The first meeting for organization under the charter was held at the office of Luther C. Challis, in Atchison, September 15th, 1869. At this meeting $52,000.00 of the first subscription was paid to enable a preliminary survey of the proposed route to be made and the first board of directors and officers chosen were as follows: -
Directors: L.C. Challis, Geor. H. Firchild, P.T. Ablell, S. C. Pomeroy, L. D. Bird, C. K. Holliday, F. L. Crane, E. G. Ross, Joel Huntoon, M. C. Dickey, Jacob Safford, R. H. Weightman and J. H. Stringfellow. Officers: C. K. Holliday, President P. T. Abell, Secretary and M. C. Dickey, Treasurer.
The terrible drought of 1860 totally paralyzed every business enterprise of the territory and with the organization complete, as above stated, the work on the road was held in obeyance until more propitious times would warrand a beginning that might promise success. The famine was so complete and general as to entirely impoverish the whole farming community. In the natural course of events, should no further disaster befall them, it seemed unlikely that the settlers could so far recuperate as to render any adequate aid to the project for years to come.
At this juncture, the directors determined to press the claims of Kansas for a national subsidy and as early as the session of 1859-60 C. K. Holliday and his associates were in Washington urging the claims of their enterprise. Every session of congress thereafter saw an efficient delegation of lobby members from Kansas working with discretionary zeal for a land grant for the great trans-continental railway until the desired aid was obtained.
On March 3rd, 1863, by act of Congress a grant of land was made to the State of Kansas, giving alternate sections, one mile square, ten in width on either side of the proposed road, amounting to 6.400 acres per mile, on condition that it should be finished within, or at the expiration of the years, from the approval of the act. The grant was accepted by the state and transferred to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, February 9th, 1864.
The war of the rebellion was then at white heat, especially in Kansas and little could be done further than keep up the organization and hold secure the land grant conferred upon the road, as a basis of credit for the ultimate completion of the road, February 17, 1864. Eight days after the land grant was legally in possession of the corporation, a meeting of the stockholders was