The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-17


taken up aud considered as in committee Of the whole
being bill allowing exchanges oil school lands and
authorizing selections for deficiencies n certain cases
No amendment being offered. the bill was reported 10
the Senae and ordered TO be ensossed Tor third read
ing,
WEST FELIcIAsA RAILROAD COMPANY
Mr.. BROOKE l ask the Senate to suspend the pre-
vous orders to take up Senate bill No 306 for the re-
liei OF the West Felicana Railroad Company.
The bill was accordingly taken up, and considered in
committee of the whole.
IL authorizes the Secretary OF the Treasury to refund
10 said company the amount Of Judgment paid by them
provided shall appear that they have been permanently
laid down, except such portion may be proved have
been lost BY the sinking Of the steamboat Choctaw.
Mr.. DAWSON. propose, as an amendment 10 this
bill, an additional section. covering similar Objects
gc O. ad be il further enacted, That the Secretary OF
the Treasury be- and is hereby authorized 10 refund the
ed on certain rairoad iron Imported by said company
Providd That the said shall prove the satisac
pored actually laid down, about the time when
he rails Of the Red River Railroad Company. Tho Central
co%aang s@a
which companies Congress has already rcmitted the du
The amendment agreed TO-
Mr. BRODHEAD. Mr.. President would really like
to know what there is peculiar in these two that
the duties this railroad iron should be remed Other
companies, believe, pay duty on railroad iron II there
Is anything peculiar IN these cases which should lake
them out OF the general rule. would like to know
DlT BROOkE VIII slate 10 lhe senator the Idcts IN
the By act of july 1892 all railroad iron that
imported within five years lhetelrom and actually
laid down was to be admitted Tree Of duty In 1886 the
iron imported Tor the West Felicana railroad,
portion OF il being shipped New Orleans, and portion
10 New York Tha, portion that was carried TO New Or,
was sunk on its way up the river on board the steam
boat Choc,aw. In consequence OF the difficulties that
occurred in acquiring the right OF way that portion which
was landed at New York was not laid down within the
and the company now simply ask the duties 10 be re-
funded TO them. nasmnch they complied, as far az
they possibly could. with the requirements OF the act OF
1892 ask for the reading OF the repor-,ha sets forth
the facts.
Mr. DAWSON My friend the senator from Penn
syvania, MIR BRoDHEADl who represents the iron in
interest which he represents. This is acl of justice
which has been recognised in this body ior the last
eighteen years It will be recoec,ed that in 1882 The
government of The United States, for the purpose
Of encouraging these internal improvements blythe States,
permitted railroad iron to be brought IN free OF duty
1t was done to encourage enterprise everywhere and
lii involved individual companies and States in nn-
derakings which became almost rulnous TO them IN
the change that took place in 1896, 1887, and 1888.
and down, believe, to 1912. Tho case OF the West
Feliclana Railroad Company was properly stated by The
the senator from Mississippi tMr. BaocKE The State
OF Georgia, early as 1884, 1885, and 1884, undertook
to carry great lines OF railroads. connecting the northern,
southern, and Gulf States together We expended more
capital, undertook contracts. and have executed
them with more Iapidy, than almost any other State IN
the Union and there has been immense loss upon our
stock Ii Game down at time TO forty cents on "A
dollar e had survey ed all hat railroad, and it so hap
pened that before e aC oil 1912 passed. restoring Inc du
ties upon railroad iron, large shipments were made and
ordered for the various railroads IN Georgia The ship
arrived be covered by the act OF lS42 aud
the duties bad 10 be paid All the railroad companies in
Georgia, and in The South generaly, lime after time, a
piled here, being in the condition in which The West
Felicana and The present railroad companies IN Georgia
were placed and the duties were RENTED. Ten years
ago, aud year alter year. applications were made TO remit
these dues which were paid by these companies into
the treasury; aud bills have been passed but though they
go through one body they never have happened get
through the other branch.
Now, all we ask is-what' Just to be placed pre-
csely upon the footing, the platform, with
other companies, asking The same justice demanding no
donation, and accepting no llberaluy not granted TO
others And 10 have my friend from Pennsylvania,
Mr. BRoDHEADl who represents the iron interests OF
State, up and oppos. this proposition, is really
shocking And am looking al my Trend from Iowa
Mr. DoDGEl over yonder for want TO remind him
Dsye Of our oad aa w We have done much st
ought TO have liberay independent OF justice Bat
ask nothing but justice The people OF Georgia have
extended our raroad into the State of Tennessee and
call upon my friend from Tennessee Mr. BELL to sup
port this proposition We have tapped the valley oil the
Mississippi We got the right OF way Tor railroad N
carried il through aud now we start by steam iron,
Washington city, and, passing over the mountains, ilnd
ourselves upon that beau ilu stream, The Tennessee ap
proachinr The Mississippi river We have laid down the
ron ordered before the act OF 1912 was passed ana
is right should have the duties refunded lhefsl
nothing wrong in il. My friend from New jersey Mr.
MIILERl a year ago reported, ii am not mistaken, this
very bill. The facts as | stated them. Under the
law, the ordered, and arrived IN 'be Oniteu
States. By the act Of 1912 the duties were paid Every
other railroad that know Of save the two which are
now before us, have had the duties RENTED. Inc Cen
trail railroad had them remed The Monroe and western
railroad had them remted and all ask Is that this
government, which has done so much Tor hese Sfeas en-
Ierprses in giving speedy communication and transpora
ton from one end OF il the other, should refund these
few thousand dollars to them Their losses have been
great and gentleman here, am sute, VIII desire 'na,
The justice which has been done 10 one secuon Oh he
country should not be done TO another
Mr ATCHlS0N. By way OF reeprocatng me extreme
berality which the senator from Georgia MI DAWsonJ
has always exhibited towards the West particularly IN
relation 70 the public lands. will make ths proposition
10 him II he viii take, In lieu OF the money paid by way
of duties upon this railroad iron and that has been offered
for sale at 81 Is per acre. will give the subject due
consideration. [Laughter]
Mr. DAWSON. Ii Is for the honor OF the government
that ask for the money They had the money, and
should refund in the same.
| Mr.ATCHISON have this TO say--ihat the sena-
tor from Georgia tMr DAwsos] charges as 81 90 per
acre when make bargain with him, particularly ~
10 the alternate sections upon railroad routes Now,
thought was conferrng favor upon him in Offering
him lands at 81 IS per instead OF money. lie esi
mates these lands much higher Than do-hgher, oe-
heve. than he estimates money. thought was makhs
him very liberal proposition.
Mr.. COOPER After the very pathetic appear maze oy
my irieod from Georgia Mr. DAwsos] iee great re-
luctance in opposing this amendment However, not
wihsanding this appeal suppose shall have 70 put
myself IN the same category with my coheague, lut
BRoDHEADl | am opposed to the amendment offered by
the senator IRON Georgia, lMr DAwsos j although, as
understand the propositions, am not opposed TO that OF
the senator iron Mississippi Mr. BRooxEl-that which