Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/391

Rh Portland to San Francisco, and resolved, although poor in purse, to make the best effort they could to secure such a road.

In the spring of 1863, S. G. Elliott, of California, had arranged with George A. Belding, a civil engineer, of Portland, Oregon, to make an instrumental survey for a line of railroad from Marysville to Portland, on their joint account. They commenced their work at Marysville in California in May and reached Jacksonville in October. Before reaching Jacksonville they had sent forward a letter to the author of this book, then residing at Jacksonville, requesting him to canvass Jackson county for aid in paying the expenses of their survey, which work he performed. Upon reaching Jacksonville, Elliott and Belding disagreed as to which of them should have control of the line of survey through Oregon; Mr. Belding claiming that under their agreement he should select the route, and Mr. Elliott as stoutly claiming that as chief of the party and the original proposer of the undertaking, he was entitled to such control. But the question which proved fatal to the ambition of both gentlemen, was the fact that their party of twelve men had received no pay for six months, and there was nothing in the treasury to further subsist the men and teams. The whole party was stranded and their proposed railroad venture wrecked. Mr. Elliott left the party in possession of all its equipment and returned south to California; and Mr. Belding also left and proceeded to his home in Portland, and this ended the connection of both gentlemen with this preliminary survey.

The subscriptions in aid of this first work on an Oregon railroad (not considering mere portages on the Columbia) and the first money expended in the actual construction of such road, followed up by connected and continuous work until the road was in operation, were contributed by the following named persons:

"The following subscriptions are received for the purpose of defraying in part the cost of making a preliminary survey for a railroad route, connecting the Pacific Railroad in California with the city of Portland, Oregon, we, the undersigned, subscribers, agree to pay the amount hereunto subscribed by us, for the above purpose, to S. G. Elliott, on demand made by him. On the final organization of the railroad company, it shall be optional with the undersigned subscribers to become stockholders in said company to the amount subscribed by each, at the rate of $10 per share, with the privilege of one vote to each share, or not. If they choose to become stockholders as above, they each shall be credited on the books of the company, for the full amount subscribed by each. If they do not become stockholders, said company, as soon as able, shall pay them back the amount subscribed by each without interest. It is further agreed that the subscribers to this list shall not be required to pay, or made liable for any amount beyond that by them subscribed."

October, 1863.