The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-24

will not invest our money IN property which
we cannot control; you may bnild your own
roads," and the state replies, "Our own people
want the road but cannot build it; we will not
insist upon the Objectionable condition. Go
on and give us the road, and there shall be no
interference on our part with your control of
its revenues" This contract made and enter.
ed into deliberatly over the seal OF the proud
state of Illinois, has been faithfully consum.
mated by the one party to it, and ruth!essly
| violated by the other Talk of perfidy! was
there ever more gross violation OF sacred
| trust than this? What an example to individ.
uals is here shown by the state?
Although many of those who responded to
the call for aid have long since folded their
hands in the sleep that knows no waking,
there are thousands of men living who can
testify as to the incalculable benefits and bless.
lngs which they, with others, have received
by the faithful performance OF the duties these
individuals assumed. These witnesses re-
member when they teamed their corn, 90 to
$50 miles, sold it for 10 cents bushel, took
ed them home. Hogs were driven nearly 200
miles to Chicago, and sold for $3.50 to $500
per 100 pounds. The choicest land IN the
state, within mile of the large towns, was
freely offered at So per acre, and often bought
at from SIS to 81. But what a change! All
farm products higher than for 20 years. So
high in fact that an active demand has been
awakened tor foreign products which are now
brought to our markets in competition with
our own, III large and increasing qualities
In fact nothing marketable now commands
such high prices as the produce OF our farms
Everything which the farm produces is in de
manit at good prices. Even the straw which
the Illinois farmer formerly considered null
a. cNr tbn 20 hn
method of accomplishing its removal. is now
eagerly sought for by paper makers and the
farmer gets more tor 1t than the he formerly
received for the grain which it bore, and then
transport it 100 miles TO their factories. In
1850 il cost the farmer bushel OF corn to ride
one mile in u slow stage coach. One hundred
miles of such travel cost him 100 bushelc OF
corn, the price of which today would carry
him in comfort and in style surpasslng tha
of his own parlorl from the Mississippi rivel
to Chicago and back again SIX times, or from
Omaha to New York city and return, and pay
tor all his meals en- route.
The lands purchased by him, at from 81 tt
IS per acre. could be readily sold now a
from $50 to $50, with no other improvements
upon their original condition than the break
Ing of the prairie sod, and enclosing the prem
lses with a fence. The railroad brings to HIN
every day paper informing HIM of the mar
ket price of his produce, and when ready, FOL
shipment the same road will take his produce
almost from his door to the distaD
market, and return the proceeds of sale
in a space of time which would have seem
ed incredible at the time his location was chOs
en- and yet he is told that the railroad 10 his
worst enemy, and through the teachings o.
disappointed Office seekers, he has come to sc
regard 1t, instead of rs his truest friend. For
getful all the benefits he receives from the
road, he never mentions them, and unmlndfu
of the fact that the railroads are ever ready
to aid all deserving charities, or that they make
, most liberal concessions to localities which
desire to build churches or school houses
construct bridges or improve their streets OF
highways, or carry the people and their prop
erty to and from state and county fairs at great
lly reduced rates, and that the roads are evel
ready to respond to calls for aid, which arise
from localities visited by famine, flood Of
flame. These donations are accepted silently
as being only that which the recipients had {
right to demand and expect. lLLINoIsAN,