Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-10-26
ttea hte ". o. ,Bes.
Meeting Of the Permanent Committee
ON the TeIHaniepec Route.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS,

meeting Of this Committee was held
last evening, and numeronsly attended by
the members. IT was convened for the
Object OF receiving The report of tie Sub.
Committee, to whom had been entrusted
The task OF bringing this importallt project
prominently before the people of the
United States.
l. lie Chair having announced that they
were ready to proceed to business, Mr.
Benlatnin rose and observed that at one
of the earliest meetings of this body ~
committee had been selected. Of which he
was the Chairman, with the view of pre-
pairing All address to the citizens of the
| United States, SO as to secure their ep-pper-
alton III The great measure under review.
The Managing Committee. though they
bad yet tcalled for subscriptions. thought
nevertheless, that the time bnd arrived
when 1t became incumbent to aeuuaint HE
citizens with the progress which had thus
Far been made. The matters committed
to their charge had been brought so near
to conclusion, that there was no lonrer
any necessity for delay. And pubca-
| ton was the more to be desired for the
purpose of correcting some nsapprehen-
SONS III the public mind relative to the
precise nature Of the grant from Hargous
and other matters conteeted with tile pro-
lect, which he thought Were not sufficient
~ understood by the people at large. For
these reasons, he had drawn ,lp a short
but distinct statement, embracing the
whole history Of the subject from it's in
cispiehcy to its present sthue.
Mr.. benjamin thenqead The address,,
concise, mastery and intelIigibIe expose--
which will appear in all the city papers
on Tuesday next, and Of which We can
only give brief outline. The document
commences by stating that on the organiz-
alton Of the committee their efforts were
directed to obtaining the privileges granted
to Mr. GMay by The Mexican Government
These consisted OF the exclusive RIGHT to
establish n communication across the 18th
mus OF Iehuantepec, which right is grant
ell Tor sixty years. OF grant in fee
simple OF ten leagues Of land OH each
side OF the line Of utlicatiul-eunaI
to about five millions of dollars. OF ex-
enpion from contributions or taxes on
travel or merchandise in in hansifu for
fifty years. Of the right Of foreigners to
acquire real estate and to carry on mining |
operations. OF exemption from duty on
agricultural implements for twenty years |
u making all works for shelter. ware
houses, fortresses &c, in two ports, one
at each end of the line
The address then points out the efforts
made by the Committee to obtain the con.
troll OF so vast and liberal n grant, and
slgnalses i'll emphatic strains the advant.
ages that would accrue to New Orleans if
she succeeded in giving direction to the
project. Two objects Were necessary to
'certan the validity of the grant; and to
secure its transfer to the company TO he
in Louisiana. it was deter.
mined therefore, to propose to the reputed
yrantee Mr.. ilargous, partnership, and
, sum Of $4,000 having been raised to
lefray preliminary expenses, the late
Preston w. Fhrrar was appointed by the
Committee, delegate TO visit the North.
md confer with Mr.. Hargous. The in ;
trnctlons to Mr.. Tarrar were ia effect that
bree mlIionsM If dollars was the maxin,l,u !
o be proposed TO Mr.. IEargors Tor the t
,rant-to be issued in the shape of stock. 6
Mr.. Earrar.s mission was not success ]
nj, as the grantee insisted that OF the
lIree millions, one million should be paid /
n cash. and about half million for other j
Spcises. This disappointment very near /
7 causud the abandonment of the effort, r
ut fortunately Mr.. Falion, the Secretary
t the Committee, who was then at the a
Worth, became acquainted with Mr. f
llorgons, and by representing to him the +
arlous advantages that would inevitably f
ssult from the project, negotiations were h
and the original proposition Of
ne Committee in substance aeceded to-
he capital of the Company was fixed at Il
8 100000, aud Mr.. fIargous was TO n
lake conveyance Of his grant totrlstees, Il
Tho were authorized to convey it TO the 0
Company if formed within t,
vo years Mr.. Hargous was to be re- il
aid his advance Of half Il million, one ii
urth when the Company should be organ- b
ed and the remainder in yearly install 81
ents. b
Mr.. Hargons selected rs trustees nesars n
cter Conreyyif., Ie6ra1l Mathews, j. il
Benjamin, Is. J. Peters, J. NJ. Lapeyre ie
nd Bernard Fallon, to whom the deed Of If
ust has been executed, and in whom the ii
,ntrol of the enterprise is vested for a CT
rrn which will expire on the I'd of May Il
352. 81
The report then goes on to show the ci
lrious meansby which they have arrived hi
the fact that the validity of the grant ci
unquestioned. It is indeed concIusiycly re
own that the titleis beyond dispute, and &c
G only contingency on which we can be lt
prived of it, is our failure to organize
mpany. The same view OF this queY- nj
IN is also entertained by the Department "
Washington. &C
Mr.. Benjamin then proceeds to show the Of
Of the enterprise, on which st
int his remarks are most conclusive and ~
Major Barnafdsof the En- of
neer corpshas now consented to under tit
ke the necessarysurveys for Iocating the fe
nd, and will leave for the Isthmns on thel so
t November. In the meanwhile Mr.. in
'astour has been dispatched, and the III
.mation he conveys is most cheering as so
the depth Of water in the Ctmtzaco- 90
,o,6Sc. 6f
The committee after stating that all the tIl
iiculties that prevented the organization ri,
a Tehuantepec Rail Road Company BIZ
We been removed, proceed to touch on w
= cost and profits of the road, the infor- tai