Omaha daily bee., 1885-08-01
MAYOR BoYD's POSITION.


There are fifty thousand people In
Omaha to-day WHO did not reside here
during the period Of sgltation over the
loo rion Of the Union Pacific bridge In
1868. This class cannot judge for them
selves Of the merits Of the present con-
troversy between Mayor Boyd and DR.
Miller. For their, benefit we shall briefly
review the history Of the negotiations.
When Abraham Lincoln, In December,
1868, located the eastern terminus
OF the Union Pacific at Omaha,
the power to locate 1t elsewhere was
taken away from the corporation man.
ayers. The location Of the terminus was
by no meant an accident. Omaha had
eIerted q powerful influence to secure
the location against such rivals as st.
Joseph and Leavenworth, then leading
cities on the Missouri river. Augustul
Kountze, an Omaha banker, was named
as q charter director Of the road, and
other friends Of Omaha were in the
board. The charter of 1862 and 1864 re
quired q bridge to be built at or nesl
Omaha for connecting the Union Pacific
with the Iowa system. This did no
contemplate transfer of thu
terminus to Bellevue, or q bridge a
Childs' Mills. But the Credit Mobile,
buccaneers, not content with robbinf
their own road out of fifty millions, com
manded the people of Omaha to hold NJ
their hands. They threatened to isolate
and ruin this city by a change of terminus
and bridging the river at Bellevue OF
Chiljs' Mills. Frightened out of their
wits the citizens appointed o committee
to visit ths robbers headquarters in New
York and make the best terms possible.
To show that Mayor Boyd is right and
DR.. Miller Is wrong, we have only to re-
fer to the address Of the committee, "To
the President and directors of the U. P.
r. r.. Company" dated New YORK,
March IL, 1868, and signed by Alvin
Saunders, Francis Smith, Augustus
Kountzs. Ezra Willard, Eaos Lowe, o.
p. Hurford, committee, and to the fol-
lowing dispatch:
New York, March 90. 1868,
To the Press of Omaha:
Bridge located at Train Table. Omaha
pledges depot grounds and two hundred and
fifty thouaand dollars. Council Bluffs pledges
two hundred thousand dollars and lands.
Grounds and right of way will be condemned.
(Slgned) ALVIN SAUNDERS,
ezra WILLARD, Sec'y. Chairman.
The committee Except o. P. Hurford
who was absent at tho tlme) employed
Savage and Henderson to draw up a
contract In accordance with the verbal
understanding made In March, 1868, and
each and every member of the committee
when the contract was read to them
agreed that there was not one word In 1t
but what wal promised by the president
and directors of tina Union Pacs6o. Dr..
Miller was the only man who obi octed
and at that time he Wac not a member of
the committee. If anybody doubts this
statement let him call on Savage and
Henderson.
The location OF the bridge In South
Omaha was not made as a matter OF econ.
omy, but becau:e the Credit Mobilsr
chief had a mistress who wa, Interested
In q large tract of land In the nslghbor-
hood of the bridge.
According to Dr.. Miller, who was
playing toady and lacksy for Durant
and Dillon, the people of Omaha
agreed to donate twenty acrss of depot
grounds to 1.-THE Union Pacific upon the
sole condition that the bridge should be
located here instead of at Bellevue or
Childs' Mills. That statement is refuted
by the committees report, but it may
be inferred that the depot grounds be-
longed to the city aud wore at that time
almost worthless. As a matter of fact
the depot grounds were private property,
laid out In lots and occupied by dwell
ings and stores. TheEe lots had to be
purchased and paid for. The city Issued
$500, 900 In ten per cent. bonds to pay
for the grounds, and a, the bonds were
not negotiable at par they were allotted
to the leading property owners who were
each required to cash the bonds, and if
they were unable to hold them to discount
them at a heavy lo,s. After the depot
grounds had been transferred to the road,
together with S25O,OOO of Douglas coun-
ty bonds, the highwaymen built o
5000, 600 depo. al D.llonvllle, whore
twelve hundred acres of land had been
bought by Dillon to lay out q rival town
to both Omaha AMI Council Bluff, aud
from that day to this Omaha
has had nothing but threats and
promises In exchange for her
princely donations. Mayor Boyd
would be recresnt to his dutyif he did not
at this time fl rmly assert and maintain
the rights of Omaha. The present man.
ayers of the Union Pacific should also
bear in mind that this community Is no
longer a village, aud will not be content
with promises or patiently submit to