HISTORICAL MEMOIR. V 



in the vicinity. The Erie Railroad was not completed, and only 

 7,000 miles of railroad had been constructed in the United 

 States. 



The result of the meeting was an immediate organization ot 

 a company, and a subscription on the pot, by the eleven gen- 

 tlemen present, of $154,000. Books for further subscriptions 

 were ordered to be opened ; a committee was appointed to 

 make arrangements for a general topographical and geological 

 survey of the country, and to prepare a memorial to Congress 

 for a donation of alternate sections of public lands along the 

 route for the construction of the proposed road. At that time 

 there were large bodies of public land in the State open to pri- 

 vate entry, 29,216,000 acres, as was stated in the memorial to 

 Congress, remaining unsold. 



The preliminary meeting above alluded to was organized by 

 the election of JOHN O'FALLON, President, THOMAS ALLEN, 

 Secretary, and D. D. PAGE, Treasurer. This organization soon 

 afterwards settled down into a more permanent form for the 

 year 1850, in the selection of THOMAS ALLEN, President, Secre- 

 tary and Treasurer, and JAMES H. LUCAS, Vice President. 

 Early in the season, JAMES P. KIRKWOOD, of New York, was se- 

 lected as Chief Engineer. Books of subscription having been 

 opened at the Merchants' Exchange in St. Louis, the sum of 

 one million of dollars was subscribed by citizens of St. Louis 

 by the 1st March. 



The following gentlemen were elected Directors for the first 

 year: Thomas Allen, James H. Lucas, D. D. Page, Edward 

 Walsh, George Collier, James E. Yeatman, L. M. Kennett, 

 Louis A. Labeaume and James Harrison. The preliminary 

 surveys were commenced on the 24th May, and were closed on 

 the 29th November, 1850. 



Five different lines were surveyed, embracing in the whole 

 over 800 miles of survey. Taking into consideration as well 

 the estimated cost of construction of the different lines, as the 

 probable need of a branch to the Iron Mountain, and to the 

 South-west part of the State, the location, by Mill creek valley, 

 valley of the River Des Peres, and by the valley of the Mera- 

 mec, was adopted on the 18th of June, 1851. 



During the progress of the surveys the President personally 



