The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-05-13
FAs Dss msines Improvement Cen
VYnyerSy.

Manning, Esq, the present Commissioner,
have been carrying ON quite an animated
controversy in the Keosauqua papars, in ref
srence to the management of the Improve
nent. MIR. Manning in his last communica-
tion, written under the impression, We pre-
sumo, that he was u defeated candidate,
pitches into the matter with will, and makes
some sharp thrusts, which the Captain
will End it very difficult to parry.
In taking Capt. Bonney to task for the
course OF policy pursued by him during bis
term Of Office a. Commissioner, Mr.. N. sa:ya
Snow it is toe palpable and plain to every
honest mind, that il was just as practicable
to commence the work with view to be a
continuous line Of navigation then as 1t is
now. Why, therefore, was it not done p
Why did Mr.. B. consent to and approve OF
different policy from that plainly stipulated
and agreed uponf Why did he advise and
approve that the line of Improvement should
be again engineered and surveyed ut IN i'm
mense cost to the State al . precedent step
In commencement
sit IL well known to every one in the Val
ley that the improvement had undergone two
thorough engineering surveys by the State
Immediately before the contract was made
by the Company, and all the plats and sta
tistics OF the same were At the service and
command Of the Company. To demonstrate
Mr.. B.'s ruinous policy still further, / will
state that Col. Wells was principal Of the
resident engineers 10 both cases, 6rst for the
State, and lastly for the Company, and that
the work vas we'll and faithfully done, both
FOR the State and the Company, there is no
doubt. Well, what was the result of the
last survey? Why the same as before, ma.
king the same points or nearly 80, for locks
and dams that had been established BY the
State. Who then 10 chargable for this un-
necessary expenditure? Had Capt. b. OBJ
Jected to this measure as uncalled for and un-
wise, instead Of advising or permitting it to
be done, how different would the case have
been. Il was not only great sacrifice of
money, but was also great loss OF time
The true policy both for tho State and the
Company was to have FIRST finished the I'm
provement that had been commenced by the
State in order to secure its earliest available
use.o
Then as to Commissioner Bonney selling
out to the Company Mr.. NJ. remarks:
Again, Immediately or soon after this
contract was completed with the river Com
pany, We lind Capt. Is. neg otiating and SELL
ing out his contract at keosauqun to the
river Company, for a bonus of IS 900 OF
river stock. This transaction the Capt. saws
was well known. 10 this bear him witness.
1t was 10 truth notorious and it was further
more equally notorious that this transaction
ut the time was mystery, and forbodings
followed it.o
In regard to deciding the lands Of the I'm.
proyement to the Company, Mr.. Manning in
s'sss that the Company had failed to comply
With their contract, and that the State was
under no obligation to convey the land to
them, and that il ought not to have done so
I'll the completion Of the work according to
contract had been secured by the company.
But the Company were strenuous in their no.
hcltaiions, and Mr.. b. was a stockholder,
and Mr.. Manning continues
about this time Mr.. Mckay was elected as
Bonney's successor in Office, and was daily
expected TO assume tho duties Of the posi-.
ton, when this entire responsibility of trans
fcrring land TO the company would have de-
volved upon him. Mr.. Mckay did not arrive
rs soon as was expected. The Company
were here, Capt. Il. as Commissioners in fact,
although the time had arrived when he should
have gone ont Of Office, hastens to assume
the responsibility Ut grossly violating his
pledges to myself and perhaps other citizens
oil the valley, makes n settlement with the
Company and before any important work had
been completed, and with full know ledge that
the Company had failed to comply with their
original agreement in many Of lis vital stip.
ulasions, transferred TO the Company SIS, 1853
acres OF the river lands. Thus by this ACT
was established the policy of the Improve.
ment; ploicy which | denounced ut the
time as placing the entire Improvement in
jeopardy.
Further along in recapitulating, Mr.. Man.
ming says
''But again Capt. b. says, 81 did not be. !
come interested in said Company, directly or
indirectly, until after the contract with q. |
=. Wright, Z. Bisgs and myself on the par, Of
the State, had been faly communicable
Tins Is lodging the charge. We're you not
commission<r, siockh Older and contractor
a. the same time, or were not these relations
so blended that where one began and the
other left of cannot be discovered in point
OF time. Were you not stockholder in the
Company, at the time you made the contract
with the Company, rs Commissioner, sur 4
rendering the right OF the state TO have one
fourth OF the Improvement completed the
hrst year, and in lieu thereof authorizing
resurvey OF the entire river at a cost of thou
sands OF dollars
Were you not n contractor, or had nut in
bid Tor work, and were YOU not stock holder
when you transferred more than 81, 900 acres
OF land 10 the Company"
The keokuk and VT. Pheasant IL cad.
The Directory Of the keakuk, Mt. Pleas
ant d Muscatine Railroad Company have lust
concluded o contract re-le,ting their road,
from this place TO Mt. Pleasant, to Messrs,
Sullivan and Templn. The Company nav
the contractors in their bonds and securi-
tles Tor the work, and the contractors under.
taxeto finish and stock the road in two wears
from the coming fall. This will tend more
than any thing that has yet occurred to IN
slre the completion Of this road. The hrst
division is to be put IN operation mmedi-
a.eiy, md the remainder Of the work will
doubtless progress with all reasonable dis.
patch, as the contract makes ii to the interest
OF the party undertaking il, TO pu. il into op.
Grafton at the earliest day.
The completion Of the road, to Mon,rosc,
sau tnvcoutract for its construction as far
- MI Pleasant, places the Company 10 an
Attitude N which they may justly look to the
people Of Ms. Pleasant and /, Henry county
Tor liberal subscriptions and advances OF
"maseriai aid,o to hurry up the work 70
that point. The interests Of the people Of
that section, demand tromnt and lihar,e IL