Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1915 — But Who Is This [?]mous New York Banker? [ARTICLE]

But Who Is This [?]mous New York Banker?

According :o a dispatch alleged to have been sent out from Rensselaer Wednesday, O. L. Brown, promotor of the Lafayette & Northwestern Railroad Company, was here Wednesday in company with a “New York banker" and one or two other gentlemen, and "went over the route” of the proposed road, and that the “Xew \~6rk gentleman” represents interests that will finance the road. As usual, however, the name of the “noted banker” is not given.

Jasper county people have heard this same siren song for many, many years. There is always “financial people” behind these projects for subsidies, but some way they all seem to lay down without lwiming any road, and it has been the experience in the past that the finances have frequently run so low that local bills have not been paid. So far as the Democrat knows the present projnotors have paid all their bills and may be financially able to build the road, but a gentleman who was formerly connected with the organization, informed The Democrat that several who were cbnnected with Mr. Brown some time ago have withdrawn and that he does not believe the company has a full organization at ihe present time. A prominent White county gentleman, who is a large taxpayer in that county and is among its most public-spirited citizens, informed the writer that the subsidy would be voted down in those townships, and his word or opinion, rather, is as good as that of any other citizen in the three townships where subsidies wil] be asked for.