Yours of the 30th ultimo convey a commission for new director on behalf of the state in the Columbia Central Turnpike Company is received The Stockholders of the company have regularly elected Directors on their behalf annually since the organization of the company At the elections, (immediately preceding your election to the Executive of the state) I advised Gov [Governor] Cannon , that the private stockholders had re-elected the former board of Directors on their behalf_ This communication was made in order that he might appoint the state Directors, but he took no notice of my communication. Hugh Kirkpatrick has never met the Board of Directors and has informed me long since that he would not act__ So has William Welch _ though I am not advised that they have formerly resigned Lewis P Speece has been dead for 18 months I advised Gov Cannon of the Death of the Latter Gentleman death of the fact that the Two former would not act All the other State Directors have regularly attended the meeting of the Board

The Directors on behalf of the stockholders elected this year are Gid J Pillow (Prest [President])

James Walker , Evan Young Lucus J Polk Granville A Pillen James B Pillen Will J Polk Mathew D Cooper & James Booker _

The Two last named Gentlemen have resigned since a regular meeting of the Board and their places have not yet been filled by the election of others

I am fully sensible of the requirements of the charter of our company_ In no instance have the stockholders failed promptly to comply with previsions

We commenced receiving toll at 3 Gates on our road on yesterday morning & will at the 4th gate as soon as we can have the Tollhenge, gate &c [etcetera] put up Its now nearly in state of readiness Though we have certified a completed but 16 miles of our road, we have 18 miles completed I mention this to show you the energy with which we are pushing the work. we confidently expect to have the whole road ready for the erection of gates in Two more years

Your Friend
& obt sert [obedient servant]

Gid J Pillow

[added: Prest C. C. L Co [Columbia Central Turnpike Company]]

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To His Excellency James K PolkNashvilleTennessee

[added: Gideon J. Pillow
Prest of the Colum
bia Central Turn
pike Company _
giving list of names
of the [unclear: present ] Direc
tors on the part of
the stockholders and
of the death of one
of the State Directors_
Recd [Received] Decr 3rd 1840_
Nathaniel Willis _ appoin
ted a State Director [unclear: view ]
Lewis P Speece resign
ed Decr 4th 1840 (see
letter Book p. 125) ___]