The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-25
Railroad Company's
Working Like Beav-
ers on Their Side.
They Claim $500 Signatures
Find Those Names or Mining
Officials

The railroad companies in the Upper
Peninsula are working like beavers and
they claim they have obtained no les'
than 3. 500 signatures 10 protests against
the so-ealled Robinson bill. Among these
names we find those of some II the Off
GERS of one OF our large mining compan-
lee. The mining company referred to
having many shares in one of the Upper
Peninsula roads can be looked upon as a
party interested. One of the employees
of this company when asked 10 sign the
petition in favor OF Robinson's bill said
he could not well do so as be had signed
the railroad company's protest and ii
was done in this wise: The boss told his
fellow employees that he had signed the
protest, which was lying there; the other
fellows took the hint and followed suit.
The News asked friend, about whom
many men congregate, whether he
thought he could obtain any signatures
to petition in favor OF the bill and the
answer he received was Eyes. give me
one" Apetition was accordingly handed
him, but upon enquiring some days after
wards how he had got along was told
that his success was not great as the
men appeared afraid to sign their names
to it, and the person who told us this
was one whose word is above suspicion.
Out OF fourt zen names who had signed
the protest one as clerk, and another
surface boss OF the mining company re-
ferred to above; one was an express
agent, another a young man connected
with that company, another an ex-sa-
loon.keeper, four were employees at a
railroad station, while one was unknown,
but by the name was supposed to be a
lad. the son OF one OF the said employ ees
The companies are, as said before,
working like beavers and the people, the
movement is solely in their interest,
should see to it that they sign the petit
ton in favor Of the bill so that their side
OF the case may be fairly laid before and
considered by the railroad committees,
otherwise the thing may go by default
as the railroad companies may make the
committees believe. as the did two years
ago, that the people did not want cheap
freight and passenger ra es simply be-
cause the people most interested did not
make much stir, thinking the matter was
being attended to by Representative
Robinson while the companies were
moving heaven and earth.
The News lately gave table compar
ing the earnings OF the lines in the Upper
Peninsula with some of the large lines
below, which spoke for itself
Persons having any petitions in favor
OF the bill should send them at once TO
Senator Robinson at Lansing as it un-
fair to leave him without proper endorse
ment. lie was elected on this issue and
should now be assisted so that the case
OF the people may be laid fairly and
s1uarely before the commit tees; so that
they can act upon the bill intelligently
and with "a many facts before them as it
il possible to obtain.
The ID 4, s. S. e A is, in great measure
a Canadian institution. This ia no cause
of complaint, but is it not fact that
they e running the Duluth branch for
other reasons than just now making
money? Has the Canadian Pacific not
something to DO with running it whether
1t makes money or not?