The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-04-29
ROUS|NG MEETING
HELD LAST NIGHT
FIERY TALKS AND SHARP LAM
GUAGE MARK TIME AT BEST
MEETING HELD IN YEARS.

There is an old saying with more
or less truth contained in the state
ment, that if you get a community
mad enough to quarrel among hem
selves thty will eventually Sc, 20
gether and fight for the common
good. If that is the case, Ardmore
ought to progress rapidly after last
nights meeting at the opera house.
The meeting there last night to
consider Ringling's proposition Of
surrendering a part of the promised
bonus, provided he was not required
to build the Oklahoma, New Mex
leo & Pacific railroad on to the
Rock Island this year, according
TO the terms of the contract entered
into by himself and the citizens
here, was the most "peppery' gath
ering that has assembled in the
city in a long time, and the sharp
passages at arms between the par
ties present may have tendency
to stir the patriotic citizens to con-
certed action in the future.
The opera house was comfortably
filed when Capt Wilmington, who
was selected as chairman, called the
meeting to order and asked w. b.
Johnson to explain the proposition
submitted to the citizens commit
tee by Mr.. Ringing to relieve him
of the necessity of building to the
Rock Island at this time if he would
surrender a part of the bonus prom
ised.
Ringing entered into a contract
with the citizens of this city to
construct a railroad from Ar1more
to some point on the Rock Island
and have it in operation before jan
uary /, 1915, if they would give
him a bonus Of $4,000 and a right
of way through the city. 1t was
stipulated in that contract that as
soon as % miles Of the road was
completed and in operation, he was
TO receive one-half of the bonus in
cash and the remainder when the
road was completed to the Rock
Island. which was to be done under
the terms Of the contract before
January l. 1915. A number of citi-
zens signed these notes to raise the
necessary amount, and these in
turn were secured by a committee
of eight business men who person
ally guaranteed that the money
would be paid.
This committee went to the bank
and borrowed $4,000, with which to
secure the right of way through
the city and of the bonus money
only $4,000 has been collected, max
ing the committees account at the
bank overdrawn in the sum of ST.
500, with not one penny OF the
first installment of the money pald
to Ringing, according to agreement
The committee realizing the
straits that confronted them. wen.
to Mr.. Ringing and asked if there
was not some way to give them
relief, and after a lengthy confer
ence, agreed to release them if they
would pay him $4,000 bonus and
withdraw their demands that he
build on to the Rock Island at this
time. This, together with what they
owe at the bank, would make a sum
total of $1G,5OO, instead of $4,000
if the terms of the original contract
are demanded and are fulfilled by
the railroad company.
It was easy to see that the con-
census Of opinion last night was tnaJ
the citizens of this city comply
with their contract and make the
Ringing interests build to the Rock
Island this year, instead of stopping
at the new town Of Ringing, as is
proposed if the citizens agree to
Mr.. Ringlings proposition.
Robert F. Scivally, who was one
Of the donors of the bonus stated
that he was ready to help reimburse
the committee and see that they
suffered no personal loss to the eE-
tent of his ability, hut insisted that
the city pay up their money accord
ing to agreement and compel the
Ringing road to build on to the Rock
island and not be flirting with Ok
lahoma City or am new townsiJes
along the right of way.
w. R. Bu.nitt, the fiery Celt' sta
tel that he had not only paid the