Smyrna times., 1862-03-13
To The Public.

The articles in the recent numbers of the
Easlon Gazette, attacking the President and
Directors of the Md. & Del. r. R. c., and the
Judges of Election at the late Stockholders
meeting deserve the execraton of all Just men.
Written as they evidently are by thees who ma.
liciously vent their private spleen through the
medium Ofthe editor of that aper upon gentle.
men who have devoted their best energies,
their means and their time to this enterprise,
il is rot surprising that they contain many mis-
representations. end much vile abuse. 1t is due,
however, to the public, that a brief review Of
the facts of the matter should be given, that
fair judgement may be made by good men upon
the subject, and as we have been a ockhoder
in the Company, and familiar with its affairs
from its origin, we will give our understanding
Of the facts.
Some seven years ago Gen'l Tilghman first
brought into being the plan of connecting the
counties OF Talbot, Queen Anne, and Caroline
by railroad facilities with the best markets at
all periods Of the year, and in connexion with
several other gentlemen organized Company
and obtained a charter first in the State of
Maryland, and after much difficulty and labor
subsequently in the State of Delaware.
| The Board OF Directors, together with the
! President were selected of those who took the
most earnest interest in the enterprise, and
most faithfully did this band labor for years to
obtain stock subscriptions and otherwise pre-.
pare for the commencement oftbe work. They
sought and obtained the assistance Of the first
engineers of the country, they called meetings
of the citizens along the whole proposed line
from Easton to the Delaware Railroad, they
used their influence, time and money, to over
come the prejudices of the community against
rairoads-they surveyed and located the road
| IN tn fha hnS nj
disappointed aud designing men, but finally
obtained sufficient means to open proposals and
Immediately they made a contract for the con.
slructi9n of the read. The utter incapaciiv o
John Il. Davis to fulfil his contract with the
Company threw them again upon their reeOur
ces TO prosecute the work. They proved them
selves equal 10 the task. The persevering anC
interchangeable President of the Company afte
repeated disa ppointments, at last secured from
the State Of Maryland the long deferred appro
priation to the Eastern Shore, and to the Nd
& Del. r. R. Co. its proportion. Here at ono
this board obtained for the Company $I40, $50
being equal to all the stock of the Comp pa n,
besides. Again from. the Legislature of Del
aware through the most diligent exertiun, the
obtained a grant of l14,000 dollars for tn
benefit of the Company. They invested be
tween seven and eight thousand dollars of thei
own. private uDSdDS III lie kolOCh VI tue OOHpuuy
and to carry on it's operations borrowed owe
twelve thousand on their individual credit, an
used il in the construction of the road at a tim
: when the Company had not credit or funds
I and even submitted to Judgements againt
themselves TO remain for years to the njur
of their private interests in Bank. and apple
Is the money derived from all sources to the wor
D when they might have relieved themselves b
% paying off these judgements. Under thee
. circumstances, it would seem reasonable
suppose that those who had evidenced such
u voton and accomplished so much for this Con
e pany, would receive the gratitude and con-
70 dence of fthose for whom they had thus Lahore
= and so indeed they had until after 4 ne
70 contract was made with Mitchell g. Mafil pr
70 vidiHg for the completion of the entire roa
When these Contractors found that they we
e not able to comply with the contract, they
le gan TO lock around for every method 10 avo
il and take advantage of ths Company. Th,
first approached the Chief Engineer; but fin
n ing him ncorruptbe they began to make col
a pa nts against him, in order to get him
r. moved. In this they were also unsuccessful,
they then endeavored 20 put in the work ini
, a ror and indifferent materials, which was d
". covered aud rejected by The Engineer and III
from one step to another they proceeded a
were detected, until finding they could neitl
an impose on the Engineer nor the Board Oh
resolved to effect II possible the removal OF