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1848.

No. 13.

THE MEMORIAL OF THE MICHIGAN SOUTHERN RAIL ROAD COMPANY.

To the Hon. the Legislature of the State of Michigan:

Your memorialists respectfully represent to your honorable body, that they took possession of the Michigan Southern Rail Road on the 23d of December, 1846, under and by virtue of the charter granted to them; that they have paid to the State the sum of one hundred and twenty-six thousand (126,250) two hundred and fifty dollars, being the amount of the principal and interest due on the instalments up to the 23d of December last; and that they have put the said road into good repair, at large expense, during the present current year; and that the road is now in a much better condition and more valable than when they took possession of the same. That they have put on to the road, during the last year, new engines, cars, &c., to the amount of $36,000, all which, in detail, will appear from their duly authenticated annual report to the Secretary of State. And your memorialists respectfully represent, that the security of the State for the remaining payments, in view of the amount paid, the better condition of the road, and the increased stock, may reasonably be estimated much better than when the road passed into the hands of the company.

And your memorialists further represent, that they are deeply impressed with the importance of extending the road west, by the way of Coldwater, not only to their own interests, but to the great and true interests of the State. The southern tier of counties in your State, west of Hillsdale, it is hardly necessary to say, are among the most productive in the State, and rapidly being filled with a dense population, while the surplus products of that section of country, may be safely estimated at a million of dollars per annum; and the

annual loss to the producer, for want of facilities to a market, is enormous; and all must see, at a glance, the interest which the southwest has directly in the extension of the southern road to this section of country; and those interests the people of that section have most earnestly pressed and urged upon the directors of said rail road.

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The Company, fully sensible of the just claims of the west, and of their own true interests, in such a measure, have, during the last three months, caused full and accurate surveys to be made, of the route west of Hillsdale, with the view of extending the road as soon as practicable; and, while they are fully satisfied not only of the practicability of the route, and the comparative economy of extending the road, of the great importance of an immediate extension ofthe same, yet, your memorialists are unwilling to embarrass the company by making so large an expenditure as will be required to extend the road, while, during the same period, they must, by their charter, make large payments to the State; and while, also, the business of the road will require them to relay a portion of the track with heavy iron; therefore,

In order to enable them to go on and accomplish this great public object, in which, as your memorialists think, the State and the company, have an equal, and to a certain extent, an identity of interest, respectfully propose,

;

That the company go on and pay the interest on the amount due to the State, semi-annually, on the day fixed by their charter, as the same shall fall due; and that the time of payment of the principal sum required by their charter, be extended six years; and that at that time, they pay the amount due the State in semi-annual instalments of the same amount as now required by their charter and that in consideration of such extension of payments, the said company will go on, and with all practicable despatch, extend, complete and finish the road, westwardly, to Coldwater, and stock the same as rapidly as a faithful devotion and application of all the nett proceeds of said road, together with such sums as the said company may deem practicable and judicious to raise from time to time by assessment or otherwise, upon their stockholders, will permit; and that the State shall at all times have a lien on the road so

extended, and upon all increased stock put upon the road, and all stock and materials on the line of the road, while the same is extending, as an additional security for the payments due the State.

Your memorialists are prompted to make this proposition, not only by their own interest, but at the urgent solicitation of many of your citizens, west. And they do so the more readily, and with the more confidence, inasmuch as it in no way, as your memorialists believe, can operate to the detriment of the State, but, on the contrary, will greatly and rapidly advance its whole interests.

TUNIS B. VAN BRUNT,

SAM. J. HOLLEY,

CHARLES NOBLE,

D. S. BACON,

N. B. KIDDER,

JACOB TEN EYCK,

ELISHA C. LITCHFIELD,

WM. A. RICHMOND,

Monroe, February 7th, 1848.

Directors.

No. 14.

1848.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. To the Honorable the Senate:

The undersigned, your committee, to whom was referred the Senate resolution of enquiry as to the expediency of providing by law for the publishing the journal of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, bearing date February 14, 1848, respectively submit, that they have taken the same under consideration, and from the examination made, your committee are of opinion, that if consistent with the duties and avocations of the honorable the Board of Regents, a more full and labored report of that honorable body, than usually appears in their annual report, as presented through the medium of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, might be productive of the happiest results, both, as regards the action of the legislature and the feelings of the people at large, for it cannot be denied that prejudices exist, and as your committee are compelled to believe, to an unwarranted degree, against the University and its managers, even in the minds of many good and intelligent men. And perhaps your committee might be warranted in the expression of the opinion, that the feeling is abroad in the community, and even that it has found its way into these halls, that there is not as much light thrown upon the acts of the Board of Regents as might, with great propriety, be given to the public. Nor can it be denied that the reports of the last year and the one submitted to the present legislature, are remarkable for brevity, being little more than the bare naming the class of the last graduates with a polite request that the legislature would, by no act, disturb the quiet which the University has for some time enjoyed. All this, probably is very well. But might not that honorable and learned beard do much more? A most munificent fund has been placed at

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