The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-11-19
The Straight Line Road,

The Straight Line Road.
The statement of Ex-Mayor Hopkins in re-
gard to the agreement of the city with the
Straight Line Railroad will be read by every
citizen. He has no interests inimical to the
road, and his candor gives weight to all he
says.
Fer the Evansville Journal.
EDITOR OF Journal
In the Journal of Wednesday last. is COM
munication from Oliver H. Smith, Esq, Presi-
dent of the E. |. & C. S. L. R. R. Co., in which
he states that he never agreed to wait for the
second one hundred thousand dollars of city
bonds, until the completion of the road to the
crossing of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad
Allow me to give statement of the facts as
understand them.
In their speeches to our citizens, Messrs.
Smith & Carpenter urged that it was necessary
to the success of the enterprise, that the city
should come forward and subscribe 100000
Of stock towards building the road from Ev-
ansville to indianapolis, and that with such
subscription to start upon, they could procure
the taking of sufficient amount of stock on
the line to complete the road in three years.
Influenced by these representations the sub
scription was made by the city, under firm
conviction that the promises thus given would
be faithfully carried out; and | have no doubt
that, at that time, Messrs Smith & Carpenter
believed they could, in good faith, live up to
them.
After several months active cauvassing,
however, they found they could not secure the
subscriptions as expected. Then it was they
concluded it would be prudent to change their
plans for building the road which were
divide it into three divisions, and while letting
the whole line to contract, to confne the work
to the first division Qrom Evansville to the O.
& NJ. r. r. crossing,) until that was finished
as it was not deemed best to work on the whole
until larger stock subscription was obtained
Mr. Smith explained his views to me and
asked my opinion as to this mode of proceed
ing. My reply was that l thought it the
safest plan to adopt.
These facts coming to the knowledge of our
citizens, petitions were put in circulation and
signed by many Of them, addressed to the
Council demonstrating against the issue of any
of the bonds subscribed by the city, until re-
liable stock subscription of not less than two
million dollars was obtained, so as to guaran-
tee the completion of the entire road. | men
toned the existence of these petitions to Mr.
Smith, who in reply. said-that in view Of
their change in the plan of operations he be-
lieved it safe to go on, aid that as they would
not need all the bonds on the first division
they would ask FOR only one hundred thousand
of them then, and the balance when they COM
menced work on the other divisions. | told
him l believed the Council would consent to
that proposition; and when submitted by me
to that body at its next meeting it was unani-
mously agreed to-the petitions being, as
understood, withheld in consideration Of this
arrangement.
The city issued 100000 of the bonds and
they were delivered to Mr.. Smith and gave
entire satisfaction to him and the Directors OF
the company.
49, 1LAG1 III pCdnill5 Oit LIiiS SuUJcCb say
that ifsuch an agreement was made, as here
state was made, it was my duty as Mayor OF
the city to make it part Of the written sub
scripton on the records of the Board over
which | presided. Now l have already ex-
planned that this agreement was subsequent
/ to the original subscription, and that | did
mention it to the Board over which presided,
and in consequence thereof, one-half the bonds,
were issued, instead Of withholding the whole
(until a proper stock list was made up) as
otherwise would doubtless have been the re-
suit
! That failed to take written guarantee.
was perhaps an error, yet under the circum-
stances did not deem it necessary. The
proposition came from Mr.. Smith, and having
unbounded confidence in him, | felt that 1t
would be an impeachment Of his sincerity and
imply doubt of his good faith to ask it.
certainly did not consider it necessary to de-
mand it, nor do believe there was any inten-
ton then, other than to live up to the propo-
siton made. j. S. HOPKINS.
CLF The results Of the experiments of di-
rect shipment from Chicago to Liversool, have
been such as to lead to arrangements for a
regular foreign trade from that port through
Lake Huron, Erie and the St. Lawrence, with
all parts Of Europe. One firm advertises fol
two vessels, one to load with lumber for Glib