[ No. 21. ]

PETITION of 363 citizens of St. Joseph County, praying the Legislature to confer upon the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company, a portion of Public Lands, granted to aid in the construction of certain Railroads in the State of Michigan.

To the Honorable Legislature of the State of Michigan:

The undersigned petitioners, citizens of the county of St. Joseph, would respectfully represent, that the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company is a regularly organized corporation, composed by the consolidation of two several organizations, one under the general railroad law of the State of Michigan, the other under a similar law of the State of Indiana; and that the line of said railroad extends from the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, a distance of 135 miles-48 in Indiana and 87 in Michigan. That said railroad company has a good and valid subscription of $450,000 to its capital stock, the greater amount of which is subscribed by citizens of this State; that the work of said railroad is now progressing; that the office of said company is located in this State, and the officers of said company are citizens of this State. We would further represent, that during the last year, the officers and shareholders of said railroad company petitioned Congress for a grant of public lands, to enable said company to extend said road to Mackinac, and that upon the presentation of said petition Congress did make a liberal grant of public lands to the State, which was designed for the extension of said Grand Rap

ids and Indiana Railroad to or near Traverse Bay. And your petitioners respectfully ask the Honorable Legislature to confer said lands under proper guards and restrictions, upon said Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company.

B. M. Adams,

Jonathan W. Flanders,

L. B. Calstead,
J. A. Tibbits,
James Z. Gowen,

William Tollett,

William Tollett,

C. Barry,

Eben Smith,

Oremus Douglass,

David Berdine,
A. M. Kinley,
Peter Buck,
Chas. B. Peck,
Era Fairchild,

D. Page,
Homer H. Packard,
W. M. Loughlin,
W. L. Pemberton,
J. R. Lilbut,

D. S. Chandler,
S. G. Harkins,

John Frauz,
H. J. Bailey,

Amos A. Rawig,
Nichol Bende,
Lewis G. Lester,
Amos Strurgis,
J. J. Graham,
George Parker,
Arthur S. Graham,

W. S. Leighton,
F. N. Stow,

Henry Leavitt,

Richard Reed,

M. D. Cook,

F. G. Halstead,
G. G. Gond,
J. Billna,

J. B. Gordon,

L. D. Gordon,
Chas. Colter,
Wm. Bryant,

S. Lightland,

L. M. Beam,
John S. Newhall,
J. B. Rowling,
Wm. S. Stoughton,
J. S. Paine,

E. W. Pendleton,
J. Pandee,

J. H. Paine,

A. Mason,

W. Daymouth,
Uriah Sloan,
J. E. Spears,
B. W. Jackson,
D. B. Williams,
Frank Packen,

A. B. Tharge,
John Gilmore,
Samuel Valentine,
James Morbery,
Chas. Stuart,
Adam Jekes,

W. O. Conor.

1857.

No. 22.

[No. 22. ]

COMMUNICATION from the Attorney General in rela ion to the River Raisin and Grand River Railroad Company.

Sir:-I have had the honor to recieve a copy of the resolution of the Senate of this date, requesting me to communicate to them what legal proceedings if any, have been commenced to enforce the forfeiture of the charter of the River Raisin and Grend River Railroad company; and have to say in reply that an information in the nature of a quo warranto is pending in the Supreme Court, with a view to oust the company of its franchises, on the grounds of its non-performance of certain conditions contained in its charter. On the part of the State the case is ready for trial, but owing to strong assurance given me of the existence of important evidence in behalf of the company, I have thought it just to allow them reasonable time to procure it.

I have the honor to be,

Your obedient servant,

HON. GEO. A. COE,

President of the Senate.

J. M. HOWARD,

Attorney General.