Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1855-11-15

given.
The St. Louis and Iron Mountain road, l |
am satisfied, is In no danger of bankruptcy.
When the last loan Of State credit was Civ
en- TO it, it was upon a solemn assurance that
it would be amply sufficient TO ensure its
completion. | know Of nothing which has
transpired, showing that the assurance was
not well founded.
After a careful survey of the whole sub
| iect, feel more than ever, confident the
system originally devised, and which is now
in force, for aiding in the construction of
Railroads, is. in its essential feature, wise,
prudent and safe, evincing on the part Of
the General Assembly, rare appreciation
of the principle Of public justice and re-
makabe forecast. 1t can hardly happen
that any section of road which is compile
ted, would not be worth one half OF the
sum it cost. The only defect in the system
in my opinion is, that it does not require
the roads 10 be constructed and completed
by successive sections, instead of permitting
the companies 10 expend all their means
over various portions Of the lines, in such
manner that if the works are checked there
is no section fit for use. think they should
be required 10 begin at one of the termi-
nj, and complete each twenty miles success
lively, until the whole is finished. If this is
done, whenever they fail 10 fulfill their OBJ
legations, the portions completed will GER
tainly yield enough to relieve the State from
esponsibilty.
have seen no suggestion for change oil
system preferable TO the one now in force,
and if steadily and inflexibly adhered to
tU,,I hn,y l.,,,1t al,
pletion, not only Of the roads now IN pro-
gress. but Of many other works of perma-
nent public utility. can see no object n,
il il shall be found that the friends of the
roads have been TOO sanguine, and that fur
Their aid from the State will be necessary, to
issuing more bonds, upon the terms and con-
ditions now prescribed in the laws, provided
we do not advance the State credit in a sum
exceeding what The roads can be sold for,
: at any time, at public vendue. five ex-
coed that amount, we shall incur the hazard
OF being compelled to resort to taxation to
redeem our bonds, and presume there is
! no one who imagines that the people Of
: Missouri are now, or will be in the future,
, favorable 10 such an alternative.
) By an act approved the 2Sth day of Sep
: TENDER, 1850, the Congress of the United
States gave and granted to several of the
, Western States, Of which ours was one, the
swamp and inundated lands lying within
| their borders. In pursuance OF this act the
: Secretary of the Interior authorized the
| Commissioner of the General Land Office 10
: issue instructions to the Surveyor General
relative TO the manner in which said lands
: should be selected. These instructions were
t accordingly issued, and were to the effect
-, that the lands might be selected by the
) agents Of the States, appointed either by
the Executive, or in any other manner
{ which the several Legislatures should pre-.
= scribe. In our State, in the absence of spe.
l cial legislation, the agents were in few in.
5 stances, appointed by the Governor, but il
d nearly all by the County Courts, which tri
d bunals rovides, in all cases, for their com
D pensation. These agents were, from time
e TO time, furnished with instructions from thu
}, office of the Surveyor General, pointing on
i the method of ascertaining which Of The
t public lands were swamp or inundated
. within the meaning Of the act, and whicl
e were not; and what evidence would be re
= quired to establish their character. They
e were also instructed BY the same officer Il
e return the list OF lands, as selected, duly au
= thenticated, to his office, where, after care
!, inl comparison Of the returns with the fielc
VI notes, he would determine, subject to III,
v supervision Of his official superiors, wha
e portion of the lands should be patented t.
d the State, conformally to the act of Con
: gress. A time, within which these return
d should be made, was also fixed by him.
= This time was repeatedly extended, witt
is the appreciation of the Commissioner of tn
=, General Land Office. Finally, the 18th O
&c September, 1858, was absolutely fixed b.
Is the present Surveyor General as the peri
IF cd after which no lists would be receive
{, by him from the State authorities
l. AT the expiration of the time, he had
c careful comparison of the lists returne
TO made with the field notes in his office, an
a after striking from them such tracts as ap
in peared not to be within the purview of tn
If act he certified the remainder to the Com
OF missioner, and gave an accurate history c
his proceedings, in his annual report of tn,
rs year, rendered soon after. The preser
err Surveyor General General Loughborough
r, on coming into office, and after deliberat
so examination OF the returns then made, cam
he TO the conclusion that it was his duty
III close the whole business as early as pract
m cable, in order to avoid lnterminable conf
2 sion and litigation, and TO do justice alike
to the United States and to this State. II
to therefore addressed to me letter, pontiu
l. out what, in his opinion, was the best cours
d, TO be pursued, and fixing a final term will
st in which lists should be returned to h
office. Concurring in the views he e,
W pressed, and being satisfied that he was al
n, mated by an earnest desire TO execute II
es law, in good faith, | addressed a circular
BY the County Courts, urging them to promr
efficient and final action.
he The result was as have above indies
to ted. But there were many circumstance
tie beyond Official control, which tended
ed thwart our joint efforts. During the peric
H. occupied by the State agents in selectir
Of and returning lists of the lands, the ofic,
of tho n as,istars a,,1 Dooo;,,o., ,,,o.., l.