Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-01-24
From VIM. Traurnicht.

asked, like the rest of the parties,
to join the Fishing Club. DR..
Williams, president of the Club,
Flat River, phoned me that he had
lease on the Iron Mountain lake
for fifty years from the Iron Noun
tain Company, and stated that
they were going to get up a fish
ing club and would like to have
Iron county join. l saw Mr.. w.
R. Allen and put the question to
him, and he thought it would be a
good thing. We received notice
to be at a meeting, and went to
Pennington and joined the Club
in good faith.
The first thing was to repair the
dam and save all the fish possible,
and do all this while the weather
was good. Mr.. Williams had
letter from the Iron Mountain
Company stating that we could use
the tools that were on the place.
Mr.. Bish, Mr.. Simmons of Flat
River, Mr.. Allen and myself were
appointed to look after the work.
| went to see the party that graded
the Lopez railroad to ascertain
what he would do the repairs for.
He wanted $4,000, which we thought
was too much. We then had w.
Knorp, of De Soto, give us bid,
and he wanted $1,000. We thought
we couldn't stand that, so we con-
cluded to try it ourselves. We got
the mon and worked two days, but
found it too much of an undertake
ing. We then saw Louis Miller
and R. Farmer, who agreed to do
the work for $500. They did a
good job and just came out even
on the job.
The next thing was to pay for
the work. A meeting was called,
and found that there wasn't money
enough in the treasury to pay the
bill. l got up before the board and
asked DR.. Williams if he had a
lease for fifty years, he said
"yes;" l then asked him if he had
it black on white, and he said
"yes;" | asked him where the
lease was, and he said cat home"
Then said that I would take him
at his word, and then informed the
Club that I would advance them
the money. | wanted the men
paid as had hired them and they
had done work and it was due
them. One of the board made a
motion that the money would be
paid to me as soon as it came in.
The next thing that I heard was
that the Iron Mountain dam was
going to be sold. | met Mr.. Will
liams and Mr.. Bish on their way
to the lake. l told them that l
heard the Iron Mountain dam was
going to be sold. Mr.. w. said,
"iet them sell, we are'good for the
lake for so years, as we have the
lease.". After the place was sold,
| made trip to Flat River to see
Mr.. Williams, and told him the
place was sold and was informed
by one of the Iron Mountain Com
pany men that we had no lease.
asked him to get the letters and
lease; he said he did not know
where he put them.
Mr.. Allen and myself went to
st. Louis to see the Iron Mountain
Company, and they told us thai
they had nothing to do with the
lake, and that Mr.. Maffit wasn't in
| wrote Mr.. Williams about it, and
he said that the Iron Mountain
Company offered to help us build
the dam; also, that the st. Louis
Blast Furnace Company was tc
pay $500. I saw Mr.. Edgar and ht
went with me to the city, and we
had DR.. Williams meet US there
We saw Mr.. Moffit and he told III
that they never gave Williams
lease; that they let him have i
lfrom month to month. Mr.. Edgal
saw the Blast Furnace Co., but go
nothing there. | did everything
could to save the last assessment
(, but failed. I am the one that hal
, been held up, as worked in gooc
faith. l spent good deal of my
time while the work was going on
as it was all left to me towards tn,
last, and my work did not cost tn
Club one cent. | am asking moth
ing more from the Club than i
due me, and that is the money
advanced them. We have no 25
members; we have 81 members
The bylaws say that the member
ship shall not exceed 250.
We had a watchman to Loo
after the lake, two men cuttinI
brush and team hauling rock
fixing up bad places, who had t.
: be paid. Now, do any of yo,
gentlemen think that / would hav
| advanced this money if I ha,
II known there was anything wrong
i No, not by any means. Place tn
U wrong where it belongs. I wa
II dragged into this the same as tn
H rest Of the members. The mem
Il bership fee was $40; $40 at tn
Il start, the other $40 when needed
II The first $40 was promptly paid
II but was not enough to meet al
II expenses. Had we not been de
| ceived by the Clubs president al
Il this trouble would not have oc
n Cured. VIM. TRAUERNICHT.
H Middlebrook, Jan. Fl, 1907.