Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-08-13
AR. BORROWER REPLIES.
He Succeeded II Getttsg the Railway
Omcials to Act. but Was Not the
Author Of the Restriction - What
Confused the Oiilciais.

To TIE EDrroR OF THE TIxEs:-
This morning l received sevcra
copies Of the TINES of the 9th inst.
one of them containing emphati.
marginal notes.
| desire at the outset TO correct ar
erroneous impression in regard to the
ore rate and my part in securing i,
tor the Wood River country. You
do the an injustice in charging tina,
secured the "viIlainous rate" and a
still greater wrong in saying that
''confess the crime" There is moth.
ing in my letter of the 3rd instant to
justify the accusations, though l pre-
sumo the charges were made good.
naturally.
had nothing whatever to do with
fixing the rate; but l did have some.
thing to do with the matter of getting
the railway officials TO ACT. l went
into tho oHce OF Monroe, the Gen
eral Freight Agent, aud said: "Mon.
roe, why the devil don't you take up
the Wood River ore rate and act on
it?" He opened desk and took out
a roll of papers as large as referees
report in an irrigation case, and said:
''Vic, for Gods sake look at the
papers in this case; it is three days
solid work to 60 through them" He
and then went to the Office of T.
Fl. Kimball, Vice President, and we
talked the matter over. 1t was then
agreed that by Friday morning they
would digest those papers and give
me an answer. When l went on
Friday the circular had been pre-.
pared and sent you copy of it.
Now, let me tell you what seems to
me to be the main trouble between
the railway officials and our people.
No two persons in the Wood River
country agree on what the ore rate
should be. That bundle of papers
held by Monroe was conglomerated
mass OF contradictions. 1t consisted
of editorials from the TINES and
other papers IN no two Of Their hur.
monized. There were the minutes OF
Board Of Trade meeting, and the
proceedings in full of meeting Of
the leading mining men. There were
letters of prominent capitalists, and
the protests OF the poor prospector.
There were the views of the men
owning the big mines, aud the counter
views of the boys who had only 10
tons Oh the dump. There were let.
tiers from the smelterers at Salt Lake,
Denver and Omaha. IN fact, it looked
as if everybody was trying to explain
something they knew nothing abou,
and the railway officials could not
understand them.
Now, | suppose you and are the
only two persons who have thorough
and comprehensive knowledge of this
whole question. At least we think
so; but the trouble is everybody else
seems to think he knows as much
about this matter as we do and this
is just what causes the trouble. When
! went to the u. p. headquarters on
Friday for an answer I learned that
Monroe was sick in bed and that
kimball was so ALFRED cross that he
refused to see even the directors of
the road.
The next morning after the rate
was fixed | met Professor Jenny. He
seemed pleased that a step had been
made in the right direction. But
Jenny don't understand this ore
business like you and do. | see by
this last TIMES that you want an
"open rate" What the devil is an
"open rate?" Why didn't you en-
plain these technical terms if you
expect me to cooperate with you?
Now, look here, Mr.. Editor. | am
going to Omaha on tine 23rd and will
be there four or five days and then I
will start for home. If you and the
Board of Trade and the capitalists
and the prospectors know just what
you want and will make it known in
an ineligible manner, / will be
pleased to aid you while | am on the
ground. In case you telegraph me
don't forget to PREPAY the message.
Yours truly,