Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-06
THE PROPOSED RAILROAD TO THE
TACTIC
Correspondence. beiwSn Mr. Hhitney nnd hc O.
uernr ri p'rs,nia
M Iru,nnmnn Lon IL 1910

uernn IF p'rg,nia
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1919.
SRA few DAYS since had The pleasure d
forwarding TO YOUR address copy Of The bill 10
carry ou my project, which was reported 10 the
Senate al the last session by sclect committee,
Mr. Mics chair aan; also, copy OF the rep 1T
~ MIR. Pollock Of 4 select committee, 10 the
House.
hope you will be pleased 10 read them and
famine The subject. You will notice that Ii Is
proposition tom Ne 10 purchase sixty miles vile
rom Lake Michigan 10 he ocean, or say about
venty-eight milons Of acres OF The pubic do
main, gooa, bad and Indifferent, al len cents per
acre, out OF which, BIZ my efforts in connecting
me sale and settlement with, am 10 procure
means aud build railroad from said lake 10 the
Pacific ocean and, when completed, the govern
rnent mails 10 be transported tree from charge;
ani ali the people 10 have the free use OF The
road, excep, tolls sufficient only t. keep j, in ope
ration and repair, Congress retaining power 10
regulate aud control Inc tolls.
You will also notice that the lands do not eve!
come into nv lifect possession, and cannot dis'
pose Of them, or pa.t* thereof, on'y after having
completed sections oi the road 10 advance, and
then the commissioned and government having
toll power over all my acts, always holding he
land and road till satisfied that had fully per-
formed the conditions oil the purchase. My po-
sotlon and that of The government would always
be this: As should advance with The road
through the good land some eight hundred miles
| or mCfe, when shall have completed each ten
miles of road which will cost 5000 600, and the
commissioner satisfied with the work, and that i
is being continued onward, | should then be a
lowed 10 dispose of one-hai the land, i've miles
by sixty, or 1872, 900 acre.; but could no, take
This excepl under The certificate OF The commits
sioner, and then tn. patents issue from The lane
Office directly TO the purchaser, and no. 10 me-
The government would hold The road and Iht
other hal-ivc miles by sixty, or 1872 600 acres
through which the road had been completed.
should continue the same through the GOO
lands; complete each len miles OF road receive or
be allowed 10 sell one half, five miles OF the land
and the government holding The other hall, ant
all The road with its machinery; and when ad
vanced fifty, one hundred, or tVe hundred miles
or so far as The good or available land extends
the position would be, the road completed thu.
far, and in operation, The one-halt the alernatee
five miles Of land sold an, settled, the govern
men, holding the road with its machinery, witt
the o,hef malt the unsuld alernaef i've miles o
land, enhanced By The settlement OF The first hal
and BY the road TO several times its present va
lue. and sure fund 10 continue the road through
the poor lands; that, should stop here, as some
have feared, | should have created suffic;en
fund To continue and complete the work, and The
nation would have gained from Inc operation
Congress retaining The power 10 give il 10 ano
Their whenever cease 10 fulfil the conditions o
the sale.
Thus il will be seen that it j, purely an irdi
vidua enterprise, still under the control Of Con-
eress, and disconnected with all sectional party
political influences or bearings; and il appear:
10 me the only point or question involved is thai
OF expediency.
Is The sum proposed sufficient compensation
10 the nation for The ands7 Is il al all probable The
nation could ever in any other way cxpecI SC
large sum for this tract Of land Would DC!
the other government lands be greatly enhanced
10 value by the road7 And is there not very
large portion Of this pery tract which would never