Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-08-25
SOME INSIDE FACTS.
A Brief History of the Texas, Santa Fe
& &Northern Railroad Of Moment
to All Tax Payers.
A Fake Which Citizens Are Called Upon
to Seriously Consider Hurtful Pol
Icy Based Upon Fraud.
To the Editor Of the New Mexican.

To the Editor OF the New Mexican.
SANTA FE, Aug. 24.-Our citizens and
tax payers seem to have forgotten the
history of the Texas, Santa Fe & North
ern railroad. To bring this piece OF folly
again to their minds is the purpose OF this
letter.
The object for which the Texas Santa
Fe & Northern railroad was first organ
lied was very laudabe one, namely to
build from Santa Fe to Espanola north
and then from Santa Fe southeast along
the east side of the mountains to Ell Paso.
Sufficient money was raised by the people
of Santa Fe and Bernaillo to make the
surveys, construct the road bed, to pur-
chase about all the ties, telegraph poles
and bridge timber needed and to con-
struct culvers and the timber work Of
the bridges, when, unfortunately, work
had to cease because the funds were eX-
hausted and because more money could
not at that critical juncture be obtained.
Matters remained thusly for nearly three
years, and on the 1st of May, 1886,
folly became boss and the contract was
entered into With L. NJ. Nelly for the
completion Of the road.
There were turned over to this man
who was to name his new board Of direc-
tors on that day the constructed road bed
between Espanoa and Santa Fe, all the
ties, poles and bridge timbers on hand,
the constructed culverts and skeleton
bridge work. This, all told, had cost the
citizens of Santa Fe in the neighborhood
of $4,000. There were also given to
him as president of the road $l57 900 in
bonds of the road 1882 900 in stock, and
he was to have further as the new presi-
dent of the road, for the roads benefit,
$150,000 in county bonds as SOON as the
link between Espanola and Santa Fe was
completed. These latter were turned
over to him in due time.
The cum of $4,000 in railroad bonds
were set aside as trust fund out of
which, upon their sale, $l05, 900 of debts
amount of bonds is still in the hands OF
Geo. G. Preston, the trustee, who has so
far made no report.
In this connection it must be remem-
bered that depot grounds and right Of way
cost the road absolutely nothing.
Chief Engineer Irwin estimated that the
road could be completed on May |, 1886,
for $2l3, 900, including rolling stock, depot
buildings, and everything necessary for
it's successful operation from Espanola to
Santa Fe, and this estimate included new
steel rails and new rolling stock
Nelly swore the other day that to COM
plete the road as it now stands cost S475,-
900. The grabbtrs that control the road
now hold $492, 900 in its bonds, $475, 900
in stock and $l50,000 in Santa Fe county
bonds, or over 81 100000 for what shoulG
not have cost, bran new, 1925 900. In
order to freeze out or swindle Santa Fe
county out OF $50 900 in stock turned over
to it in exchange for the $l50,000 county
bonds issued and given over to the road,
and to freeze out some $45, 900 worth OF
stock still outstanding, the Texas, Santa
Fe & Northern railroad was, presto change,
transformed into the Santa Fe Southern.
Meily's conduct of the road, as presl-
dent, is, and has been, very hurtful to
the best interests Of Santa Fe. Even now
he declines to pay just and lawful taxes
on this thirty-eight and one-half miles of
road, that could to-day be built with new
rails, new rolling stock, and new iron
bridges for $6, 500 per mile.
Not single obligation except the bare
construction has been carried out by the
management of the road; nothing has
been done except to hurt Santa Fe, and
to decline to pay just and honest obliga'
tions.
Here is short history OF the road; do
the citizens of Santa Fe county feel like
paying taxes to meet the interest and the
principal on lot of fraudulent bonds
held by this concern? Do they feel called
upon and justly bound to do 80 when
they contemplate this whole matter in all
seriousness? Can any power on earth
compel them to? We trow not
ONE ON THE INSIDE,