Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-08-11
How the Iron Mountain was .sold."

How the Iron Mountain Was ssS0ld."
OF ali the dishonest, corrupt things done by
the republicans IN that golden period between
1855 and 1870. truly golden period 20 republic
an legislators the action aiken with reference
TO the ST Louis Iron Mountain railroad Was
the most outrageously clpable and completed
dIscredits ali that part Of Ma! Warmers Soda
liza speech relating TO the day Of repO oiican
rule A PLATA statement of the facts, supple
mensed BIZ the testimony OF republicans then
members OF the assembly Is sufficient proof OF
republican corruption and disagreement
The ST Louis Iron Mountain Railroad Co
defaulted in payment Of interest maturing jan
uary /, 1859. and the Cairo s Fulton on the in
tereSt falling due January L 1854 The roads
are associated here because they were associ-
ated in the plans Of the thieves
According to the terms Of the mortgage to the
state, the Iron Mountain was sold September
@ 1861 and the Cairo Fulton October L 1855
and both were purchased by the state for the
amount Of the states lien Gov Fletcher ap-
pointed B. G. Farrar, ". Watt and Charles
s. Rankin TO take charge OF and operate these
roads for the state.
Under an act approved By Gov. Fletcher the
roads were advertised by the above named
commissioners be sold November II, 1850 the
purchasers to extend the Iron Noun tain south
TO infsrsect the Cairo s Fulton in three years
and 10 the Mississippi river, opposite Column
bus. KY. in Eve years: and the Cairo s FUTON
to be extended TO intersect the Iron Mountain
in three years Now for the records
They show that on that dav the following
bids for the Iron Mountain road alone were re-
ceived and opened:
Samuel P Dinsmore S Co.----.----.---s1 Or. 900
j. c Fremont ----- i-oco-ot
J. A Sumner 4 Co.-----.-----.---..---- sooeuo
Southwest Missouri Railroad CO. eo.oo9
A J. Mckay and Others. a'oeu
Separate bids were made for the Cairo & Full
ton. which was then a separate and distinct
property as follows
Missouri RajIraai ca tst1
J. A Sumner i Co ---..---.-----..----..- 19o,oo
Joseph G Read and others $50 900
Two OF the commissioners Fa-rar and Wall.
awarded the Iron Mountain road TO the lowest
bidder A J. Mchsy and others al s551, 900: the
three Joined in the award Of the Cairo S Fulton
TO Joseph G.. Read and others al s3S1Uoo, and
Gov. Fletcher approved both awards The re-
publican legislature had authorized ana ap-
proved some very strange financial operations
III regard TO the releasing OF the states lien
railroad property, but this action of the cou,-
missioners Il awarding. ana that Of Gov.
Fletcher in approving. the sale of the Iron
Mountain 10 the lowest and worst bidder, was
a new departure, and a committee was ap-
pointed by the house at the regular session Of
the Twenty fourth general assembly TO investi-
gate -
Rottenness Unearth ed by the Investigation
TIE republican committee, OF which Hon
James C McGinnis, of St Louis. was Chairman
as appears OF page 633 house journal of regular
session in 1857. took a large amount of testi-
mony and reported 10 the house the conclusions
reached therein. TO wit: That Mr.. Dinsmore
and MS associates were ready 10 carry out their
bid had the road been awarded 20 them at 81
Or. 90, which was si77,oo0 more than the sum