Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-12-31
The Pacific railroad.

4 1t IS understood that another Paclhc Hallroad
bill is about to be introduced in the House. It
is on magnificent scale, and is entitled "a bill
to provide for the construction of Railroads and
telegraph communications from the Mississippi
River and Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean" )"
Three main roads are projected, viz: One
from a point on the Mississippi River, south of
lat. 36 Q to San Francisco, with branch 10
San Diego; another from some point on the
Missouri River, north of lat 40 and south of
lat. 43 ., to San Francisco, with a branch to
Marysyile, Sacramento, Stockton and San Jose :;
and the third from some point on Lake Superior
to Pugets Sound, with a branch 70 the mouth of
the Willamette River. 4tis 2t+2 2ai5 S5aa
sil To each of these routes the bill proposes to
grant thirty sections of land for each mile Of
railroad, the land to be selected by the parties
named in the bill from the nearest unappropra-
ted vacant lands of the United States, which
shall be withdrawn from sale or entry, or pre-
emption and if required shall be surveyed un-
der the direction of the Secretary Of the Inte-
rior; provided the parties named iE the bill
shall not be compelled to take any waste lands,
and shall pay to the United States twenty-five
cents per acre; provided also, that no title shall
vest in them any faster than the roads are ex-
tended to completion. e sa ~ te
Further, they shall deposit with the Secretary
of the Interior, within six months after the pas
sage of this act, 100000 in good United States
or State securities as guarantee. lFF
One hundred miles of each road must be com.
pleted within eighteen months from the time of
the establishment of the routes. When said 100
miles are ready for the track the Secretary Of
the Interior shal. allow the parties named the
use of said 100000 to purchase iron therefor,
and in lieu thereof take first mortgage bond
in the road for that amount, to be iheld until the
entire line is completed. bt -aa -
Under the bill the United States agree to pay
$500 per mile for the transportion of the mails
until the completion of the road and for ten
years thereafter. Also, for transporting troops
and munitions of war, such reasonable sum as
the President and Secretary of War may de-
termine. z- eyf1&az ias tl-s@a ~ A-''t
II the parties fail to build the line within ten
years from the date of The location, all right to
land not at that time paid for, shall be forfeited
The right of way to the width of 400 feet
through the public lands is proposed to be
granted. e34 So ,rS ,A5s.
Further, six sections of land per mile is pro-
posed to be granted to the following roads, un-
der the restriction that any amount heretofore
granted to the States where they are located,
for their use and benefit, shall be deducted there
from, viz:
Southwestern branch Pacific Railroad; Iron
Mountain Railroad Cairo and Fulton Railroad :;
Memphis and Little Rock Railroad; Mississippi,
Red River and Washita Railroad; Vicksburg
and Shreveport Railroad New Orleans, Opelou
sas and Great Western Railroad, connecting
with the iirstnamed route. fI
Pacific Railroad; Hannibal and St. .Josephs
| Railroad; Burlington, Keosauqua and Missouri
Railroad; Philadelphia, Fort Wayne and Platte
Valley Railroad; Mississippi and Missouri Rail-
| road; Iowa Central Airline Railroad; Dubuque
| and Pacific Railroad; Northern Iowa, Minnesota
and Nebraska Railroad, connecting with the
second named route.
Transit Railroad and Northern Iowa, Mime
| sofa and Nebraska Railroad, connecting with the
third named route.
Each Of these grants Is under the proyiso that
| fifty miles of road must be completed within
three years from the passage of this act, and
the balance within five years thereafter; the
United States mails shall be carried at the usual
price for such services.
| Further provision makes it the duty of COM
panies named to construct their roads, &C.,
in good substantial manner, with uniform
guage. feR 90
All the property Of said companies in the ter.
ritories is to be exempt from taxation, as long
as they remain territories. None Of the compa
MES shall construct their roads through the
! lands of any Indian tribes without the consent
of said tribes. o.
They must sell and convey half the land:
granted within five years, and the balance with
in ten years from the issuing of the patent frcr
the United States, and all lands not sold ut The
expiration OF ten years shall be forfeited to thu
United States. $50 @
1 las -Fgs e-ssF9 = sE,- s : ~