The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-06-18

Kansas, and with two amendments,
would make a perfect system for all
those States, and also, for every portion
Of the Territory of Kansas. The amend
ments are as follows: To change the first
road, so that instead of touching the
Kansas river 'at or opposite Laurence, &C."
to have it read "by soay of Lawrence, Le-
compton, Tecumseh, Topeka and Fort
Riley, &c." and add another short road
as follows "a railroad from point, at
on near the mouth of the KaW river, and
running thence through johnson, Lykins and
Anderson counties, to intersect the road from
the Missouri State line to Emporia" This
system will unite every portion of the
Territory of Kansas, with bands of iron,
and equally open and develop the re-
sources of all parts of the Territory, and
give several routes for access to the States,
and at the same time give equal advan-
tages to all the towns on the Missouri
river and the borders of the States of
Iowa and Missouri.
At the first general railroad convention
in Kansas, ''the Jefferson City and Neosho
Valley Railroad" was proposed, and
committee was appointed to examine the
route. Subsequently, at a convention
held at Butler, Bates county, Mo-, on the
9th of Sept, 1857, John 0. Wattles, chair
man of the committee, made full report
which was approved, and measures were
adopted to obtain charters from the Mis-
souri, and Kansas Legislatures. During
the session of the Missouri Legislature,
the following winter, charter was OBJ.
tanned for "the Usage Valley and Southern
Kansas Railroad Company" to construct a
road from some point on the Pacific
Railroad, between Jefferson City and
Round Hill, and running through Nor
gan, Benton, Henry and Bates counties
to the Missouri State line. Under that
charter, the company has organized, the
requisite amount of stock to make a
commencement has been taken, and the
stockholders have entered into an agree
ment to connect with the Jefferson City
and Neosho Valley Railroad, so that a
continuous line of road will be construct
ed through Linn, Anderson, Coffey, Mad
ison and Breckenridge counties to Empo-
ria. The two companies have appointed
committees to confer with the Pacific Rail-
road Co., and the Missouri Central Rail-
road Co., in regard to the point of con-
nection with their roads, and have receiv-
ed assurances of the cooperation and as
sistance of both those companies. By the
arrangement proposed, our road will have
access to the Missouri river at Boonville,
and by the Pacific road to Jefferson City
and St. Louis, and by the Central Nilsson
ri Railroad, we will have access to the
Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad and
when our system of roads is completed in
Kansas, we will connect with all the
roads and towns of north Kansas, and also
with Kansas City and all the river towns
from Wyandott to the south line of Ne
braska. We have been told that "this
is great undertaking." aud that "it will
require more means than we can obtain
to accomplish it i; we are. aware that it
will require time and money, but we are
satisfied that this country has within itself
the means to construct every road pro-
posed in this report, and it will be evil
3 dent to all, that it can be accomplished
upon the plan proposed by our compa-
MES in Missouri and Kansas, to construct
/ our road.
The country through which the Usage
Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad in
Missouri will pass, is still, to considera.
BILE extent, in a state of nature, and the
lands are owned in large bodies by spec.
ulators, and until the proposition to build
This road was made, could not be sold
and the annual tax upon it would in few
years have impoverished the owner
I (without railroads, the same will be tn,
case in regard to Kansas lands.) 1t ha
q been demonstrated that one third of tn,
lands for twelve miles on each side woult
more than construct the roads, and tn
Q other two-thirds would then be wortl
3 more than double the amount of all tn
lands without railroad. The owner
are convinced OF this, and are giving t
our company in Missouri, deeds for lands
and taking stock for the value of tn
lands thus given, which will place in tn
hands of the company, sufficient means
by a mortgage of the lands, to build tn
% road to the Kansas line.
g At the railroad convention, held a
t, Butler, corporators were selected for th
Jefferson City and Neosho Valley Rail
If road, and at a meeting held at Hyatt
Ne Kansas, authority was given to apply
j. the Legislature of our Territory for
IS charter. incorporating the persons chose
7, at the Butler convention. The chartt
o was granted, but the names of the corpc
n rators were changed, which being dii
covered on application to Governor Der
Is yer, he refused to sign the Bill, and
/ failed to become law. In June 1856!
d the stockholders of our road assemble
lie and adopted articles Of association i
q conformity with the "Act to authorize th
n formation of railroad associations, and
l. regulate the same; approved Feb. %
y 1857" and appointed board of dire
h tors and filed with the Secretary of Il
d Territory the articles of association, ar
Is the evidence that the requisite stoc
Il, under the law, was taken, and the pc
lie centage paid in conformity with the Ia,
Of The board of directors appointed Eng
b. neers to survey the routes through Kansa
/: and appointed w. F. NJ. Army Preside
y of the road-our agent to obtain from Il
Of General Government, the right of WI
~ and grant Of land. Three routes we
ID surveyed, (Which will be found in Il
v report of the engineers,) one of Whit
le ran principally through Government land
in and the right of way was obtained, wi
the privilege to use materials for Il
be construction of the road, and the sele
he ton of lands for depots and water st
IN tons, from the lands belonging to Cover
he ment. The plats were fled in the &c
~ eral Land Office, the application grant
vt and orders sent to the land Office in Il
Territory to reserve the right of way, &
il On the other two routes, the right Of wi
On has been obtained Except in one localit
h. from the settlers, and almost every settl
~ has entered into agreement to donate
I'd the company, lands for depots, Gin son