Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-02-26
Aahtabula q New Lisbon Rail Road.

For the lelcB'pPh'
Mr. Error: have read the article of a
stakeholder" in your last weeks paper The
main design presume is TO give the officers OF
the A. & n. L. r. r. Co., friendly hints in the
matter Of salaries and incidental expenses. This,
as q motive, is all right.
1t is always well to look sharply after those
who have charge Of our interests and perhaps |
the tax payer might hope that such able con-
trbutors for the press as Stakeholder, would
ere long sharpen their pens and make war on
political officers. National, State, County,
Township and Borough, upon abors less oner-
ous than Rail Road officers, and better paid, and
in hard cash. Probably his task in such busi-
ness would be a hard one-be met fercely. not |
only by those holding political Offices and their
friends but by swarms Of expectants who hope
that there is good time coming, when they will
cone in for share Of the spoils. can assure
Stakeholder, that, among other clogs in the way
of rapid progress in building Rail Roads and
all other improvements which we can't do with
out much longer, is the shameful increase Of
taxes.
But to the immediate matter in hand. am
only Stakeholder, and therefore stand in the
same position with your contributor; feel as he
probably does, that the honor as well as interest
of every member OF our company all in our
vicinity, is involved in the building of our road.
cannot then quarrel with him for his COM
mendable zeal in closely watching and scruti-
zng the management of the Directors, and his
anxiety that all should be conducted with an
eve to the most rigid economy.
I fear, however, that his efforts at this time,
ard in the way and apparent spirit OF his pro-
duction, are ill-advised because unnecessary and
uncaled for, and therefore only calculated to
foster unfounded suspicious and jealousies and
thus to increase the labors, and Of course the
compensation Of the Directors
Our company is not political body, made
up of all within given limits of territory and in
which responsibilities are so scattered, that a
buses cannot often be corrected, but through
the aid of the public press. We are a corpora
ton with charter aud bylaws, and in which
! every member has direct interest, and has q
J voice in the ratio of what he has invested
The ways and means of correcting abuses, il
such exist are all pointed out, and practicable
in regular, quiet, and moreAeficient manner
No matter how large our numbers may be, they
can all attend in person or proxy, the meetings
Of stockholders, all enquire of their officers A
. know what they are about. Change the board
annually, offer resolutions of Instructions &c
We can, If we choose, go into a newspaper con-
troversy, but have yet to learn that if any real
effect is likely to be produced by such course
it is only an increase of supposed evils, rather
!, than their correction. 1t would furnish amuse
meut for the enemies Of all useful public i'm
provcments, and only dispeasc intelligent ant
sensible friends.
1t Perhaps Stakeholder could have drawn up
better report than the one he critcizes. As
L stockholder, have read the report too. sup
pose it is of little consequence to the great bod.
of the stockholders, what may be the opinion
Of two of us, but will say in passing, that
~ think it an able paper, as explicit and fall as
y required of such documents. Salaries OF las
+ year, of each officer eau be learned by ever
ie Stakeholder on enquiry, and so of other detail
H. The committee appointed to examine the ne'
stock, were appointed by all, and each one
a. the new subscribers. They have exercised the
&c best judgments, and it can do no possible goo
u to be talking or writing about it. What "
want now, is not SO much words as actions.
&c they have underestimate its value, am gla
;" of it, if over-estimated, what good will it do
ie be sorry?
y Ii as a new stockholder l desire TO
III thought or what is better, to know myself that
III am an honorable man, / have no time to be so
IL ry unless very mean man will pay up as ia
- as can, and ask indulgence of time, for whit
= l cannot pay as fast as instalments are callC
for. If very mean man, no amount Of viii
- ing will convince anybody, that 1 am anythir
nv else.
As to the character of the present Board
ed Directors. it is enough to say that they we
ng elected by, presume large majority of Il
les certified to- by those having authority. l; I
nd principle were admitted, that one, or fifty stoC
ch holders could be made to clog the action of
tor thousand or more, or indeed, if any mere min
nd ity could control the expressed will Of maj
all iiy, why no rail road or any other useful
Of prOyement could have been made.
eh No great or small work was ever yet co
le- pleted, without blunders aud losses. belle
he our undertaking win most avorably compa
with any other in these respects, At any ra
The Tor one, shall place full confidence in the p
an. sent board, until the next election at least
ing Such confidence for the time being, is esseni
md to 40 economical and steady progress. ent
is tain no doubt that they will exert all their
sed lents and energies in the work.
The infer from what Is known TO all, presu
,use that they design placing all the stock in
4 sition TO be collected, proceed with the W,
.,a as fast as possible, without seriously iDyoly
Lii the company.
;,a5 II is a settled principle with rail road ma
.a,. gers, that suspensions ought not to be allow
oev except on the most pressing necessity. and I
= l. IA 4.