DIY History | Transcribe | Building the Transcontinental Railroad | Proposals to T.C. Durant about funding the building of a railroad bridge across the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1866-1868

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Proposals to T.C. Durant about funding the building of a railroad bridge across the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1866-1868

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Council Bluffs June 20/68
To the Pres & Directors of the Un. Pacific RRCo
No 20 Nassau St. NY
Gentlemen,
Shortly after your meeting in March last, when your bridge across the Mo River was located, the undersigned men appointed a committee in behalf of the citizens of Council Bluffs to confer with Messrs Durant & Dillon a committee from your Board in relation to the promised assistance of our city in building the Bridge At the time the promise was made it was supposed our City & County could legally vote to issue bonds for the required amount. Our State Legislature was then in session and about that time passed our Act providing that cities towns & counties could aid in the construction of Rail Road within their respective limits. And such aid must be by direct & immediate taxation and the issueing of bonds or other evidences of future indebtedness prohibited by the repeal of former laws. This act also limited the amount of such aid to 5% on the taxable property of the city town &c voting such aid. When Messrs Durant & Dillon were here the question was presented whether under this law our city & Township could not each vote the 5% in both the city & Township assessment making virtually a 10% tax on the property of our city. And the collection equallizing annually for the term of five years The legal question thus involved was laid before the Atty of your road at Omaha who decided against the legality

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Council Bluffs June 20/68 To the Pres & Directors of the Un. Pacific RRCo No 20 Nassau St. NY Gentlemen, Shortly after your meeting in March last, when your bridge across the Mo River was located, the undersigned men appointed a committee in behalf of the citizens of Council Bluffs to confer with Messrs Durant & Dillon a committee from your Board in relation to the promised assistance of our city in building the Bridge At the time the promise was made it was supposed our City & County could legally vote to issue bonds for the required amount. Our State Legislature was then in session and about that time passed our Act providing that cities towns & counties could aid in the construction of Rail Road within their respective limits. And such aid must be by direct & immediate taxation and the issueing of bonds or other evidences of future indebtedness prohibited by the repeal of former laws. This act also limited the amount of such aid to 5% on the taxable property of the city town &c voting such aid. When Messrs Durant & Dillon were here the question was presented whether under this law our city & Township could not each vote the 5% in both the city & Township assessment making virtually a 10% tax on the property of our city. And the collection equallizing annually for the term of five years The legal question thus involved was laid before the Atty of your road at Omaha who decided against the legality