The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-02-03
Pacific Railroad Bill.

.
in the following bill, which was read twice, re-
ferred to the select committee appointed on the
subject, and ordered to be printed:
Il BiUfo authorize and facilitate the construc-
fion Of a Northern, a Southern, and Cen |
trial Pacific Railroad and Magnetic Tele- |
graph through the Territories Of the United |
States. q, "ri-.-r -.-. Id ... t....fi 80
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
of the United States of Amer /
lea, in Congress assembled, THAT with the |
view OF enhancing the value and facilitating
the sales of the lands to the actual settler. and
to aid in the construction of suitable railroad
and telegraphic communications between the
Mississippi valley and the Pacific Ocean, there
shall be, and is hereby appropriated and set
apart, quantity of public land equal to the
alternate sections for the space of ten miles on
each side of said roads, from their eastern to
their western termini. as follows:
One road and telegraph, to commence on the
western border of the State of Texas, and to
pursue the most eligible route to the navigable
waters of the Pacific which line shall be
known as the Southern Pacific Railroad
One road and telegraph, to commence on the
western border of the States of Missouri or
Iowa, and to pursue the most eligible route to
the city of San Francisco which line shall be
known as the Central Pacific Railroad
on the western border of the State of Wiscon-
sin, in the Territory of Minnesota, and pursue
the most eligible route to the navigable waters
OF the Pacific in Oregon or Washington Terri
tories; which line shall be known as the North
ern Pacific Railroad such lands to be selected
from the sections which shall be designated in
the public surveys of said land (when made) by
odd numbers, and to be held and conveyed as
herein provided and in all cases when the
nil tod Cfofo hor & 4
or any part thereof or shall from any cause be
unable to convey title thereto, the deficiency
may be made up by the party or parties who
may become entitled thereto from any unoccu-
pied and unappropriated lands belonging to
the United States within the distance of thirty
miles of said road Provided however. That
for such deficiency within the State of Calfor-
MIA, and also in lieu of all mineral lands in said
State (Which are hereby excepted from the ap-
priation herein made) such selection may be
made from any unOccupied and unappropriated
lands of the United States within fifty miles of
said road in the said State.
Sec. 2. find be 1t further enacted. That it
shall be the duty of the Secretary of War, upon
the passage of this act, to cause advertisements
to be published in two newspapers in each
State and in the District of Columbia. for the
period of six months, which advertisement
| shall invite scaled and separate proposals for
the construction of each or either of said lines
of road and telegraph In the manner herein
provided: said advertisement shall include a
copy of this act as containing the terms upon
which the United States are willing to contract
for the construction of either of said lines of
road and telegraph, and shall require separate
sealed proposals. stating specifically whether it
be for the Southern, Central, or Northern line,
and also Psi.
First. The time in which the party or par
ties propose to construct, complete. and finish
the entire road and telegraph ready for use.
which period must not exceed ten years from
the signing of the contract and, also, what ex-
tent and portion thereof they propose toscom-
plete and pnt in operation during each and
every year. l.-.
| Second. The time in which such party or
parties will surrender and transfer, free of
cost to the United States for the purpose Of
being surrendered to several States as herein
provided, the said road with its appurtenances
and furniture, s-
Third. The sum. not exceeding three hun
dred dollars per mile. for carrying the United
States mails on said road, under the direction
OF the Post Office Department. for the period of
fifteen years from the completion of the road :;
and, also, what sum, or at what rate, for a like
service, they will carry on said road, under the
direction OF the proper department, all militia
ry and naval stores, supplies, munitions, troops
and freights of all kinds for governmental pur-
poses, which sum or rate must not exceed that
now paid in the aggregate for like service and
from and after the expiration of said period OF
fifteen years said transportation, postal, militia
ry, naval, and for every other government pur-
pose, shall be in like manner performed on said
road under the direction of the proper depart
ment, at reasonable prices, not exceeding those
usually paid for the time being on other first
class roads, to be ascertained by Congress in
the event OF disagreement between the govern
ment and the owners of the road,
Sec. 3. find be it further enacted, That the
Secretary of War, under the direction of the
President, be. and he is hereby authorized, to
contract with the party or parties whose pro-
posals, as aforesaid, may be accepted for the
full and complete construction and keeping up
of either line, or each of said lines of road and
telegraph the said contract to provide for the
road or roads as herein described and also for
telegraph line or lines on the most approved
plan and for the full and faithful performance
OF the said contract OF contracts, satisfactory
security shall be taken by the Secretary of
War. in the name of the United States and all
obligations, contracts and securities, shall be
binding and obligatory in law on the contract
ing parties according to the exact terms of
their respective obligations, contracts and un-
dertakngs all questions of damages and for
feiture by reason ofany breach of said contracts
being determined by the express terms of such
obligations, contracts, and undertakings Pro-
vlded, That in all contracts made in pursuance
OF this act the provisions of the act shall be
taken and considered as parts of said contracts,
in like manner as if the same were forth in full
in said contracts.
Sec. 4. find be it further enacted, That in
making said contracts it shall be stipulated
that, for the sake of convenience, the said roads
shall be divided into sections of one hundred
miles each, and that none of said lands shall be
conveyed to the contractors until one of those
sections shall be completed and put in success
full operation, when the President shall convey
by patent to the contractors three-fourths of
the land pertaining to the section so completed
retaining the other fourth as security for the |
completion of the next section of one hundred /
miles; and when the second section shall be
completed, retaining the other fourth as secur.
lty for the completion of the nexth section of
one hundred miles; and when the second sec
ton shall be completed, the President shall. in
like manner, convey to the contractors three
fourths of the land pertaining to that section,
together with the remaining fourth on the pre-
viOus section, and so with each section convey
ing three-fourths and retaining one-fourth as
security for the completion of the next. until
The last section of the road shall be finished and
put in operation, when the President shall con-
vey to the contractors the residue of the lands:
md it shall also be stipulated in said contracts
hat the mails shall at all times be carried on
'ad roads under the direction of the Post OF
ice Department., and that all other transporta- s
ion for the use Ofthe United States. as proyid-
ID in this act, shall be performed under the d. ,
ection OF the proper department and that the
compensation therefor, at the prices specified
m 90 afc in |