Demoine courier., 1855-12-13
To the Settlers Of the DeS MOines
Valley.


wns made between the Commissioners Of
!)es Moines River improvement, and a
company Of men from New York, for
the entire CON pletion OF the cnntempla-
ted River Improvements.
After the lapse Of about eighteen
mon,hs, this far famed company had so
far matured their plans as 10 advertise a
portion Of the work for contract. These
contracts were bid of by Various parties
as we are told, for about eight per cent
less than ths Engineers esiimaie-bm
the contractors were not instructed TO
commence their work until the first Of
September, Soon after this time, the
Company visited the Valley, and came
20 The conclusion that the character Of
the work was TOO expensive, and il mus.
be reduced about one-half; and to this
end they made some verba! contracts
with zone Of the contractors 10 pu. up .
very inferior kind of work, and The pre-
sumption is, that when they yisi, US
again. they will direc. the Dams aud
Locks 10 be built OF smoke.
By reference 10 the contract of This
Company, made with .he State, it is e
pressly stipulated tina. this Company shall
not put II work which shall be inferior
10 that contemplated in the original plan.
II may be asked who is to louk after the
interest OF the State in This matter. BY
law. and by the terms Of the contract,
this duty cevolves upen the State Com
missioner and Engineer, but it is under
stood that the Commissioner assents TO
every proposition that the Company
make, and there is no State Engineer 70
consult in the matter, as the Engineer in
charge Of the work is the Officer Of the
Company. Yet, we are told that he acts
os State Engineer also. This is as alb.
surd as to suppose that one attorney in
an important sui. could &C, for both par
lies al the same time. How the Com
missioner elected by the people 10 look
after the interests of the State can be SO
h~umbugged, is a question yet 10 be an
swered. 1t is already understood that
there is a gres. chance for making up
large estimates for the Company, for the
pav Of a great retinue Of officers and
servants under high q y,,odo what should
have heen done in half the time, and a,
less than one half the expense; all Of
which are 10 be paid for ~ Of the Lands
while very Iii.lc work is done. II 10 true
that this Company paid up the State in
~debieSness, and paid their own expenses
for which il is understood that they have
received land according TO the contract.
Now, fellow.ciizeps, they advertise
lihese lands for sale, and ask you to bid
la high price for them. Would it no,
look better for the Company to do some
work-to make some improvement which
shall enhance the value of these lands.
before they ask an advanced price,
These lands are given TO them for zone
doAar'and fUenty fire cts per acre." for
making the River navigable, and until
this is done, ii is hoped that no person
will offer any higher price; besides this,
it is understood that their deed for those
lands is a only conditional one, and there
fore ihejr title is no, perfect. There are
many other facts which will be present
ed in due sine.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE DEs
MONIES VALLEY.
November, 1865.
The above article has been circulating
in this vicinity in hand bill form for some
days past, and as il coa'ains serious
charges not only against The Demoins
Company, but against the Commissioner
upon the part Of the State, we give il
publicity in order that they may have an
opportunity Of reiuting any misstate-
ments that il may contain. Who the
author is, or where il originated, we are
unable 10 say, but il deals in charges,
which il true are enough 10 arouse the
indignation Of every man In the State.
For ourselves We can hardly believe
.hst these specifications are true. When
the contract was made the Commission
ers were led to believe that they were
dealing with honorable men. and We have
seer nothing as yet to convince us TO the
contrary. Farther than this. the con-
tract made with the Company vas by
the assistance Of two special Com m
ers, appointed by the Legislature, and
whose Terms Of office expired as soon as
the contract was made. Therefore nei-
iber they, nor the present Commissioners.
in our view Of the matter, could make any
arrangement whereby the character Of the
work mightbe materially changed. We
hope to hear from the Commissioner and
the Company in regard 10 this matter. and
that the charges c~ontainedin this hand bill
are entirely wi.hou, foundation in truth.
We cannot for q moment believe that
they are true unless we have better evil
dence than that afforded Us by Zone of
the People Of the Demoine Valley"
ARTHuR's HoME MAGAzINE.-The
January No. Of this excellent periodi-
cal il OF our table. The ssory Of "A
Good Time Coming" Is concluded in