The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-11-20
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR OF AR
KANSAS

KANSAS.
We are indebted to the New Orleans Picayune for ID.
following excellent abstract of the message of Governor
Conway to the legislature of Arkansas now in session.
which transmitted the 4th instant:
The condition of the treasury is said TO be much i'm.
proved There Is balance hand in gold and silver
Sl4224 all treasury warrants had been redeemed Ell.
cept rie of Sss, which had been presented for
payment
distributed and there is balance remaining in the
ury Of S24o43
The amount Of swampland scrip redeemed up to the lot
Of October was Sl,579,70s %.
large part Of the message is devoted 10 an e1pus
ton OF the affairs of the old banks of Arkansas and the
average OF the liabilities in which they have involved the
State for bonds Issued in their favor
The Bank of the State of Arkansas belongs wholly
the State and is managed by officers elected by the eg
ature ls capital stock obtained by the sale of State
bonds OF which there remain outstanding the principal
amount Of ST52 o0 and unpaid interest OF 65s 46s Co
No interest has been paid for thirteen years except that
portion which the United States stopped of the
OF the State OF Arkansas in the distribution Of the surplus
revenue in 1912 TO meet the interest such bonds
the United States treasury held for investment OF lndan
funds
The bank was put into liquidation in ls4s but its Affairs
are still unadusted, and the governor recommends that
they should be taken out of the hands the commission.
ers and the duty Of collecting and keeping the
should devove by law upon the treasurer OF the State
The Real Estate Bank Of Arkansas was private stock
bank. The State had share In it. but she loaned her
bonds to the company to raise capital and took
value of morgaged land estimated at So 6OG03Z
Some Of these bonds sold and some Hypothetical
and 1t is contended that 500 Of them illegally sold
by the parties to whom they pledged and on these
the State denies her liability The principal of the bonds
sold by the bank amounted on the LIST of October
Sllesooo go and the unpaid interest to Ss2s7s7 The
State admits her obligation TO refund the amount Dor
rowed the pledged bonds and the interest on that
This makes for additional principal $l2 1885, which with
the interest carries the whole debt Of the State
OF this bank to S2322,967.
The opinion landa q
the State are sufficient to pay of the whole Of this debt
apd he advises that steps be taken make available for
that purpose; but he finds complicated Of lawsuits
and liabilities to embarrass this undertaking
The governor reports the State rapidly growing in
population and wealth In 1852 the taxable
property amounted to SAP 900 $50; that Of 1856 Is S7O
notwithstanding increase in four years OF S27sj9.
se4 or nearly seventy per cent, and he anticipate thai
with prudence SKILL and economy the State viii be able
BY the time the bonds fall due to pay them in full without
oppressive taxation,
The work OF leyeeng the State is going on successfully
The swamp-and commissioners report that from the ID
April 1892 to the Gath September 1856, they received
245O6s 76-lo0 cubic yards leyee work and granted
hcates for payment amounting to S30035s So and that
they received 1882 3s100 cubic yards OF dtchng at
twenty cents per cubic yard and gave certificates for pay
ment out of the swamp-land fund. .a. 90. g. =.
The commissioners FIRST and subsequently the State
treasurer authorized TO issue swampland scrip 10
payment for levee work The whole issued by both
up to October s 81 797026 Al of which all has been
deemed but S2173le 10.
The OF swamp lands ceded and construed to the
state by the United States was 59I077 acres for 26
3S5 acres OF which the State had received patents There
are still 3543s47 selected swamp lands but not
jet confirmed. Some Of these merely estimated a.
avaaue - 80 so, 49, -. .ae governor concludes tbsb
after satisfying all the swarm land scrn the State viii
have fund remaining Of more than b,oddoo6 acre.
me governor Calls attention TO the condition Of he land
grant mace by Congress in 1853 In aid Of the Cairo and
Fulton railroad which requires that the road shall be con-
sruced within ten years The last Legislature passed an
he railroad company declines to accept not
accordance with the Of Congress The governor rec
ommends that new act be passed. meeting the wishes Of
the company.
No progress has been reported to the governor in the
Memphis and Little Rock Railroad Company, the eastern
branch OF the Cairo and Fulton or In the Little Rock and
Fort Smith road--the western branch Of the same.
There Is passage in the message conmendatory OF the
Mississippi ouachita and Red River railroad and the Lit
tie Rock and Napoleon railroad.
He is In favor Of geological survey Of the State and
urges Immediate attention 70 the sub jet Of common schools
and education in general