Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-10-17
The St. Cloud, Mankato T. Austin Railroad
Information Wanted.

To THE EDITOR OF THE REvIEw:-It is
quite evident that there is something
wrong in the management of the Austin
Mankato s. St. Cloud railroad. If such is
the fact the responsible parties are the
officers and directors and would like to
have you publish their names, SO that
they may be called upon for an explana.
ton. If the charter has been sold to St.
Paul parties, with view to prevent the
building of the road, then one or more OF
the stockholders should proceed by lega1
means to set aside the transfer, if possible
upon the ground of gross fraud. To this
end the people who are interested in this
matter should assist any stakeholder who
will at once institute such proceeding
While in the senate, I succeeded after q
desperate contest, in saving this land grant
from lapsing, and do not feel like
remaining silent now and see the people
defrauded out of their rights in this mat
ter. If any officer or director has been
paid bonus or consideration, and the
transfer, if any, cannot be set aside, then
would like to see an action brought by
some stakeholder to have all the profits
realized divided among all the stockhol-
ders pro rata. A corporation receives
profits for its stockholders, not merely fol-
its officers as such. Its duty is to pay its
earnings to such stockholders. This pro.
ceeding would also bring to light any dis
honorable conduct, if any, and also who
has been guilty of such conduct.
DANIEL BUCK
The late officers of the St. Cloud, Man
kato & Austin Railroad Company, as we
understand them. are:
President-W. T. Bonniwell.
Vice-President-C Gilman
Secretary-Jas. III, Baker.
Treasurer-H. w. Page.
Directors--W. H. Campbell and W. H.
Officer
These are the gentlemen to whom the
above inquiries are addressed and we
hope they will satisfy the public de-
mands by full and explicit statement of
affairs.-Reuiew.
We publish the above in order to say
that we do not believe that the charter
has been sold with a view to "prevent the
building of the road" The directors who
reside in Austin, Messrs. Officer and Page
are men of known and tried integrity and
good character, and the other directors
are well known in the state as public men
We think we can safely say that major
ity, at least, of the officers and directors
have reputation above any such swind
ling act as selling out their constituency
The directors may have been swindled
and duped; how this may be, time alone
will tell. If another season shall 20 by
without anything being done, we shall
begin to believe they were badly duped
Next year will be time enough to believe
that. Railroads are not built in a day
It is fair to give the new Co. ample time
The directors may answer the inquiries
propounded by ex-senator Buck. W.
do not consider them under any obliga.
tons to do so, especially at the present
time. When there has been any proof
of their dishonesty, it will be time fol
them to prove themselves honest. How.
ever, we do think it would be highly pro.
per at this time for the old board Of
directors to give to the public such in.
formation in regard to the building OF
the road, as they may possess, or can OBJ
tain, for the benefit of their large and
very anxious constituency. 49,