Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-14
HON THn deal WAs MADE.

now ltlb DEAL WAS MADll.
There seems TO be a general impress
sion that the Rock Island intended to
come TO Fort Worth and had no other
plans. That this was not the case. how
ever, Is shown by the fact that there has
been a vast amount of long aud ordu-
Gus toll involved in the closing of this
deal.
The original proposition was that the
Chicago, Rock Island and Texas Rail
way company would pay the sum Of
SlOOOOO for the right-of-wny through
Tarrant county and into Fort Worth and
Tor terminal facilities, yard and shop
room. When the right-oi-wuy agents got
TO work with the property owners il
was found that the right-of-way would
cost in the ncighborhOod Of 100000.
This was a larger sum than the company
was willing TO pay. conference with
the committee representing the city of
Fort Worth resulted in a proposition TO
build into the city, provided the city
would guarantee the ught-of-wuy and
terminals would be furnished them at
cost not 10 exceed Sl5O,OOO, and That
an indemnifylng bond, guaranteeing this
should be furnished by the city An
effort was made TO get the price of the
right-oi-way down TO within the spcci-
fed limit, but this could not be done.
Then NJ. @. Hurley, Captain b. B. Pad
dock and their associates agreed 90 fur
nish this indemnifying bond, provided
theN cl9zsns of Fort Worth would raise
fund sseean indemnity fund TO re-
pay them whatever they might be
compelled TO pay for the property above
the amount specified by the company.
This was u difficult matter, and az times
the committee having the raising of the
guarantee fund In charge felt utterly
discouraged and inclined TO give up in
despair In fact, in two DISTANCES the
committee did cease its labors. hnS- a gain,
taking hope. resolved TO make n t~sl, ef-
fort. The matter illuminated at ths
meeting Wednesday afternoon. The
guaranty fund still fell short of the
amount necessary 20 indemnify the
bondsmen in case reduction could not be
secured in the prices of the property.
The finance committee was worn out,
disheartened and utterly collapsed. They
had not the courage TO make another
effort Al this jmcture Captain Pad
dock announced that II would not DO TO
let the road pass Fort Worth by. He
and his associates would make the bond
and take their chances on being cOmpell-
cd 20 lose money out of their private
purses in order 90 give the road the war
ranty deeds for the right-of-way and ter
mnals. The meeting then adjourned
and the bond was prepared. At $50
Wednesday evening IL was presented 10
the representatives Of the company and
secured the Rock Island. II Is possible
that the men who made this bond will
be required 10 lose money in securing the
right-of-way and. therefore, Fort Worth
owes them Il debt of gratitude she can
never repay.
It is almost invariably the case
that IN matters of this kind
the public's prosperity is secured
10y the bearing of the burden
by a a few philosophical men. IL has
been the case in Fort Worth, as In this
instance, but not TO so great an extent
as in other cities II requires cool firm
nerve to undertake such an obligation;
nerve that few men POSSESS. 1t Is
true these men will be benefited by the
coming of the road, but not any more
so than the other citizens Of Fort Worth,
who own property here. The coming Of
the road benefits the day lnbOrer, who
has not a dollars worth OF property, in
the same ratio as the man who owns thou
sands. Ii means an increase in the tin
bucket brigade; in the amount of money
paid out TO railway employees, and In
many other ways by which the wage
worker is benefited as well rs the mer-
chant aud tho business man. IL adds
one more solid stone TO the foundation
upon which the city rests, and for this
reason the men who signed that bond
have placed the people Of Fort Worth
under an obligation, the farreaching eX-
tent of which cannot be guaged by mon
ey value.
1t win require at least sixty days for
the road 30 reach Fort Worth, and possi-
bly, ninety days After the track Is laid
into the city the back spikng, surfacng
and alignment OF the track will require
from two weeks 10 thirty days more.
1t IS probable the company win be able
to put on through train service from Fort
Worth TO Chicago by the middle Of July.