The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-07-15

pSSvUanoNt ~ WAC Ttau WIG BIesss Wa AAeAos |
repairing them to Gle their claim with the
Cosnty Judge whore the land claimed may
be situatsd, within two months Of the pas |
sag Of the act, but he shall not be entitled
to more than 800 acres, ct the rate Of two
dollars and City cents per acre. There have
been one or two sections added to the bill
since the printing, but this will give you oil
the essential provisions Of the act. 4
L learn from Col. Patterson that the
am endments to the City Charter have been
passed BY the Legislature, nearly or quite in
the same shape a. was agreed upon at keo-
kuk. He will endeavor to bring home with
him an enrolled copy, 90 that you will be
able TO lay it before your readers in few
DAYS.
The session is drawing rapidly to CLOSE.
Tho only business of Importance remaining
for their consideration, (Which may prove
the all-important business of the SESSION.
is the contract with the Dcs Moines Nariga-
tiol aud r. 4. Co., for the improvement of
the DDS Moines river. The memorial OF
Donald Mann, Of the city Of New York, to
the Legislature, sets forth in clear, lucid
and intelligent manner tho abuses Of the
Des Moines Navigation and Railroad Com
pany, charging majority Of the members
Of said Company with corruption, fraudu-
lent transactions and violation OF the laws
Of Iowa.
This document, coming from stockhold-
er Of said company seeking redress or exam
nation into the nature OF the continued abu-
ses, for which he has sought redress in vain
at the hands of the company, at . time when
i, is universally known along the valley Of
the Des Moines River that the company have
most shsmefully neglected the interest OF the
Improvement and procrsstinated the progress
of the work from the very beginning up to
this time, accompanied with the unexampled
| iooseness and recklessness Of manner of
transacting business, it is not at all surprising
that it should produce here in this legislative
body feeling Of disgust and CONSERVATION
quite equal to that manifested in Wall street
on the discovery Of the frauds perpetrated
by the deep laid villainy of Mr.. Schuyler
Mr.. Mann charges the company with q con-
tinual violation Of the laws OF Iowa from
almost the very day Of its organization up
to the present time with issuing stock Of a
false representation, " for tho purpose Of de-
ceiving the public and individuals in relation
to their means'' and the real value OF the
stock so issued that the company have never
kept the books or SCOPES thereof" either
"correct or incorrect" at their principal
place Of busins ss, as required by the code OF
Iowa, under which this company organized
and have pretended to transact their bust.
ness and that the Treasurer Of the compa.
ny, Hon. A. Hunt, has acted in collusior
with certain members OF the Board who con.
stitute majority OF the executive commit.
tee, by which means he bas loaned Messrs
Edwin G. LitchReld, Elisha @. Litch6eld, and
John Stryker, the majority of said executive
c,mmitte, "large sums Of money (paid in BY
Outsiders y" that these loans b, tho Treas
urer were corruptly made, and without tn,
least shadow Of authority or legality, sstt
the great danger of the stockholders, and Il
] the detriment Of the Des Moines Improve.
ment, for the sole profit and benefit Of th'
, said Treasurer and members Of the executiv,
committee; !" and he says, sin order to avoit
. exposure," books and accounts have not beer
kept in the Office Of the company, ~ requires
by law, by which duplicity and deception
they have deceived and defrauded the public
and subjected individuals to great loss in tn
. purchase Of the fraudulent stock.
!, The manly and explicit expose Of MI
: Mann has caused a cloud of disgust and con
: demnation to appear in the legislative halls
o which is exciting very conuidEable anxiet
q in the minds Of the members Of the directo
y ~ now in this city, and an occurrence Of sue
10 a character is Of sufficient manitude to pre-
n duce distrust in the minds Of any thinking
g responsible body Of men. 1t lis not our pul
Ell pose to excite alarm ~ to the ultimate SUI
ID ce,s and prosperity Of the Improvement, b.
IN to forestall it, and hope to aid in the mear
It Of correcting the great and alarming abuse
lie practised upon the citizens Of Iowa BY Il
st fraudulent and iniquitous transactions .
= this Des Moines Navigation Railroad Con
Re pany. We do not consider the frauds Of th
% company 80 disastrous, or the misfortune
10 their opnrations no nnfortaaassy bat that TN
h may be in . great measure remedied BY . vii
ID and stringent course Of legislation. II
* special committee to whom was referred Il
Il memorial of Mr.. Mann, and also the who
a subject involved, have not yet reported
J. They give the memorial Of Mr.. Mann gre
ip credit for its apparent trathfulness. 1t ce
Of tainly carries with it evidence of perfe
~ understanding Of the affairs of tho compan