Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-04
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.

A BILL to incorporate the National Pacific Railroad
Company.
II. enacted by the Senate and House Of Representatives.
The United States Of America Congress assembled, Tha
such persons as shall hereafter become stockholders
said company and their successors are hereby constu
ted body polite and corporate by the name and style
the National Pacific Railroad Company, with vested
rights and privileges for the purpose OF constructing
and with right to construct, good and substantial
railroad with double track through the Territories OF
the United lying between the Mississippi river and
the Pacific coast from some point on SAID river or IRON
some point the western boundary line OF either o
the States of Iowa. Missouri, Arkansas, or Texas,
some point on the Pacific coast to some point on the
eastern boundary line of the State of California to be desg
mated and general of said railroad to be defined
rs hereinafter provided for the transportation oil persons
and property by steam power; and by said corporate
name and STYLE shall be capable in law to purchase, ac
cept hold and sell and convey real and personal estate
make contracts and be sued, to make bylaws not
repugnan the provisions OF this act or TO the Federa
Constitution and TO do all lawful properly connected
with the object of the said company and necessary for
the and transaction Of its business and the
construction and of the said railroad and to ~ke and
use common SEAL and to have and enjoy all the rights
and privileges incident to corporation for the purpose
aforesaid ..s.a... ....
Sec . And belt further enacted That for the purpose
of facilitating the construction and of securing the
and enjoyment of said proposed railroad, right of
way hereby granted and coded to said company of
uniform width Of eight rods through any of the public
lands Of the United States through the entire length Of
built as hereinafter prescribed and much of the pub
Lie lands may be required for the accommodation Of
said railroad for depot grounds stations freight
houses engine houses machine shops, reservoirs, and
such other ppurenances be needed for the use
and convenience of said railroad hereby granted and
eeded said company. in addition to the eight rods in
width the to be selected at such points along
the line of said road will best subserve the purposes
for which this grant made and the said company aud
any persons in their employment shall have the right
to go upon any the public land within reasonable
distance of said road take hererom timber earth
stone sand gravel other material to be used in the
construction Of said road and to appropriate any springs
streams of which may be necessary for the con-
strucon and maintenance of said road and shall
also have the right Of depostng any waste earth rock
from the excavations Of said roadbed upon the adjacent
public land ..,..
Sec. 5. And belt further enacted, That the capital stock
Of said company shall be seventy FIVE millions of dollars
which may be increased if found necessary for the COM
petion and equipment Of said road hundred and
twenty millions Of dollars to be divided into shares
Of one hundred dollars EACH and which shall be deemed
personal property and may be transferred in such
the said company by their bylaws shall direct
Sec. A. And be further enacted, That for the purpose
of designating the points which said railroad shall be-
gin and terminate and of defining the general course and
direction of said road and for the further purpose OF
curing subscriptions the capital stock and of organizing
said company Abbott Lawrence, of Massachusetts, Jo
sah S. Little, of Maine; Isaac Spaulding, of New iamp
shire; E. F. Bishop Of Connecticut; Moses b. Ives, of
Rhode Island: Erastus Fairbanks, of Vermont Moses
Jersey; John Tucker, of Pennsylvania; Samuel F. Vim
ton Of Ohio John Brough, Of Indiana; Vim. D. Ogden
of Illinois; Ellen Farnsworth of Michigan Archibald l.
Broadhead, of Wisconsin VIM. +. Coobaugh, of Iowa
Charles Dupont, of Delaware Thomas Swan, of Mary
land VIM. c. Riyes, of Virginia John M Morehead of
North Carolina; Henry W. Conner, of South Carolina
Robert Collins Of Georgia; Henry W. Collier, of Alaba-
ma; Benjamin NJ Bradford of Mississippi; James Robb,
Of Louisiana; 3. F. Whitner of Florida; Henderson
Yoakum, of Texas Samuel s. Nicholas Of Kentucky
Robert G. Brnkley, Of Tennessee; Luther NJ Kenneth,
of Missouri Boswell Beebe, of Arkansas and Beverly
G. Saunders, of California shall constitute board OF
commissioners, whose first meeting shall be held at the
city Of Washington the sxeth day after the approval
Of this act the publication Of which shall be held to be
sufficient notice said commissioners OF the time anc
place of snd meeting. If vacancies happen, by death
resigIn.a otherwise in said board Of commissioners
the Governor OF the State in which such vacancy shall
harpsn saay ell it by appointment. ...
Sac 3 AHd be further enacted That at the first meet
ing ad board Of commissioners they shall organize By
the onment of President and Secretary from theii
body and shall fix upon such times aud places fol
their future meetings they may deem best to be held
within year from the time of said first meeting.
majority Of the whole number of said board OF commits
sioners shall be required to constitute quorum for the
transaction Of business Said commissioners SHALL within
six months from the time of their first meeting designate
the eastern and the terminus of said railroad
dictate the mountain passes through which 1t Shall run,
and define its general between those points, keep
ing always within the limits hereinbefore prescribed The
assent of majority OF the whole number OF said board OF
commissioners shall be required to fix the points of be-
ginning and termination and the general course and di
rection said railroad between those points, and
specification thereof in writing shall be certified under
the and seal of each and every member of the board
asserting aforesaid which specification shall be de-
posted and recorded in the Office of the Department
the Interior and that shall be the line route through
and which said proposed railroad shall be construct
ed PreUed Aoceper That in the final location Of said
road the directors of said company may vary from the
points and general indicated by said
for the and far hereinafter stated Said
commissioners may appoint engineers and cause such ex
animation and surveys be made in addition TO such as
shall have been already made and may adopt and employ
such other modes they may deem expeden for obtain
ing all the information they may deem requisite to enable
them to determine upon the advantageous points oil
beginning and termination, and the best line or route oil
said railroad, having reference Away to the feasibility
of construction the facility Of connexon with other rail
roads, and the commercial advantages dependant upon
the location Of said proposed railroad. ..... 80
Sec. q. And be further enacted That Immediately nj
ter the points which said road shall and
inmate and its general and direction between those
points shall have been designated certified, aud record
cd in the aforesaid the said commissioners shall
at some suitable places the capital capitals Of each
State land at the city OF Washington under the direction
of the commissioner for Maryland and such othei
cities and towns they may deem proper, to b.
opened books Of subscription to the capital stock Of SAFE
company; and said commissioners shall give at least hf
teen days notice Of the time and places OF opening sal
books by publication in more Of the newspaper
published in such places they shall thiuk proper
the commissioner in each Of the several States Is hereh
authorized receive subscriptions TO the capital stock
said company and every person Mt the time OF suoscr
ing shall pay to said commissioner ten dollars on eac
share which he may SUBSCRIBE and all moneys so ~
vsnced to each commissioner shall be Immediately dep
sited in such bank banks he may select Tor sal
keeping until he shall deliver il to the treasurer
said company as hereinafter required and ench subsci