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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of this proposition. And held that whatever aid was given under this law must be voted & collected at once under the provisions of this act  such aid can only be voted to a road in the process of construction through the Township or County where the tax is levied & collected. Your road not running in this Township or County of course the aid could not be given to it - It was then understood that a new company should at once be organized to build the bridge & road from the end of the bridge to your transfer & Depot in this city. To such a company aid by taxation could be legally given. Up to this date we are unadvised of any such organization. And of course we could do nothing. The people of our City are disposed to do any thing in their power that can be done to comply with the terms made when the bridge was located. And had we the power to issue our bonds either City or County for the original amount the proposition would be almost unanimously adopted And could we under the present law give aid to the required amount payable in annual installments for the term of five years such proposition could be readily carried. But to vote to levy & collect a tax of 10% in one year would not be carried It is useless to try it. To collect this amount in addition to our other burdensome leving would put the half of the property of our city under the hammer
Understanding your Board will be in session next week and being desirous to advise you of the legal obstacles in our way we thought best to present this matter to you in its true light
There has been one plan suggested by which we can give

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2 of this proposition. And held that whatever aid was given under this law must be voted & collected at once under the provisions of this act such aid can only be voted to a road in the process of construction through the Township or County where the tax is levied & collected. Your road not running in this Township or County of course the aid could not be given to it - It was then understood that a new company should at once be organized to build the bridge & road from the end of the bridge to your transfer & Depot in this city. To such a company aid by taxation could be legally given. Up to this date we are unadvised of any such organization. And of course we could do nothing. The people of our City are disposed to do any thing in their power that can be done to comply with the terms made when the bridge was located. And had we the power to issue our bonds either City or County for the original amount the proposition would be almost unanimously adopted And could we under the present law give aid to the required amount payable in annual installments for the term of five years such proposition could be readily carried. But to vote to levy & collect a tax of 10% in one year would not be carried It is useless to try it. To collect this amount in addition to our other burdensome leving would put the half of the property of our city under the hammer Understanding your Board will be in session next week and being desirous to advise you of the legal obstacles in our way we thought best to present this matter to you in its true light There has been one plan suggested by which we can give