Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-10-09
RAIL ROAD MEETING (!


The citizens OF Burlington convened at the
Methodist Church, on Monday evening, to re-
ccwe the Report of the Directors from Iowa,
in the Peoria and Burlington Rail Road.
On molten, HENRY w. STARR, Esq, was
called TO the Chair, and 0. G. WiGHrMAN, ap-
pointed Secretary.
Messrs. Grimes and Mason, the Directors,
were invited to report TO the meeting the do
ings OF the late meeting OF the Board OF Direc-
tors at Knoxville, III. To which invitation me
gentlemen severally responded, in full and
minute statement of the action OF the Board,
the substance of which was as toloWs'
That IN pursuance Of the resolution OF The
Board of Directors passed on the 9th OF Au-
gust last hey repaired TO Knoxville on Friday
the first day of the present month Tor the pur-
pose of letting out the contracts on the eastern
portion Of the route and for the transaction oil
such other business connected with their duties
as should be brought before them. On their ar
rival they found the other Directors, the engi-
neer, aud large number Of contractors IN atten-
dance. The Engineer reported that he had sur
veyed the whole route OF the road from Peoria
to Knoxville and had located the same in &C
cordance with the resolution OF the Board OF
Directors at their last meetng--the route leav-
ing the town Of Pennington some FIVE or six
miles to the left as he proceeded eastward. lie
had however prepared the proiiles and made
minute surveys which he deemed necessary TO
enable the Directors to let out contracts only
for about twenty five miles, which he had diri-
ded into thirty-four sections and had prepai ed
the necessary papers for the letting that portion
of the route only. The contractors had made
their bids accordingly, and it was not generally
expected that other portion of the route
would he put under contract.
The Director from Pennington who had
been absent at the last meeting Of the board
when the resolutions had been adopted to leave
that town out of the line OF the road was now
present, and expressed vehement desire for the
| reconsideration Of that resolution. To comply
with his desire, and ran the road through that
town would involve the company in an addition
al expense of at least sixty thousand dollars, as
very deep cutting Or an augmented distance OF
some five or six miles would be the inevitable
consequence. There were however several
weighty reasons for taking this course.
The charter requires the road to pass through
that town. and the opinion had been pretty ex-
tensvely promulgated, (and is perhaps correctly
that, all the subscriptions OF stock heretofore
made, would be rendered invalid by such a
non-c ompliancc with its terms. Many OF the
Pennington subscriptions had been made ex-
pressly upon the condition that the road should
pass through their town.
A few persons on the route had refused to
part with the right of way across their lands up
on any terms. and how could we compel them
to part with that right by invoking the power
of charter with which we had not complied
True, it was believed that the legislature OF H.
Iinols at an expected special session in June
next would change our charter in this particular
which would tree us from this difficulty hereaf-
ter, but there might be doubts OF affecting such
change. the progress Of the work would at all
events be much retarded, and it is even quite
doubtful whether such change of charter
would dispense with the necessity of commen-
cling anew with our subscriptions Of stock upon
the ground that the terms Of the law. at the time
of the original subscription, formed part of the
contract which the legislature had no power TO
change.
Under all these circumstances, after full con-
sheraton the board of Directors came to the
unanimous conclusion that the order of the pre-
vous session should be re-considered, anil the
raodbe made TO pass through the town Of
Pennington In pursuance of the charter .-
They were the more ready 10 come to this con-
cuslon as the Pennington subscription amount
ing to fifty thousand dollars would be nearly
sufficient TO meet the augmented expense and
the payment of which could not otherwise be
in good faith enforced by the company even if
had the power.
The Board then proceeded to open the bids
OF the contractors, which were very numerous
and very complicated. There were SO much
for embankment; so much for excavation OF
for masonry by the perch /; so much for lumber
of various descriptions, and so on through some
fifteen or twenty different items. One would
bid the lowest on some items another or others.
Some would propose 10 take two or three Sec
tons some five, ten or twenty, and some all !;
some protered 10 take part pay nent in stock,
others required all cash. 1t became therefore,
necessary TO make aborious and close examI-
snation IN order to ascertain which of the propo-
sails should be accepted.
Blu; among the propositions submitted at that
time was one of peculiar character. Ii was
made by two enterprisns and responsible citi-
zens Of Warren comfy, and was 10 the follow
ing import. That they would take the contract
for all the road from Burlington to Knoxville,
at the rate of thirteen thousand dollars per mile
excepting the bottoms opposite this town, which
they proposed TO take at the estimates Of the
Engineer hereafter TO be made. They were to
grade and construct the work under the SUPER
vision of the Engineer and according 10 his d.
rection. Ii was 10 be Of the most approved and
substantial kind and laid with the T rail weigh
ing fifty pounds TO the yard and completed rea-
dy for the reception of the cars.
In payment they proposed TO take the corpo-
rate subscriptions Of Burlington and Warren
county at par-to take the list of private sub
scriptions along the western end OF the route,
not including those of Knox county, or any
farther east. They proffered TO subscribe
100000 towards the stock OF the road-paync
in the five per cent. in cash, and allowing the
remainder to 20 in payment OF their claims
against the company under the contract. The
remainder Of their payments were to be made
in the bonds Of the company. drawing seven per
cent. interest.
Although this portion Of the 70 adj had never
been surveyed, The engineer having only rode
twice along the route--it presented peculiar adj
vantages so important as 10 merit serious con-
sideration. Although the price was considerably
above the probable cost of the road if payments
could be made in cash, we had not the cash to
pay, and prudence, as well as good faith, die
tated that we should not promise what we were
not certain Of being able to perform.
Another consideration OF great magnitude was
the augmentation to our stock subscription,
which would be thereby secured. The county
of Warren had voted to subscribe fif,y thousand
dollars in its corporate capacity but by an or
der OF the county c curt Of that county the sub
scripiion was not to be made until the other
subscriptions amounted 10 S450,000. Now we
had at that time but little over S35O,OO0 of such
subscr iptons. The acceptance of this propo-
sition would therefore augment our stock TO
more than S500O00.
Private conferences with the gentlemen who
had made the above proposition, resulted in The
conviction that they would consent 10 abate
$1,000 per mile from the terms proposed by them.
1t had also been ntimated from another source
that the work from Knoxville eastward to Spoon
river could be let upon similar terms
These facts led TO the preparation of plan for