White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1869-09-02

Truth from lfcad.&kuarters.
We have had much to say, within the
past six months. about the management
Of the St. Joseph and Denver Railroad.
In doing this. we have been charged with
enmity toward the rosd. The charge
Was false. We believe the building OF
the road will be grest benefit to the
country, and we have shown our friend
ship for it, whenever we have hsd an op.
portunity to do it 10 practical manner.
Bot we have denounced the humbuggery
and skullduggery Of the present Board Of
Directors, and shall continue to do so.
Facts have transpired. from time to time.
to viudicate our course; and now the
thing has become SO plain that even
the people of ST. Joseph are getting their
eyes open. The press Of that city has
done its utmost to bolster mp the con-
duct of the managers Of the Road; but
now the Herald comes ont with sn array
of facts and charges which prove all We
have asserted, and more. The article
from the Herald, which We publish in
smother column, was replied to BY the
President of the Road. who sought to ex-
plain away the charges; but the Herald
replies again, and reiterstes what it said
before.
Here are the facts: Parties in New
York offered S1.75 per acre for the State
lands granted to the Road by Kansas, and
the managers gave them to certain date
to close the transaction. Two days be-
fore the expiration of the time. the lands
were sold to persons in St. Joseph for
$l,5O per acre. and when the New York
parties telegraphed their acceptance, 10
the time agreed upon. they were two late.
In that transaction, the Road lost S26. 900.
The St. Joseph parties will sell to the
New Workers at the former price. and
thus pocket the s26. 900 as profits of their
own. Nobody will doubt that the man
ayers of the Road will divide this profit
between them.
This is but continuation Of the rob-
berry commenced some time ago. A ma
jority of the Directors, for some reason,
in spite of facts and 6gures, located the
road on the Highland route. As last
resort. the Chief Engineer came in with
. revised estimate of distance and cost,
varying widely from the estimates made
ct the time of survey. The contractors
knew, from the start, that the last esti-
mate was bogus. and that the route would
be changed back to Wolf River. 1t was
changed, end those contractors. who knew
the plans beforehand, were allowed an
addition of one thousand dollars per mile
for making the change! Bear in mind,
that they knew from the beginning that
the change was to be made. and that the
present route could be graded much the
cheapest, still they are allowed an in
crease of 81. 900 per mile. to compensate
them for their worry and disappointment.
All this involved loss to the Rosd of
800, 900, the bulk of which has no doubt
found its way into the pockets OF the ma
jority Of the Board. To cap the climax.
they have punished the engineer for mak-
ing the false estimate. by doubling his
sslary-hsve paid him for aiding in de-
ception. and robbing the public!
When the Highland route was absu-
doned, some of the members of the Board
demanded an investigation. But the ma
jority refused it, saying. never pay any
attention to whatever may be said, as it
will only create disturbance, and dis
trust of the road; do not reply to any
charges. and they will soon die out. So
investigation was refused, and the six
gobling members of the board pocketed
the profits they had stolen from the peo-
PIE. We say six. because we do not be.
lieve the bosh about President Hall hav-
IN honest desire to labor for the interests
of the road. He lets on to kick 'furiously
against all the swindliug operations voted
through by the Eve directors; but we no.
tics that as soon as the thing is done. he
comes quietly into the traces, and goes to
carrying out what they voted to do, after
pronouncing it swindle; and when it
becomes necessary. be rnshes into print.
in defence of any Of their swindles.
II the Company were squanderipg and
stealing their own money. it would be no.
body's business but their own. But it is
the people they are swindliDg. The land
that they ere specializing on. was donated
BY the State of Kansas. to build rosd
for the benefit Of the people of Northern
Kansas. The Company already have in
their clutches $4,000 of the money Of
the people of Donipbsn Comfy. voted to
build road for the benefit OF the people.
That money is being stolen and squsn.
dered, and the people will have it to pay.
dollar for dollar. principal and interest.
We do not believe. that the present
Board Of Directors have any intention Of
building the road. A new election oc-
ours IN October. when they expect to be