Anderson County KS Archives History - Books .....Chapter XVI 1877
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Book Title: THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.

CHAPTER XVI.

   Various Bond Propositions to aid Railroad Companies to Build Railroads—The
Orders for Submission, and the Results of the Elections Thereon.

  IN the development and growth of this county the people were animated by a
desire to have all the facilities for commerce and easy and speedy means of
travel and transportation that are enjoyed by older and more wealthy
communities, and in order to secure such facilities have adopted the system of
aiding railroad companies in the construction of their roads by voting and
issuing municipal bonds of the county. The question of voting and issuing bonds
to aid in the building of railroads has been a source of grave consideration,
and much discussion, strife and ill feeling has grown out of the various
railroad schemes that have been presented to the people of the county from time
to time, for their approval or rejection.

  The first proposition was submitted to a vote on the 15th day of August, 1865,
to subscribe one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars to the capital stock
of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Fort Gibson railroad company, and issue the bonds
of the county in payment therof, with the following result:

  Monroe township—162 for, 1 against; Walker township—55 for, 23 against;
Washington township —15 for, 6 against; Jackson township—24 for, 5 against;
Reeder township—3 for, 43 against; Ozark township—9 for, 1 against; total—268
for, 79 against: majority for the bonds, 189.

  On the 2d day of December, 1867, the county commissioners made an order for
the submission of the following proposition:

  "Shall the county of Anderson subscribe one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars additional, in full paid-up stock, to the capital stock of the
Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company, and issue the bonds of the
county in payment thereof?"

  With a proviso that said railroad company should have its road completed to
the southern line of the county by the i5th of October, 1868; and in case the
road was not completed by that time the bonds should not be issued. The
proposition was submitted at a special election on the 23d day of December,
1867, with the following result:

  Monroe township—247 for, 14 against; Walker township—47 for, 39 against; Vess
precinct—28 for, 1 against; Jackson township—48 for, 8 against; Reeder
township—0 for, 117 against; Ozark township—8 for, 23 against; Washington
township—43 for, 2 against; total—421 for, 204 against; majority for the bonds,
217.

  On the canvass of the vote the board of commissioners made the following order:

  "There being 421 votes for the bonds, and 204 votes against the bonds, it is
hereby declared that Anderson county subscribe one hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars additional to the capital stock of the Leavenworth, Lawrence &
Galveston railroad company, and issue the bonds of the county therefor, upon
completion of said road to Garnett, in said county: Provided, Said road is
completed and in good running order on or before the 15th day of October. 1868."

  On the 30th day of January, 1869, the board of county commissioners made the
following order in relation to voting aid to the railroad:

  "Be it ordered, by the board of county commissioners of Anderson county,
Kansas, that a special election be held in said county of Anderson on the 6th
day of April, 1869, and that at said election the qualified voters of said
county shall then and there vote 'for' or 'against' the proposition for said
county to subscribe one hundred and seventy-live thousand dollars to the capital
stock of the following railroad companies, and on the conditions following, to
wit: That said county of Anderson shall subscribe seventy-five thousand dollars
to the capital stock of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company;
said stock to be subscribed and the bonds of said county issued in payment
therefor, on condition that said railroad company shall first construct a
continuous line of railway from the city of Lawrence to the town of Garnett, and
have said road fully equipped with all necessary rolling stock for the
accommodation of the business of said road: Provided, That said company shall
have its road constructed and in operation to the town of Garnett by the fourth
of July, 1869, and shall erect and maintain their depot within one hundred and
sixty rods of the public square of the town of Garnett: And provided further,
That said railroad company shall release said county from any claim that said
company may have against said county by reason of an election held in said
county on the 23d of December, 1867; and the said railroad company shall receive
the said seventy-five thousand dollars in bonds in lieu of the bonds voted on
said 23d day of December, 1867.

  "And further, that the said county of Anderson shall subscribe the remainder
of said one hundred and seventy-live thousand dollars to the capital stock of
the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf railroad company, or any other railroad
company that will build said road; said stock to be subscribed on condition that
said railroad company shall first construct a continuous line of railway from
Kansas City, Missouri, via Olatha, Paola and Greeley, to the town of Garnett,
and have said road fully equipped with all necessary railway stock to
accommodate the business of said road: And provided further, That said railroad
company shall erect and maintain their depot within one hundred and sixty rods
of the public square in the town of Garnett; and further, that said railroad
company shall have their road built and in operation to the town of Garnett on
or before the first day of January, 1870.

  "Said stock not to be subscribed to either of said railroad companies or the
bonds to issue in payment therefor until the company has constructed its road as
aforesaid, and in the time specified herein; the bonds to be issued in payment
of said stock to run thirty years from the date thereof, bearing interest
thereon at the rate of seven per rent, per annum, payable annually, on the first
day of July."

  April 13, 1869, the board of county commissioners canvassed the vote of said
special election, with the following result:

  Monroe township—298 for, 43 against; Walker township—87 for, 50 against;
Washington township—35 for, 14 against; Reeder township—1 for, 115 against;
Ozark township—13 for, 35 against; Jackson township—48 for, 30 against;
total—479 for, 287 against; majority for the bonds, 192.

  "Thereupon it is hereby ordered that the bonds as aforesaid be issued to said
railroad companies, according to the conditions upon which said propositions
were submitted."

  August 11, 1869, the board of county commissioners in special session made the
following order:

  " Ordered, by the board, that a special election be held in the several voting
precincts in the county of Anderson, on Monday, September 13, 1869, whereat
shall be submitted to the qualified electors of said county for adoption or
rejection: Shall the county of Anderson subscribe two hundred thousand dollars
to the capital stock of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company,
and issue the bonds of the county in payment therefor? Said bonds payable thirty
years after their date, bearing interest at the rate of seven per cent, per
annum, payable annually. Said bonds to bear date of January the 1st, 1870, and
to be issued and delivered to said railroad company on the 1st day of January,
A. D. 1870, and before that time if the railroad company shall on or before that
time have its line of railway completed to the town of Garnett, in said county;
and if said line of railway shall not be completed thus far by that time, then
said bonds to be issued and delivered when said line of railway is completed to
the town of Garnett, in said county: Provided, The county of Anderson be
released from all propositions or votes taken to subscribe stock or issue bonds
to said railway company. Electors desiring to vote on the above proposition
shall have their tickets written or printed as above, and shall add thereto for
or against the subscription of stock to the Leaven worth, Lawrence & Galveston
railroad company, as the elector may desire to vote.

  "SECOND  PROPOSITION.

  "Shall the county of Anderson subscribe one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars to the capital stock of the Paola & Fall River railroad company, the
bonds of the county to be issued in payment thereof? Said bonds to be payable
thirty years after date, and to bear interest at the rate of seven per cent, per
annum, payable annually, and to be issued and delivered to said railroad company
on or before the first day of January, 1871: Provided, Said railroad company
shall, on or before that time, construct a line of railway from Paola, in Miami
county, Kansas, via Greeley, in Anderson county, to the town of Garnett, in
Anderson county, and the county of Anderson be released from all obligations on
account of a vote taken April 6. 1869, to subscribe stock to said railroad
company." * *

  On the 17th day of September, 1869, the board of county commissioners met and
canvassed the vote of the special election of September 13, with the following
result:

  On the proposition to subscribe stock to the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston
railroad company: Jackson township—-23 for, 40 against; Ozark township—7 for, 32
against; Walker township—104 for, 32 against; Washington township—28 for, 6
against; Monroe township—389 for, 16 against; Reeder township—0 for, 246
against; whole number of votes, 923; for the bonds, 551; against, 372; majority
for the bonds, 149.

  On the proposition for the bonds to the Paola & Fall River railroad: Jackson
township—28 for, 35 against; Ozark township—9 for, 30 against; Walker
township—110 for, 22 against; Washington township—28 for, 6 against; Monroe
township—388 for, 16 against; Reeder township—3 for, 243 against; whole number
of votes cast, 918; for the proposition, 566; against the proposition, 352;
majority for the bonds, 214.

  "The above propositions having each received a majority of all the votes cast,
we hereby declare that the county commissioners of said county are authorized
"to subscribe stock to said railroad companies according to the propositions
hereinbefore recorded on the journal of said board."

  The bonds of Anderson county, to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars,
were issued to the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company on the 5th
day of November, 1869, and delivered to James F. Joy, to be delivered to the
railroad company when the road should be completed to Garnett. On the 8th day of
July, 1870, M. R. Baldwin, superintendent of the L., L. & G. railroad company,
certified that the road was completed to Garnett on the first day of March,
1870; and thereupon the board made an order on James F. Joy to deliver said
bonds to the railroad company.

  August 11, 1871, the board of county commissioners, at a special meeting, made
the following order:

  "Shall the county commissioners of Anderson county, Kansas, subscribe one
hundred and sixty thousand dollars to the capital stock of the Paola & Fall
River railway company, and issue the bonds of the county in payment therefor?
Said bonds to be due and payable in thirty years from the date thereof, with
interest coupons attached, drawing interest at the rate of seven per cent, per
annum. Said interest to be paid semi-annually, on the first days of January and
July of each year. One hundred thousand dollars of the said bonds to be
delivered when the Paola & Fall River railway company shall construct and
complete the grading and masonry work upon their line from the city of Paola, in
Miami county, to the city of Garnett, in Anderson county; and sixty thousand
dollars of said bonds to be delivered when the Paola & Fall River railway shall
have completed the grading and masonry work to the western line of Anderson
county: Provided, however. That no bonds shall be delivered until the Paola &
Fall River railway company shall give good and sufficient guarantees for the
immediate and entire completion of the work by responsible parties for putting
thereon the iron and the necessary rolling stock, without any additional
franchise from the county, and making the Paola & Fall River railway in all
respects a first-class railroad, with full equipments for the transportation of
freight and passengers: And provided further, That sufficient guarantees shall
be given for the establishment and maintenance of depots at not less than three
places in Anderson County—one of which shall be in the town of Greeley, and one
in the city of Garnett, and one between Garnett and where the said railway shall
intersect the western line of Anderson county, and to be not less than eight
miles from the city of Garnett."

  On the 15th day of September, 1871, the board of county commissioners met and
canvassed the vote of the special election, with the following result:

  Rich township—-21 for, 53 against; Ozark township—15 for, 25 against;
Washington township—27 for, 20 against; Monroe township—453 for, 30 against;
Lincoln township—24 for, 6 against: Reeder township—1 for, 73 against; Walker
township—96 for, 29 against; Jackson township—33 for, 21 against; Putnam
township—15 for, 26 against; whole number of votes cast, 968; for the
proposition, 685; against the proposition, 283; majority for the subscription of
stock and issue of bonds, 402.

  The railroad indebtedness of the county to aid railroad companies in the
construction of their roads is as follows: Two hundred thousand dollars issued
to the Leaven worth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company; dated January 1,
1870, payable thirty years after the date thereof, bearing interest at the rate
of seven per cent, per annum; interest payable annually.

  There is now one hundred and sixty thousand dollars of the bonds of Anderson
county in possession of the Treasurer of State, issued to the Paola & Fall River
railway company, dated April 1, 1874, payable thirty years after the date of
issue thereof, bearing interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum;
interest payable semi-annually from their delivery. These bonds are in escrow,
to be delivered when all the conditions on which they were voted have been
complied with. The legality of the issue of these bonds has been questioned, and
a suit is now pending in court for the return of the bonds to the board of
county commissioners, and for their cancellation.


Additional Comments:
THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY,
FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.
BY
W. A. JOHNSON,
CHAIRMAN OF HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.

PUBLISHED BY KAUFFMAN & ILER, GARNETT PLAINDEALER,
1877.

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1877, by
KAUFFMAN & ILER, In the office of the Librarian of Congress,Washington, D. C.


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