The Lamar register., 1893-10-07
ina, Bridge sugaeee.

To TIE SPARKs: l have heen assailed
by the Lamar Register time after time.
and desire to reply through The SPARKs
The latest is that defeated the bill in
troduced by Funderburgh in the last leg
islature appropriating 5000 for a bridge
across the Arkansas river at Carlton. |
confess to the fact that | did write one
letter to Funderburgh protesting against
the passage OF the bill, and yet at no time
did believe there was any honest inten-
tion on the part of Funderburgh and
Swink to press the matter.
The history of that bill is something
like this: A scheme was coucocted by
few republicans of this county TO capture
the vote Of Carlton precinct, and the
bridge was to be ths bait to catch such
gudgeons as c. II. Frybarger and others
of his ilk. Funderburgh and Swink
promised the said small Fry that in the
event OF their supporting the republican
ticket they would get them bridge.
They got the support, but Fry and the
rest of the fish did not get any bridge.
Now as to my reasons for not desiring
the appropriation to be made. In the
first place the bridge would be of no gen
eral p bllc utility; in fact / doubt il
anyone would see the bridge once in a
month. Then again, had that appropri-
alton been made this county could not
have received an additional appropri-
alton for long time to come. The way
the matter now stands the people of this
county viii be justified in asking for a
much larger appropriation for the pur-
pose of creating reservoirs or opening
those now in existence, or for any pur-
pose of general public utility.
Ford, with his usual mendacity. would
have the people believe that had the ap-
preparation gone through many men and
teams would have had employment this
winter. The fsrt is that it would have
been an iron bridge. and there would
not have been 500 Of the whole sum ex-
pended for labor in this county.
do not claim or pretend to have de
feated the measure discussed. The only
thing | did was to write the letter men
toned, and for the reasons given But
it is true that number OF others. both
republicans and populists living in
Carlton precinct and in other parts Of
the county-did write to members Of the
legislature exposing the corrupt deal and
denouncing the bill.
The truth is that Ford is trying to
again catch the gudgeons on a bait once
used. and that Ford, Funderburgh and
Swlnk had no desire to carry out their
pledges. | am not a candidate and had
less to do with placing the independent
ticket in the field than almost other
man afliliating with that movement.
Ford sees the. handwriting on the wall
and is enraged thereat. He is simply a
political monstrosity and an arrant
Snave-a man with no principle buc-
cancer on the sea of politics, who seeks
to hide his own political deformities by
abusing his betters.
l.. F. BLoDoETT
This article, signed as above, ap
peare1 in the Sparks of Thursday.
On Friday Judge Blodgett voluntarl-
ly informed the editor of this paper
that he did not write or dictate it.
that he did not authorize its publica-
tion, that he never saw it until it ap-
peared. and that his name was signed
to it without his knowledge or con
sent. VIII the editor of the Sparks
give this paper and the community
an explanation.