The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-10-07
A COMMUNICATION.

Editor of the Bulletin:
nave read in our city newspapers
giving the proceedings OF our last
/ council meeting, that the Cairo
Thebes Railroad Company have 2eu
TONED for right of way over our levee
Lama along the New Leyee street OPP
posite Thirty-second' street and also
along the west side of Washington
avenue TO the City limits.
have seen no comments pro or con
/ in our newspapers regarding same and
/ am really at loss 10 understand why
Ithis right of way asked for should
be granted and will kindly ask that
YOU give my communication space IN
your valued columns.
favor reasonable concessions to all
railroads but it seems to me II any
railroad company desires 10 enter
Cairo, the people who are the property
lowners and tax payers should know
the benefits and advantages that
railroad company in going to give to
Iits citizens and business interests be.
fore granting the use or rights in OF
any public property and il is the duty
az the city council which represent
the people, To know these facts before
giving away any such rights.
As understand from the newspaper
reports. the Cairo and Thcbes Railroad
Company proposes 10 get a right q
way from Thcbes to Cairo Those re.
rorts do not state any other purpose
Now we certainly would reap no direct
benefit from a railroad as stated; We
, have two railroads from Thebes al the
: present time, and if it is TO sell this
5 right Of way to some new railroad tc
: inter- Cairo, then the project is al
5 wrong. for if Their is To some financial
; benefit the people the tax payers ans
! the city treasury who certainly neef
. funds badly enough should be th'
{ d nedciary. AMI not a few of orr il
+ diyidual citizens.
+ Allow me 10 present a picture:
r Time 900 p. m. Scene; A certain
l. room on --- Avenue
e a few gentlemen congregate TO turf
over in their minds plans for Great
3 or Cairo. One Of the gentlemen says
{ Fellows, | have got good schcmc
G Lets get the city to give us right 0
/ way down Washington avenue AM
Il over the new levee TO a piece @
j ground where we could make a raj
i road terminal, and / tell YOU there
q money in it, Why II We can get this
n We can sell it for Siaa0nn0n TO eiti
q ar the Frisco Or the Chicago 4 Eas
ern Illinois. And ii IL II done undo
a the guse OF the Commercial Club, th
T. people win never tumble to 1t. VIII
q, n is dead easy."
u So railroad company il fotmet
4 the projectors organize with $1,000
ID capital 10 build d railroad from Thehc
ii 10 Cairo. How bIindly shrewd thes
rs men must be to think thai che citizen
re Of Cairo would bc blinded by such
Is lpronosition Ten thousand d0llal
~ would not buy first class railroad q
~ CINE and a passenger coach SO VII
talk about building a railroad with sue
an amount of capital2 | am surprise
that some of the men connected wi
this project could possible anticipa
that the city council in behalf of Il
~ people would grant right OF way al
- give it away to any company on sui
pretenses.
20 Yet the projectors scheme IS to &
a.. tain a right of way to themselves al
ir assigns over our public streets and o
"a lcvce. 1t does seem to me this is so
80 " for financial traffic and person
~ cain and as said before thi is Of
!, direct benefit in its present condtli
ne 10 the people and tax payers, and II
al so called railroad company has ask
j. the city council TO give these rigt
M without any guarantee Or considei
-, ton whatsoever. or statement as
~ who is to operate the railroad which
seeking to enter our city, nor staff
no where it comes from other than fro
I'D Thehes to Cairo.
~ This reminds me good deal Of
M story about Billy Jones, aged II yea
,,.Lu raecipy olnno tho gtrCpf ~