The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-12-02
The Tattler.


The Tattler.
Breathes there the scribe with sense so fine,
| Who never yet has penned the line:
"The melancholy days are here
When fall will walk of on it's sere:"
The Streator Monitor gives II as news
that there we're no arrests on Wednesday
night Hereabouts the item would be DIFF
ferent!
~"
An exchange says: "The Grspe Sugar
Manufacturing company, of Rockford,
have increased the capital stock from $50
900 to 100000" There appears to be no
difficulty in securing all the money needed
for any kind Of manufacturing enterprise
in Rockford. The city Is now growing
manufacturing center, with quite a variety
of manufacturing establishments, all OF
which appear to be Successful-and 1t is a
poor week that does not add another to the
list, or see steps taken 10 enlarge the capacl'
ty of those already there. 1t IS within the
bounds of prudence to say that most OF the
towns and cities now thrive IN proportion
to the number and extent of their manu-
featuring industries.
,k*#
The northenders don't like the time card
of the new c., b. & Q. branch from Serena
northwest. The Earlville Leddsr says
"The arrangement is certainly not very
much superior to the former for reaching
the county seat The people throughout
the northern part of the county have de-
pended upon the new line to furnish them
a method of access 70 Ottawa, both direct
and convenient and will be greatly disap.
pointed should the present time schedule
of trains be permanent, and circumstances
against it will certainly be neither few nor
mild. 1t would seem that morning pass
enger runs directly from Rock Falls to
Streator accommodating the people upon
the Rock River branch with a morning
train connecting here directly for Chicago,
and the people of Mendoza, Earl and other
points with an early tram TO Ottawa, could
be made to pay from the start and eventu-
ally make the route, though short one, a
popular one for travel. 1t is to he hoped
that some such plan will be adopted by the
company"
The Free Press has discovered the cause
OF the dizziness of the coal trade in Strea
tor, for trade has been undenlably very
dull in spite of the tact that winter is upon
US. One of the leading operators of the
place explained the matter in this wise to
the reporter: "He seemed to think" says
the Press, that the outlook is very UNI
unless the railroads do some
thing to assist the coal producers on their
own lines. He said that the natural mar
ket of Streator coal is being more and
more cut into every month by Indiana and
OHIO operatives and it now looks as If the
home producers would soon have to con.
ent themselves with supplying the demand
hat cannot be filled from those states.
Coal from tn ose parts is now being extern
lively shipped to Milwaukee, st. Paul and
he general domestic trade of the north
vest. It's market in Chicago is growing
arger while ours is diminishing, and some
# this coal has actually been shipped back
rom Chicago along the c., b. q q. road
md been sold in places where Streator coal
las been before in general use. 1t is this
competition which - said to be the cause
# the dullness of trade this fall. 1t is be.
ieved tina, the consumption of coal among
'ur old customers 10 % great this fall as for
nerly, but the trouble seems to be that they
re buying Indiana and Ohio coal because
hey can get it cheaper. There would be
title ground for murmuring at this if these
oreign fields had superior natural advan-
ages over ours; but the fact is the cost of
PRODUCTION IS fully as great IN those fields
. here, and In point of proximity to the
chicago and the northwestern market our
POSITION is naturally superior to theirs.
This point OF nearness to the market which
hould be our strength seems by the mys'
erlous ways of railroad corporations TO
AVE been converted into our weakness.
)ur informant states that the Indiana rail-
Dads stand by their coal operators; while
With three roads to Chicago from Streator,
wo of which are among the best equipped
n the country our coal Is driven from the
market by having to pay more tor trans
,ortation than coal which has to be carried
much greater distance. 1t would seem
hat such narrow policy would soon over
each itself and at last more would be lost
o the roads in loss OF freight than would
,e gained by the greater price. Self inter-
ut, If intelligently understood, would IN
his matter prove the more liberal to be
he wiser policy and the granting Of rates
hat would enable us TO fairly compete
would IN the end benefit both railroads and
ZONE operators" A question might be
.sked here: Do the railroads stick to the
.ates made by the Railroad Commissioners!
T. s,,at