Letter from Oliver Ames to Thomas C. Durant, April 16, 1868

In this letter from April 16, 1868, Oliver Ames writes to Thomas C. Durant discussing some suggestions he has received from General Grenville Dodge regarding provisions for water along the railroad line. He notes, "we are getting along very well in our money matters."

Union Pacific Railroad Company
20 Nassau St.

New York April 16^th 1868

Dr. T. C. Durant

Dear Sir,

I enclose a letter, addressed by Gen^l Dodge to this Company, containing some very valuable Suggestions in regard to Water Tanks and provision for water in advance of our completion of the Road. We supposed last year in consequnce [sic] of not regarding these Suggestions. We are getting along very well in our money matters and hope in a few days to see money where we shall not have to pay over [7%] for it.

The last profile shows Dale Creek Bridge nearly completed, and [we] hope, as soon as we have 20 Miles ready to send out the Commissioners and get a few Bonds to sell, if we shall have a call when Shattuck gets out his new Advertisement? Shattuck was to have his advertisement in papers today, but I think he failed.

I hope you and Dillon will get the Road well started, and we ought to have Chapman out early to carry out your Suggestions and free the work along.

I wish you would write Chapman and urge him to come out and look after the work. He has got an idea that you think he would be of no service, if he went out from something that you said to him, and he does not wish to go with any such feeling on the part of any of the Committee. I endeavored to disabuse him of that idea. I think he is just such a man as we want, of Large RR experience, with a large interest—for him—in The Road, he would look carefully after its interests and protect us as far as possible from plunderers. I hope you will be able to fix up the Bridge matter and settle all other matters, so that the Road may go ahead with a rapidity that will satisfy the most Sanguine.

Yours Truly,
Oliver Ames