| Office of Engineer and Superintendent,
Florida Railroad |
| Fernandina, April 20th, 1861 |
| |
| Hon. D. L. Yulee |
| |
| Sir, |
| The application to the Secty
of State for Florida, seems very nearly complete, but the name, number
of Trustees, and some few other items connected with these. I propose
to settle in New York, sign the application complete there & then
forward the same to you here to be filled up as to signatures &c
then sent forward to the Secty of State and a certified copy sent to
me at Washington D. C. from which place my mail branches off to meet
me. All of which I understand to be agreed upon between us. |
| So far as the steps are
concerned to be taken at Montgomery, I can proceed with or without
your aid as you deem most prudent. I should at this standpoint say I
thought it best to apply to Mr Mallory, & have him get the orders
from Secty of Treasury for right of transit for March mails &c
going beyond Florida ??ding of course the matter of the mail from
Cedar Keys to Key West, but of course my acquaintance with Mr Orfutt,
Reagan & Celimems enable me to ascertain the contemplated routine
action of the P. O. Deprt. |
| So far as myself is
concerned, coming to Fernandina, you can upon reflection write me at
Washington, if agreeable to you, making such a proposition as you
think you can afford to make, at same time placing me or Mr Morris on
such footing with Mr Roberts, as will enable me to secure his ear and
enough of his time, to thoroughly overhaul the question, the first
step for the mail I propose to take at Montgomery & advise you;
the second step at Washington to secure a mail, is dependent in part
upon the arrangement with yourself & Mr Roberts for my personal
attention to the road interests, for unless I am authorised to act or
have Mr Roberts endorsement, I cannot with any chance of success upon
the main question at Washington. |
| So far as the Express
contract is concerned between the R road and the express company, I
had probably better perfect that in New York at same time as the
application to the Sectry of State, ??h draft of same to you, and when
made mutually satisfactory, signed by you and me, and ratified by our
respective boards, (assuming I am ??? of the Express Co). |
| As we have discussed so many
different views of this subject I have grouped what I considered the
salient points together to see if we both comprehended them in the
same light. |
| {The letter is not
signed; M. L. Smith was the Chief Engineer of the Florida RR at this
time.} |
|