The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-18


fully construct sxty-two miles rather than
be conteuted with $4,000 per mile for a
double distance, with no prospect but to
leave the road-bed useless and liable to H.
Jury from the weather and otherwise.
There are propositions 80 plain, 20 self
evident, that il is difficult 10 frame an ar
gument in their favor; and a. often, perhaps,
there are objections to proposition so absurd,
that il Is equally difficult 10 answer them
gravely. And yet there are those, who
seem To suppose, and argue as il they believe
il, that these Railroad Companies will scatter
useless embaDkments on remote prairies, at
great waste Of labor, materials and pro-
visions for no earthly object than TO commit
fraud upon the State Treasury 1t has
bern the tactics Of the opposition todenounce
the officers Of these Companies az knaves I;
but, If they act "a above supposed, they
would be- egregious fools. What IL the in
tcrest Of II Company Mott palpably to
follow up their road.bcd with the permanent
track and rolling stock az rapidly as posi-.
bic They thus obtain good financial
basis for the negotiation Of their bond. on
advantageous terms--thcir enterprise ceases
TO be II project merely, ard becomes fact
accomplIshed--the good will Of the public
il secured; and We believe that the income
Of every Minnesota road even when a short
distance IL constfucted-Fay a single days
Journey with loaded team-would b.
considerable item
The term "ten miles Of road" can have
no other meaning than continuous section
of ten miha, unless in the case Of the South
crn Minnesota Railroad Company. That
Company Is obliged by the terms Of tie
Land Grant Act. TO construct the road up
the Minnesota valley, and also the line from
La Crescent up the Root River valley to
the point Of junction with the Transit road
and, by provision Of the Loan Of Credit,
thrcciilths Of the amount Of bond. must bc
expended on the line first named and two.
iifths on the Root River road. The Gov
ernor may consiruc this provision, az in the
nature OF an exception to the general rule,
and when six miles are graded on one road
and four on the other, il would be fair to
recognize the right of the Company to re
ccye $1,000 per mile in State bonds but
in every other case, continuous construc
ton of ten miles il the evident meaning of
the section
We do not believe that any candid mind
would require further Illustration Of this
point but it may be we'll to note how the
ordinary rule Of selfintercS, becomes law
of necessity TO Land Grant Company
Although the first one hundred and twenty
sections are authorized by Section OF the
L. ). Act of March 3, 1851, TO be sold ali.
solutely. no Land Grant Company in Min.
ncsota can proceed TO scll another quantity
of onc hundred and twenty sections" except
on the completion Of twenty continuous
miles" and so from time to time, until said
roads and branches are completed" This
provision wa familiar to every member OF
the Legislature; aud it was assumed. quite
nationally, that the sale Of $500 acres on
the completion OF every twenty continuous
miles" was so important an object to the
Companies, that rails and locomotives would
be certain to keep hard behind the road bed,
but il II Company shall secure by large
single negotiation of its bonds or bv stock
subscriptions, credit OF its own Tor iron
and equipment, which would induce is oil,
GERS TO complete double distance OF road
bed by the aid of the State, the majority
believed that no injury would result from
giving them such an option. We are GER
iainly at a loss 10 sce any good reason why
Company should bc forced to take $50 eco
per mile of state bonds, if they think that.
with other arrangements, they can complete
double distance of road by using only
$4,000 pr mile.
In framing the Constitutional amendment
under consideration, thcmcmbcrs were tcsir,
Gus To include no details. which had lsen
satisfactorily adjusted either by the Land
Grant Act Of Congress. or the subsequent
act OF the Minnesota Legislature. Ga this
ground, AMI on this alone many amendments
wor voted down. which would have been
otherwise unobjcc,ionahlc
For instance, j, was moved tina, the Min
neso,a AMI Pacific Railroad Company
should commence their construction at
saltwater but the amendment, was imme
da,cly sccn to be unnecessary, under the
provisions of that Compnys charter. Sex