Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-10-18


cannot the State we'll afford 10 give item tie
land grant when the work is done
1t will require about 5000 900 Of money
| to make the Pacific connection, including ilis
part which Mr.. Blair and his friends have AZ,
already built. With this road partly built,
| wi b 500 900 acres of land which they reeeiy>
ed BY building the Cedar Rapids and Missouri
road, TO be greatly benefited, and with the
mainder Of the land grant to he received from
the State when the road shall be built, i, is
reasonable to believe that they would he a.
likely to build the road as the Old COMPANY.
| !, may do for ono Of she cd Sioux City con-
pany, belonging to the patty who have for
years had the power to extend the road and
have refused to DO 1t. to now propose to take
contract 10 extend the road. But some peo-
pie might think the object was to mislead the
legislature others might think that,a few
thousand dollars might very pro6tably be ex>
pended to save the land grant for two ycars
aore, rntiishs stock Of the road could be soll
at high figure. But all will be lost BY the
State without immediate action, and the ex-
tension Of the road helplessly defeated by the
dolefal policy Of parties who unfortunately
have had the control Of the road for some
time past.
Let the State BY Law take possession Of the
land grant let the legislature mcmoraIize
congress for an extension of the grant let
the law require tie road to pass through Web
sier City and For, Dodge, aud such other re-
strictions as may be desirable; le. the law
give our company the grant if We complete
the road to Fort Dodge by Jan. lst. 1869, and
70 the Missouri river within two years there's
after, and provide that failure Of either cons
ditIon shall forfeit all right to it, and let your
people give them aid by word ard deed in sc.
curing Us the grant, and you are rs eer,ain,o
have the road to Fort Dodge within the time,
and to the Missouri river within the time.
and to be on great through Pacific route ~
the time is to come. Leave the matter in the
hands of the old company and-you can
judge for yourselves.
Respectfully yours. &C.,
PLATT SMITH.
The resolution referred to are as follows.
WHEREAS, The United States, in 1886.
granted to Iowa one milion and half acres
OF valuable lands 10 build railroad from
Dubuque to Sioux City: and
WHEREAS, lfsaid road had been built ac,
corning TO the terms Of said grant, the land
would now he worth double the cost Of tho
road and
WHEREAS, The state Crane these lands
to the Dubuque L Pacific, now Dubuoae 4
Sioux City railroad company, nearly twelve
years since to build said road, and that ,hey
have in return made . vast number Of prom
ises, and the grant was made, which is now
about 70 expire aud revert to the United
States and
WHEREAs, In honor and good faith said
eompany agreed by the acceptance Of said
grant 70 6ssld said road, and if they had 40
done, the same would have been of vast ben.
ent to the state in the increase Of her popu,
laiion and material wealth: and 4
WHEREAS, Said company, before the peo.
pie and in the legislature, have been ex.
tended every possible advant se. and grant,
ed every possible favor, and have returned
only promises broken ard pledges disre.
gardsd as to the extension Of the same. uu-
I'll We have lost confid, nee in their profess.
ions; and
WHEREAS, Ne kaoW that those havin,
the means and money to build said road. in
said company. have time and apsin. no,,
withstanding the urgent solicitations Of Pla,.
smith and others, refused to extend the same.
and e'
WnERGAs, We are informed from rel;a,le
authority, that John l. Blair and other,
have formed company called the aIows
Falls and Sioux City Railroad Comnapy.-
for the parpose Of building said road. and
are now ready to contract to bald sn;d road
q the rate Of so miles per annum to ,bs
With; and
WHEREAS, We believe that said Blair can
and will PERFORM his promises. and will IL
permitted 80 to do, build the said road in
case be can secure the said land gran, after
the same Is completed; therefore
kssotred, That B. +. Cue, C. C. Smel;zer.
Chas. B. Richards, J. +. Duncombe, Gal
usha Parsons, {. H. Kingsley and WIN. n.
Messervey Be and they are hereby appoint.
ed . committee to confer with said Blair and
Platt Smith, and report at . meeting TO b.
called By said committee 1t the earliest poss.
ible moment
kesotsed. That We are 10 favor Of an un.
conditional resumption by tAe State. OF said
Land Grant and that the time Of the expira.
s'oo OF said grant be extended BY Congress
70 the State, and that said land BE- held bv
the State IN trust, to be given to said Blair
Co., Tor in case Of their refusal to anv
other company that will give proper Guar.
anfees for the immediate extension OF said
road West, in case they will build said road
IN good faith, but that not oas acre of land
shall be given to any company, until the
road = actually built through to the Missou>
Il river.
Rss0assd, That our Senator and Eepres.
entasive, whoever they may Be, are hereby
requessed 70 use all their efforts, in anv
event for the resumption Of said Land
Grant.
Resosred, That We pledge our undivided
support 70 The Laildiae Of ssid rod through
the towns Of Webster City and Fort Dodge.
and promise al the assistance in our pows
N procuring right Of vsy and giving aid to
the came.
Re:o!ssd. That sAesc proceedings be pub.
Ilshed in the Iowa Northwest, Hamilton
Freeman, the Dubuque papers, the Sioux
City papers and such other papers ON the
line Of said road as are friendly to the is,-
mediste extension Of said road, and that
copies Of the same be furnished 10 the candi.
dates Tor Governor and Lieut. Govesuor Of
The State.