The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-04-10
propositions from Capitalists to Build
our Hoads without a Loan and mere
ly for the Lands.

Propositions from Capftalfsts to Ruild
our Roads without a Loan and mere
Iy for the Lands.
At the mass meeting Of the Peo pie at the
Court House, on Friday night, the I'd inst,
Ex-Governor GoRMAN startled the audience
by an exposition Of the fact, that there aoere
Capatatists of assured means aoho mere reody to
take and baild one or more of our Railroads,
merely for the consideration of the LANDS,
without asking the State to incur one dollar
Of risk by any Loan of her credit!
DR.. THos. j. Walden on Saturday address
ed Governor GoRMAN, for further information
on this important subject; and the Governors
reply,-giving an exposition of the crcum-
stances attending the offer, and referring to
other well-known citizens of the Territory as
also cognizant of the proposition-has been
handed to US for publication; and is as fol-
lows: ..s.
ST. PAUL, MIN, April Sd, 1853
DR.. THOMAS j. VAIDEN-Sir our letter
Of this date has been received.
You desire me TO state, for the benefit of
the country, the substance of my few remarks
at the Court House last night, in relation to
the offer of other capitalists to take the
Southern Minnesota road. which comprises
the line from st. Paul anG St. Anthony. up
the Minnesota Valley in the direction of the
mouth of the big Sioux, and from La Crescent
to Rochester.
l reply, that Hon. THURLow WEED and
five others of the City and State of New
Y ork offered last June to take the above
named road, and proceed with it immediately
if they could have the financial control of it
in the directory. Mr.. WEED and others
came to the Territory in May and June, and
urged upon certain persons now controlling
this road that they should have it, but it was
denied them, except Mey paid q heauy bonus
This they refused to do. These persons
were then and are now able to control large
means, and are fully able with the lands to
build two or three such roads.
They had such pledges from highly honor
able men of Minnesota, that they fully ex-
pected to have got the control of one road,
but they failed, and fear that the road will
fail for while and mostly from this cause.
They will, no doubt, take the road to-day,
clear of any of the extraordinary ncumbran-
ces, and push it forward Immediately.
The capitalists represented by Mr.. WEED
stand so high, that none will pretend that
they could fail to complete the road, without
State aid except only the land grant itself
For the correctness of these facts I refer to
w. Il. ENNIS, Esq, II. l.. Moss, RICHARD
CHUTE and others.
At the same time, COL Mason, late Chief
Engineer of the Illinois Central Railroad, was
here representing a number of heavy capital
lists of New York city. anxious to get one or
more of these roads and am informed up
on reliable authority, that these companies
are mop ready to take these roads and bring
their own capital into their construction puh-
out aid from the State, except the lands
If the present owners of our Minnesota
Railroads have not the capital, without our
State loans it to them, others hare, and all
that the present Directors of the S. NJ. Rail-
road need to do, if they think they have a
bad bargain, is TO- Gesig,a and let either ofthe
abope nsmed associations Of Capitalists and
Railroad men haze ii, and no State loan aoiU be
asked on needed.
AS one OF the Directors, | am ready to re-
sign upon an hours notice for | assure the
country, that have no money to build Rail.
roads, and think very few others, of any of
the roads have; but of the ability of the
Transit Road, am not informed.
If this loaa fails Of ratification by the peo-
PIE, as hope it will, the roads will necessari-
ly pass into the hands of men who have the
ability to build them, and plenty such can be
found. Respectfully your obt servt.
w. A. GORMAN.