The Van Buren press., 1870-08-30
The Van Buren, Press.
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VAN BUREN,, ARKANSAS.
Railroad Meeting at Fayetteville.

The following is the report Of Judge
DAVID WALKER, of his visit to Boston
and interview with the Railroad men,
contemplating building the Border Rail
road
In response to resolution adopted at
u meeting Of our citizens at Fayetteville,
on the the 9th inst, proceed to narrate
briefly the result of my recent mission to
the Railroad board OF capitalists at Bos
ton; and at the outset it may not be
amiss to remind you, that Mr. S. X. Stone
oil this place and Mr.. A w Dinsmore OF
Bentonville, were associated with me
and if affords me pleasure to say to you
that both of them labored earnestly anc
faithfully to accomplish the object of oul
mission, and that whatever | may herein
say regarding my own efforts IN that con.
nection, must be understood and taken
as applying equally to them.
Waving any particular reference to
the difficulties we met with in procuring
a transfer OF the Charter which certain
Corporators claimed to hold over the
route from Van Buren by way of Fay.
ettevile and Bentonvlle to the State line
Missouri, and which we had been assured
could be obtained, it may suffice to say,
that we became satisfied that the Charter
was procu ed with no intention of con.
structing the road, but to protect them.
selves from rival interests, and for the
purpose of speculation and that in fact,
the franchise was procured from the
State, not in good faith as required by
law. With these convictions, we came
to the conclusion that gross fraud had
been practiced upon the State Of Arkan.
sas, aud that franchise thus obtained
was worthless, and could not stand in the
way of Charter taken with the honest
intention of building railroad, to de-
velop the resources, and add to the wealth
of the State. Firm in this belief, we were
encouraged to appear before the board
Of Directors at Boston, composed as 1t
was of honest. shrewd, practical business
men. After they had examined the gene
raj railroad laws of Arkansas, and learn
ed the facts and circumstances of the
case, took the same view Of the matter
that we did, and gave us assurances, that
if in the future, we could get control OF
the charter claimed by Scott and Compa-
ny, or otherwise obtain valid charter
for road upon the same line, and would
afford them such liberal aid and dona-
tions as it might be in our power to make,
that they ON their part, would at once,
put competent engineers on the line, and
have survey and estimate OF costs
made and that alter their Company shall
have completed their road from Pierce
City to Missouri State line, and circum-
stances permit. they would commence
our road and have it finished without un.
reasonable delay; and further, that any
not be due or payable until the road
should be completed to Fayetteville.
also had assurances upon which
rely with confidence, that any stock sub.
scribed by our citizens wonld il desir-
ed be taken by said company upon
just and equitable terms and may fur.
ther add that since leaving Boston, !
have had assurances upon which conf
IDENTIFY rely, that should it become neces-
sary to procure new charter upon the
same line, that said company will sub
scribe for and take one half of the stock
necessary for that purpose
Such is substantially the understanding
and agreement made with the South Pa
cifc Company. 1t is with great pleasure,
and some degree of pride, that can as
sure you. that the Company with whom
this arrangement has been made, is com.
posed Of men o'intelligence and wide ex
perience, of enlarged views and sterling
integrity, and not surpassed in wealth
and available means by any company IN
the United States and in addition to this
they are earnest and faithful men whose
promises may be relied upon with pcrfec,
confidence; 50 well am ! persuaded oi
this, that | will vouch for the prompt and
| faithful performance Of their undertak
ings, il the people of the whole country
will but show themselves equal to the oc
casion, and faithfully redeem the prom
ises aud pledges | have made on their be
half We must, if at ALL act in the mat
ter at once, and unitedly, or the food
tide which is now upon us may ehb way
unimproved and leave us no time to NEE
the necessities Of tho Undertaking To
sensible men, need not dwell upon the
importance of railroads and many advan.
tages resulting from them, every man IN
the abstract is in favor OF them; dIversi
ty of local interest must not be allowec
to prevent unity Of action.
The man of thought, and the man o
action, equally recognize them as indis
pensably necessary to the wants and prog
ress of modern civilization. No com.
munity without railroads can reasonably
hope to compete successfully with g
neighboring community possessing the
advantages Of railroad facilities. These
propositions being conceded, the qnes
ton properly arises. how are the means
to be raised to build our road? BY au
act Of the Legislature of the State, when
a road is deemed Of public utility, State
bonds are issued as the road progresses
to completion (where there are no land
grants) for fifteen thousand dollars pei
mile, TO pay the interest on which bonds
q tax Is collected OF the people of the
whole State most Of this grant has beer
appropriated for the building Of roads il
which we have no immediate interest
we must bear our part by taxation for the
building Of these roads, and unless we oh
tain charter. and procure like nppropri
ations to be ma le to this. the only road