New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-05
pBA(TICAL YREAIIsI rroN TIFF LAW OF RAIL
WAYS. By Isaac RrpnkLn, LII. d, Chief Jsste q
y.,uon, fvo m a Hcttun. Iitf,r b,o.n A

vermont tvo, ~ iss Boston; Litrr, brown 1 Co.
Here a new treatise upon the lew Of railroads, IN
which that subject appears TO be handled in q very
thorough manner. Though is less than thirty years
since IL introduction Of locomotive engines frst
brou ght railways into means Of general travel
and tram portation, they have come within that time
TO constitute constantly increasing occasion of Htiga
ton in the Courts have raised many questions entirely
new, ard have called for many new applications OF
old principles treatse in which these decisions
arranged in orderly manner-pot mere diges, of
cases but embracing so exposition Of the pocpes
inyoved-csDnot but bo great convenience 10 the
student and practitioner, and indeed to many Of
busipes. In this treatise the subjec. is taken I'D az
the beginning, commencing with the preliminary
associations for the construction Of railro NJ and the
Obligations assumed and tho rights acquired by the
original associatoIs their assigns. Tle author
then takes up the charter and the proceedings under it,
Including the organization OF the company the accept
Of the charter, modification Of it, the ordin-
ary powers of the company exercised 10y the
majority, the meetings OF the company, and the eiee-
ton, meeting and qualification Of directors. Then
comes the subject of bylaws, Of the stock, OF the
transfer Of shares Including sale Of spurious hare
and many other interesting questons) assessments or
calls and means Of enforcing them. The SUBJECTS oi
the organization Of the company and the provision
capal being thus disposed Of the book proceeds next
TO treat Of the right OF wsy-whether obtained by eA-
rress grant or by that right of eminent domain residing
in the State and transferred by it to the company-he
con pensaton to be made therefor and the method Of
mocedure in relation thereto. This chapter embraces
the questions Of the right to take highways other
a Dads or corporate franchises to occupy city streets,
IN bud O, nayigable waters and TO obsru streams
Next follows the law Of the construction Of railroads.
which is fully treated in nineteen sections, including
the rights and liabilities both of the company and the
contractors The Goth and 9th chapters discuss at
length the liabilities Of railroads carriers Of
goods and passengers, in connection with which
considered in subsequent chapters the questions OF
excessive fare and freights, fires communicated by
the company's engines injuries to domestic animals
liability to maintain fences and liability for the acts of
the companys employees. The 23d chapter i, devoted
TO the directors, their authority, duties powers and
liabilities. The oath chapter discusses arrangements
between different companies. Next follows, in dis
tnct chapters the bect Of legal proceedings against
railroads by mandamus, certorar, in equity, and by
Indictment The 3Oth chapter discusses the subject Of
taxation including the rights of towns and counties to
subscribe for railroad stock and the 3lst chapter
siders the extent OF the powers OF the Legislature
especially in relation to paramount and exclusive
grants and their right to impose restrictions on existing
coTpo atOns. The 32d chapter treats OF the important
Questions of the raising of money by bonds mortgages,
and the issue of shares and preferred stock, fol-
lowed by chapters dividends, and on proceedings
agair Il railroads by levy and execution including the
dissolution of companies. Next follow Legislative su-
pervson and Police of railroads, aud finally the con-
solda,ion and amalgamation of companies. IL will be
seen from this sketch that the book discusses great
many questions at this time of practical interest to
large numbers II has excellent table of contents
which carries the reader easily 10 any matter of which
he is in search and must prove great convenience,
lot merely TO lawyers but TO railroad men generally.
NORTHERN TRAVEL: SUMNER AID WINTER PrcTuRrs oF
SWEDEN, DENM.RE AND LAPLaNn. BY BiYAED TAYLOR
Emo. pp. AS. q. T. Putnam.
Our readers have already followed the footsteps Of
Bayard Taylor in his adventurous excursions among
the regions of Arctic cod as his letters have been
published in the columns of this Journal They are
here collected in neat and convenient volume uni
fo,m with the popular edition Of his works The tour
of which account is presented in this volume ex-
tended from Stockholm to Tomca, and ahor1ed an
ample opportunity to the traveller OF observing the
peculiar manners and customs Of the extreme North.
may interest our readers TO know the impression which
has been made elsewhere by these familiar letters and
we therefore quote paragraph from The London Ae-
naan, Journal which, certainly has no penchant Tor
according praise TO American productions:
Lotus.eatipg on the Nile dreaming under Abyssinan
palms. gancing into red and gold temple interiors in
China, wandering among the shadows of immemoral
mysteries in India straining his eyes to gain glimpse
behind the scenes in Japanal this had not satisfied
Mr. Bayard Taylor. IL was not enough To hays trOd-
den the eyer-growing coasts of Eastern Islands, TO
have watched the golden bells shaking on pagods
caves to have left like lion, the print of his feet on
the yellow NOrth.Arcan desert, to have saluted the
great Ganges, and received welcome IN Loo Cho0i
lie desired 10 initiate the Enchanted Sleeper, snd
awake TO find himself by urns, in all the countries Of
the world. Therefore, having done homage 10 t.e
Equator, he sought the Arctic Cirele-and we, VINO
have followed him where the 9htest rnmosa-eat
stirred not IN the orrid calm, and where aarh ana
heaven seemed of the color OF fire, now hai him ~,
with q frozen beard and drifts OF now upon his eye
ids he drives team right toward the Aurora DO
realis. Winter upon the Baltic The traveller was
determined TO know what the North Is when most
1Orthelp, and when the charity ot Summer bestows
upon il q few blossoms, a passing warmth, ana tIe
charm of clear skies and sparkling seas mus II was
in December that he embarked on the Baltic, anna
raw msts with prospect of going Just 30 lar as the
vessel could anticipate the final freezing OF the waters
With al his experience Mr.. Bayard Taylor seems to
have started in state of Illusion. lie expected 70
see desoate zone of the word-shores only fit to be
the companions of icebergs, skies made up OF blue
fogs and black storms, people all haired pe'
numbed and dreary yet, with an artist INSTINCT ne
fPeeulIN louDu III opening ioi MS hoSiHa'O"' "iAiN
has Sarecenc sympathy with color, and espying IN
some dim. white CLEANS, the hoadlands OF Sweden be-
gan to understand and relish the precincts of the Pole
His water route ceased at Stockholm. Then he jour
neyed northward in sledge-and many were the
revolutions of the vehicle on the roadbut Swedish
snOw.track though broken and Wild is not exactly so
formidable as pass Of the Caucasus; 30 that TO
traveller who could find himself when lost this sort Of
progress was by means diaagreeable. Mr. Bayard
Taylor indeed, has genuine appetite for travel an
eve for landscapes genial heart for simple customs
and stout one for dangers, and long there are
n;cires 10 see and nhinf the ennYnept OF hs mind is