Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-27
ADAMS COUNTY SQUABBLE.
A Hot Battle in Progress Over Bonding the
County for Railroad

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| Hancock News.
If half the reports are true, railroad
affairs oyer in Adams county are in &
great muddle and are getting more
complicated. AS we understand it
some Chicago promoters organized q
corporation called the Princeton and
Wisconsin River railroad and proposed
to build a railroad from Princeton tC
Necedah. The road was to pass
through the county of Adams from
east to west, and through the village
of Friendship. The promoters made
a proposition to bond Adams county
for $50, 900 to pay the expense of the
railroad through the county. Peti-
tlons for accepting their proDoSition
were circulated and majority of the
names of those in the county who
were qualified to vote on such matters
were signed to said petitions. A board
Of canyaSSerS, consisting of the Judge,
county clerk and chairman of the
county board canyaSSed the lists of
names and found sufficient number
to secure the bonding of the county.
Like all other important matters this
question had two sides. Many were
opposed to bonding the whole county
for railroad through almost the
narroWest place in it, as only small
part OF the county would be directly
benefited. The matter was hOtly con-
tested. and while the pro-railroad
people were securing signers to their
petitions, the antiS were circulating a
remonstrance, with the result as above
stated. The bonding of the county
now seemed a sure thing, but reports
came out that some of the names on
the petitions were forgeries, and
during the night between Dec. y and
13 the county clerks office was broken
into and the original petitions con-
tanning the names of the SignerS were
stolen. The pro-railroad people ac-
cuSed the anti-faction of the theft and
claim they took that way to defeat the
bonding of the county. The ants
think that the leaders of the opposing
faction were instrumental in making
away with the original petitions TO
cover up the evidence of forgery. The
latter idea of the matter seems to be
much the most likely, for the original
petitions, in case of forgery, would
certainly be the best evidence the
antis could get to defeat the project;
WhilC thC plO IdCUlOu lids lUSU uUUulllS
by the theft, as certified copies of the
petitions had been made and were at
once placed on file. The county board
met on Tuesday of this week and ap-
pointed committee of five of their
number to investigate the matter and
report on Jan. "A, 1901. That forgery
has been committed, there is no
question, as the names of a good many
reliable citizens Of Richfield and
Colburn appear on the petitions, and
these same people have made affidavit
that they did not place their names
there nor authorize anyone else to do
So. Similar reports come from other
towns in the county. 1t is said that
those who circulated the petitions
were paid by the promoters, ana JnaG
day ana ohfsS 6ther r cases fet they received
so much a name The latter scheme
perhaps offers the best inducement for
committing forgery. The guilty
parties, If caught, will probably be
sent "over the road" and not over the
Princeton and Wisconsin River Rail
road, either.