The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-14

fore congress, entitled "a bill to provide for III
construction of railroads and Geographic com
munication from the Mississippi river and lax
Superior to the Pacific oceSn.' 1t Is gram
scheme, and looks very plausible on paper, bu
@ wa are disposed 10 think that the propose
railways cannot be built by means of the plan S
confidently put forts 1t projects not less thai
three main roads, viz: One from point on tn
Mississippi river, south of latitude $50, to Sal
Francisco, with branch to San Diego; anothe
road from some point on the Missouri river
North Of latitude 400, to San Francisco with
branch to Maryssille, SACRAMENTO, Stockton
ard San Jose; and the third road from SOM
& posnt on lake Superior to Puget'si sound, with
branch to the mouth Of the Willamette river
To each of these routes, the bill grants thirty
sections of land for each mile of railway, the
land to be selected by parties namedIn the ac
from the nearest unapproprated vacant lands
of the United States, which shall be Withdrawn
from sale, or entry, or preemptlon; and, II re-
quired, shall be surveyed under the direction
ofthe secretary of the interior; provided the
parties named in the bill shall not be COMPEL
ed to take any waste lands, and shall pay over
to the United States 25 cents u acre. No IL
tie to the lands to be vested in the companies
ans further than the roads are extended 10
completion. The companies to deposit with the
secretary of the interior, within six months, af-
ter the passage of the law, 100000 in good
| State or United States securities, as a guaran
! tee One hundred miles of each road must be
completed within eighteen months from the day
of the establishment of the routes. When said
hundred miles ready for the track, the Sc
cretary of the interior shall allow the parties
narned the use of said $500, 900 deposited TO
purchase iron therefor and in lieu thereof take
first mortgage bond on the road for that
amount, to be held until the entire line is com
pleted Under the bill the United States agree
to pay $500 = mile for the transportation of
the mails until the completion Of the road, and
for ten years thereafter; and for transporting
troops and munitions of war, shall receive such
reasonable sum as the president and secretary
Of war may determine. If 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 to the government.
The right of way to the width of 400 feet
through the public landsto besranted. Furlh-
er, six sections Of land p mile is proposed to
be granted to the following roads, under the
restriction that any amount heretofore granted
to States where they are located for their use
anG benefit, shall be deducted therefrom, viz:
South Western Branch Pacific railroad; Iron
Mountain rairoad; Cairo and Fulton railroad;
Memphis and Little Rock railroad; Mississippi, |
Red River and Ouachita railroad Vcksburg, |.
and Texas railroad; New Orleaas,
Opelousas and Great Western railroad, con-
Meeting witt the first named route The Pa
cife railroad; Hannibal and St. Joseph rail
road; Burlington, Keozauqua and Missouri
railroad; PhiIadel phia, Fort Wayne and Platte
alley railroad; Mississippi and Missouri rail
road; Iowa Central Airline railroad; Dubuque
and Pacific railroad; North Iowa, Minnesota
and Nebraska railroad, connecting with the Sc
coHd route The Transit railroad; North Iowa
Minnesota and Nebraska railroad, connecting
with the third named route Each of these
grants is made under the proviso that 50 miles
Of Toad must be completed within three years
from the passage of the act, and the balance
within five years thereafter. The mails are to
be conveyed at the usual price for such ser
vice. Further provision makes it the duty of
he companies named to construct their roads
n good substantial manner, with uniform
5uage. All the properties of said companies in
he territories is to be exempt from taxation as
ong as they remain territories. None of the
shall construct their roads through
he lands of any Indian tribes without the con-
ent of said tribes. The companies must sell
Ind convey half the lands granted, within fy.
'ears, and the balance within ten years from
he issuing ofthe patent from the U. States, and
III Hands not sold at The expiration of 10 years
re to revert back to the United States.
Of course various other projects will be
brought before congress for the construction Of
railroad to the Pacific and it is impossible to
imagine what shape ths4SiI may assume be-
ore it becomes a law
A Cincinnati paper charges that the police Il
magistrates ofthat city make practice of re-
ewing pistols and other deadly weapons as Sc
urity for fines inflicted upon those who are
ound armed, WHICH weapons the magistrates
tut up at public auction for the benefit Of the
ity treasury. The Enquirer says:
While we are writing, there is lying in the
lty auditors office, a basket full of daggers.
Inks, bowie knives, pistols, revovers, billeys,
lung shot, colts, knuckles and other .'tools of
rade,'' ofthe viest men; these are shortly to
re sold at auction. The assassin in want of
lager, the murderer requiring a pistol, fae
owdy b'hoy needing slung shot, the hiSSk-
'a,yman desiring pair of knuckles, can ali be
u'ted by the city with the very instrument of
radc' they require, and afterward will be ar
ested for ''using' said "tools'' We ought
ot to omit saying that the burglar can also be
accommodated from the basket load we have