DIY History | Transcribe | Building the Transcontinental Railroad | Grenville M. Dodge correspondence with Thomas C. Durant, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1858

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Grenville M. Dodge correspondence with Thomas C. Durant, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1858

Page 03

the hard times, and our constant communication with them renders our prospect for help, in competition with their road more precarious every day. They are to work and their promises appear on the face fair and feasible, I know that they are made only to hamper our Company, by taking away the aid they have already obtained here, and prevent our getting more, others believe them to be made in good faith, the rumors & representations of persons going from here to New York, cannot be relied upon, many of them are not our friends and are in the confidence of the other two roads and the pressure of those roads with their fair promises (they never hesitating to promise anything) is too much for any people to with stand. Hence my desire that the Bonds & Loans should be in secure manner placed beyond all contingencies. These people are determined to do or have something done they are willing (not a dissenting voice can be found here) to pay the interest on the Bonds that are used, I have placed that matter fully and fairly before them. Gave them to understand that it is no seeking of the M & M. R.R. to have those Bonds issued and negotiated now, and when they were voted to the Company, that was not the understanding but on the contrary it was expressly stated that the Bonds would not be called for, for 3 to 5 years, their only answer is take them now, or not at all. I will try the land matter but I believe to commence work and secure the Bonds of both counties should be our first aim then we can make the Land propositions Private Lands are hard to get, at a fair price the uncultivated lands being owned by non resident Speculators. I find by looking at the list that nearly 1/8 of the lands in this county are owned by persons

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the hard times, and our constant communication with them renders our prospect for help, in competition with their road more precarious every day. They are to work and their promises appear on the face fair and feasible, I know that they are made only to hamper our Company, by taking away the aid they have already obtained here, and prevent our getting more, others believe them to be made in good faith, the rumors & representations of persons going from here to New York, cannot be relied upon, many of them are not our friends and are in the confidence of the other two roads and the pressure of those roads with their fair promises (they never hesitating to promise anything) is too much for any people to with stand. Hence my desire that the Bonds & Loans should be in secure manner placed beyond all contingencies. These people are determined to do or have something done they are willing (not a dissenting voice can be found here) to pay the interest on the Bonds that are used, I have placed that matter fully and fairly before them. Gave them to understand that it is no seeking of the M & M. R.R. to have those Bonds issued and negotiated now, and when they were voted to the Company, that was not the understanding but on the contrary it was expressly stated that the Bonds would not be called for, for 3 to 5 years, their only answer is take them now, or not at all. I will try the land matter but I believe to commence work and secure the Bonds of both counties should be our first aim then we can make the Land propositions Private Lands are hard to get, at a fair price the uncultivated lands being owned by non resident Speculators. I find by looking at the list that nearly 1/8 of the lands in this county are owned by persons