St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-01-19

anu ABOUT y -ti OF > .Fb UltGtItl 81 '''t'''l0
gent expenses, which did not seem I" he pro-
Vidcd for in the law growing out OF services
rendered in procuring the necessary equip,
mcnts and outfit and the transporting an"
disbnrsing of the money, &c, &c.
These sums duly authenticated, have been
placed in the hands of our Representatives, III
Congress, to the end that the State may DC
reimbursed. 1t is understood that this can
only bc done by getting through Congress
special act for that purpose.
| need not say that | opened a correspond.
cncc, both with the President Of the tnItci
States and the Secretary of War, upon the
subject of our exposed frontier, explaining TO
them the character of our difficulties, ana re-
spcctfully solicited that protection which the
Federal Government is bound to extend to
the whole length of our borders. | received
strong assurances from the President that tins
should be done, and a partial promise from
the Secretary that he would establish "A garrl,
son at some point between Fort Rdglcy ana
Fort Randall, that should sufficiently guard
and protect our frontier. Whether this has
been done or not, l am not advised.
RAILROADS
The establishment, at as early day as prac-
ticablc, of a system of railway locomotion
over the State, uniting county with county,
and one ncighborhood with another, and thus
linking together not only the four corners of
the State with bands of iron and putting Ills
in connection with all the States east and
south OF us, is a matter of so much importance
that few men of any section or party, would
wish to record themselves against it,
Their social and commercial advantages
have been tested by millions in this country
and in Europe, and they arc forcing themselves
upon the recognition of every civilized nation.
We have a system of nearly 1900 miles of
railway projected, admirably adjusted to ac-
commodate every part of the State, with only
four hundred miles constructed.
Had we the means to complete the entire
system, it would cause IA wonderful TRANSFORMED
ton to take place in the settlement of our
prairies, in the development of coal mines and
mincral-in stimulating the productions of
the soil-as well as the various branches of
operative industry.
But great and obvious as are these advanta-
gcs, there are Just grounds for apprehending
they will he for some time postponed to us.
They cannot be built without large amounts
of money. Capitalists are disinclncd to in
vest in this direction any longer-it is claimed
by many that the State ought not to give its
aid-county subscriptions are now adjudged
unlawful, and although this description of i'm
provcments are peculiarly adapted to the
wants and the interests of the masses, they
never yet have been prevailed upon to do
much for enterprises of this kind. In this at
titude of affairs, the question may well be pro-
pounded, how are our railroad schemes to be
carried forward! The few enterprising men
in the State who are engaged in this work UNI
aided cannot accomplish the task. A sus.
pension would be disastrous to the best inter.
, csts of the State. Already, it is known that
large numbers of cmgrants have located il
, adjoining States because of their superior al
vantaScs over us in railways. This subject il
of no ordinary import, and is mentioned moi
because have any specific recommendation tt
| make, but for the purpose of asking your scrl
Gus and earnest attention to our real condition
in this respect to the end that you may, IL
, your combined wisdom, devise some mctho,
: by which this work may be progressed, thai
the people of this State may have, under {
system of completed railways, all the benefits
> and advantages enjoyed by the citizens OF 9th
! or States
In regard to the four roads receiving lane
, grants from the General Government through
, the State, as the trustee, it will be remembered
E that the State, in the execution OF this trust
imposed among Others the following condition
That in case either of said Railroad Compa
mics snail fail to complete and equip seventy
; five miles of its road within three years from
. the LIST day of December, 1856, then and i'll
, that case it shall be competent for the State OF
, Iowa to resume all rights conferred upon the
; Company so falling, and to resume all rights
to the land thereby granted and remaining un
. disposed of by the Company SO failing to have
+ the length of road completed in manner an(
~ time as Aforesaid
" IT, after full and careful investigation, ant
~ making all due allowances for the strngcncN
i of the times, it shall appear that any of thes
, Companies have failed 10 comply with the re
;. qurements of the law and the just cxpccta
:, tons of the people, and are now unable, eth
~ CT through lnismanagcmcnt or other cause, +
- go forward with the great work committed +
- their charge, then it will become your dut,
to make such disposition of the lands granted
; to such delinquent Company or Companies, ~
shall secure TO the State the benefit of the
L grant and give to the people along the con
templatcd line all the advantages of a dircc
: eastern outlet that they would have possessed
d if such default had not been made. i canno
: dismiss this subject without advising the pas
,r sage of an act that shall require Il majority {
N the Board Of Directors of all corporations oil
ganized under and in virtue of the provision
of our laws to reside and keep their office {
business within the State
9 CAPITOL BUILDING.
l. This structure was erected at the expense o
N the School Fund, borrowed by six gentlemen
A. of Des Moincs City, for that purpose, for tn
l. payment of which with ten per cent interest
it they gave mortgages on their individual prop
ID erty.
N The amount of money thus obtained fror
nj the Superintendent of Public Instruction, wit
IN ten per cent interest, up to this date mot paid
is So, 100. The building cost, including tn
of lots and interest up to this date, S53,1 IS Gl
r. The divided public sentiment in regard to tn
I, particular site it should occupy, prccludcd tn
In possibility OF building at the common eXpcns
I of the town or county. These men are quit
ne unable to supply the State with so large an
ne costly building for nothing. The Stat
~ ought not to consent to become pcnsionc
of upon that bounty. 1t cannot do SO withou
m compromising its magnanimity. She ought T.
a, own this building-it is convenient substan
TALLY built, and worth the money it cost. Tn
State has been in the occupancy of the build
ing over two years-made important change
l. and Improvements upon the samc-inconsist
re ent, perhaps, with the legal rights of the pro
81 prictors- and it will now answer the purpos
of State House for years. In view of thcs
N facts it is eraycly suggested whether the in
IA tcrest and honor of the State would not b
quite us well subservcd, by directing the mort
A. cages against these men to be cancelled, IL,
G. sumo the liabilities to the School Fund, anc
is pay to them the difference between this funt
nc and the cost of the building.
~ JAMES d. EADs, LATE SUPERINTENDENT, &C.
ID Under your legislation was instructed t,
III appoint II Commissioner to settle with tn,
le sureies of this defaultnS officer, upon the la
III sis therein specified. Robert A. Russell Esq.
Il competent person. wis assigned TO tllIS duty
but failed, after several attempts, to negotiate
such settlement upon any terms whatever
10 whereupon | directed suit to he institute,
d against the said Eads and his surcties for SOM
Is ST. $50 81, being the amount of his suppose,
is dcfllcation. Although the cause was expect
il ed to have been tried last month, the resul
d has not yet transpired.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
lie Since your last session, this work has no
cr progressed us rapidly as could have been de
W sired. The year 1858 was mostly employed
Is in preparing and publishing the result of tn
survey in the eastern portion of the State
TO which made n large volume, in two parts, an,
e. has drawn from the scientific world the mos
ID satisfactory testimonials of its merits. Charge
n as was with the distribution of some two o
ID three hundred copies of this work in foreigl
I'd lands, / was able, through the agency of tn
of Smithsonian Institution, and the assistance o
ut Professors Hall and Agassiz, to make such
H. distribution as will, in my opinion, tell large
ut ly for the interest Of the State
it A list of the nations, societies, institution