
pany, and Capt. Williams was notified
of the fact, Thus the matter now stands.
The city councils committee is now stand
ing and waiting for he railroad company
to meet it half way by authorizing some
one to confer with It. The railroad com
pany evidently is not disposed to do 80 and
the city council is certainly not disposed to
beg the railroad company to do SO. One is
evidently as dgnifed and AS stubborn as the
other and both seem to feel that to do an
other step would be sacrifice Of official
divinity That ihe railroad cunpanv ought