Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-12-01
ENG1NEER's OFFICE, c. & F. R.R., ,
 Little Rock, Nov, 2Oth, 1857. ] n EnwApD cposS


 Hon. EDWARD CRoss,
 President c. q 4. F. R. Co.
 SRI have the honor to report to you that in compliance with your instructions of September 30:h last, left Little Rock on the lst of October. At Memphis I ascertaned by telegraph that MT. Brayman, land comms- sioner of the company. was at Chicago. 1 went thlther, presented to him your letter, and re- ceved from him two books being the official lists or schedules of land pertaining to the con- pauv under the act of Congress of February 9, 1853. 1 also received from him three large folio volumes, containing the plots of the lands designated as the property of the company. The official lists, which by decision of the attorney general on legal evidence of title l have deposited with the secretary of the com pany. The large books of plots being nconve- nient for transportation, were deposited in safe hands in Chicago. I have written directing that they should be forwarded by safe hands to Little Rock
 l went from Chicago to New York ard, as instructed by you called upon Guverneur Morris esq, for conference upon the affairs of the company, especially in relation to the matter of procuring money by the sale or upon the pledge of so much of the lands of the company as are now under the law available for this purpose
 
 impossible to negotiate for a loan, or a sale. in the then condition of the money market, and may here incidentally state that his opinion was uniformly corroborated by those of fnanciers- men of intelligence versed in the subject of railroad investments--who all advised me, not to attempt to carry ont this part ol my instruc. tions, because it would be a ruinous sacrifice of valuable property, and because by little delay. the company could make more favorable con- tracts when the difficulties of the commercial world, which they regarded as temporary. should be overcome
 l went to Washington and had several con- ferences with the Commissioner of the general land of1ice and with the clerks, who have spe- caly in charge the department of land grants to railroads. Upon the subject of the contested swamp lands the commissioner informed me that the schedules forwarded to Washington by the agents of the company, had been collated. and so soon as copies had been made they would be forwarded to the Surveyor General of Ar. kansas, with instructions to him to take testi mony on the part of the State of Arkansas, and of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad Company. as contestants for title to these lands-that the tes tlmonv thus obtained should be referred to the authorities at Washington, and the decision of the question made there. The decision of the commissioner upon the interpretation of the act ot March, 1856, is favorble for the companv lnasmuch as he regards it of no force to with draw from the lands available for selection, such lands as are not really overflowed.
 l called the attention of the commissioner to the injustice done the company by preventing selections within triangular space, adjoining the Texas boundary, which had been thrown out because of the oblique approach of the line of the road to the State boundary.
 l addressed him letter on this subject, copy of which l submit herewith. I returned to Little Rock on the 18th inst.
 Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
 JAS. s. WILLIAMS,
 Chief Engineer, etc. On motion of MT. Wait the board adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow.