White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1869-09-02
The st. Joseph and Denver Rail.
rOad-lis nanaEemenf.


,Thc 81. - Joseph and Denver ksafi.
rOad-lis Management.
Although frequent complsints hsve
reached us from time to time OF the ex-
tremely loose and reckless manner in
which the affairs of the ST. Joseph d
Denver Railroad have been directed by
sll who ara concerned in it,.
We have forbone until now from har-h /
criticism, hecanse Of positive aversion
to do anything which iebt be construed
by interested parties into hostility to that
important enterprise, npon the success OF
which, as we believe. the continued COM
mercinl prosperity OF our city so l'rseiy !
depends, and because ne had hoped that
the irregulari,ies-.o use no h.rsher word
which had mar ked the history OF It's /.
early management. where the result pro
badly Of want Of experience in such
matters. combined with want of m
formation as to the, temper Of the peo,
pie. Oar citiz,ns. we all know, are
deeply interested in this road. They are
interested in its rapid completion. but
they want to know in the course OF its
construction that the means provided
therefor are honestly aud faithfully expen-
ded, and not in large amounts thrown
around loosely to fill the pockets OF greeiy
operators who. like the vultr'es. are ever
to he found gathered abont a carcass.
The city of St. Joseph has made her
self liable for the building Of this road to
the amount of over $500. .0O0. which
must remain an incubus upon its pros
perlty for long years to come; and being
so pecnnisrily interested. the tax payers
are right in demanding an honest and
prudent administration of its affairs.
The belief is generally entertained that
the President OF the ro,d is honestly en-
deavoripg to discharge the trusts imposed
upon HIM by his office. but with this be-
lief, the conclusion is irresistible that he
has been and is being ovsrreacbed by
shrewd, designing men. who see in the
progress Of the road under its present
management rare opportunities for un-
earned self-aggrand;zement. We shall
ass over m any well-founded charges that
are current in very ellinformed circles
in the city. re-erving our comments upon
those to a future occasion. Oar business
is this morning TO call. attention to the
latest violation Of on important trust by
the management OF this road. This com
pany, as is known to all onr readers, had
a grant made to it Of 125 600 acres Of
land BY the State of Kansas. Il is un-
derstood that i. required considerable
portion OF this land as gratuities, etc, to
prominent Influential parties to secure its
transfer by the State to the road. This,
with some that was sold by the State for
the benefit of the road. reduced the qnan-
tity ID a bout l03 900 acres. which finally
came into possession of the company
Various parties sought to secure this land.
as it was uniers, God to be very desirable,
and certain to rapidly sfprecisfe in val
ne. Parties in Kansas Offered $50 000
One of our prominent citizens, well able
to fill all HIS engagements, offered $780,
600. Some of the Directory had been in
correspondence with certain New York
gentlemen Of large aud acknowledged re-
spousibility. who bad finally wrote to
the Directory for cash proposition
The Directory met on the 9th OF August
and passed resolution pricing the lind
at Sl.75 per acre-the offsr to be open
for fifteen days from date-that is to say.
until the 2lst of August, and directed
'the Secretary to transmit cory Of res
olution." On the 20th-Fridsy last
one day before the expiration ofthe time
allowed the New York parties ,elegrsphed
that they would take the lands at the
price offered, viz: S1.75 per acre. which
would have yielded the road about $780,
600. In the meantime certain home
spectators. beaded by o prominent ban
king firm Of this city. had got hold OF
the mansgers Of the road. and through
influences that may be snrmised. but
cannot be stated with accuracy. bought
the lands of the Directory at Sl.50 per
acre, tyo days before the expiration of the
time allowed tie Neg York parties. invol-
wing not only bad faith toward the par
ties who offered more. but an outright
loss to the road of nearly $4,000. In
other words. S26 600 has gone into the
pockets OF st. Joseph spectators. that
shonld have gone into the building OF the
road. 1t only remains now, if it has
not already been done, for these home
operators to sell these lands to Aha New
York parties for an advance OF S26 900
There being, ss we understand, but Ave
or six OF them, it strikes us as snug
operation, evincig some shrewiness.
There may have been some shrewdn ass,
too, on the part Of the Directory in thus
aiding such speculation. bnt it was not
1 evidently of that sort which is exercised
for the general interest. We state moth
ing but facts which can Be established,
and which no one concerned in the man
agement of the road. frou, the President
down. will have tbs temeri,y to deny
This is tbs kind Of management that has
characterized the administration Of the
affairs of this enterprise since its COM
mencemept.
! We might speak oftha thousands OF
dollars wasted in the change OF route.
which, exclusive of the cost of righ, OF
way by the Wolf River survey. through
the making public of its necessity. will
amount to 100000 absolutely thrown
away.
We might comment upon the large
sslsries paid TO its officers. some Of which
are quite as large as those paid upon
long established lines Of railway.
We might speak with deserved seve.i-
ty Of the conversion of the whole City
Government into "R,ilrosd Ring" {"
neglecting their public duties and the
necessities of the citv eaem;ooiv he;,c