Sauk Rapids frontierman. [volume] (Sauk Rapids, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1860, 1858-03-25
TIL FRONT I Err NJ N N.
T THURSDAY, MARCH y. 1859.
THE Roam BILL.

-
THE loan BILL.
It e said the land given % our Rail
road Companies ander the charter
y granted them at the Extra Session 81
the Legislature. IS suficieot 70 build the
Roads. and now the composites come
and ask further aid or the work must
stop or the Roads will not be built. If
il is true that the land granted BY Con-
gress IS sufficient to construct these
works the State has double guarantee
that there viii be no failure ia their
completion. In these embarrassing
times il is almost certain that loans cam
not be made by these companies with
which to prosecute the work on the dif.
ferent lines Of these roads, and now the
q,estion is, must they stop where they
are with the surveys which have been
thus far made I? If there is tho least
risk to the loaner Of money on the Sc
curities the companies are able to offer,
can it be expected that foreign capital
lists will run that risk and ought not
the party to be benefited by the loan to
share at least a part Of It But we
contend that there is no risk.
These lands have by an act Of the
Legislature been given to these Com
panies-and.they, through an unparallel-
ed financial crisis, are unable to move
in the work they have undertaken, with
out they can procure the credit Of Min
nesota, and which if they do not get,
must delay the commencement of these
Roads for years, if not put an entire
stop to them. Surprising the Legisla-
tnre did an unwise act in disposing Of
the lands as they did, as was contended
by some, should we act contrary to our
own interest to injure them:
Until we can see reasonable chance
for the State Of Minnesota to be injured
r. = ]
by the aid this Loan Bill contemplates
giving these Companies, we shall adyo-
cate the measure. As we said, we have
much to gain, speedy beginning Of
she work and vigorous prosecution Of
at unto its completion. The Bill may be
found in our columns. Let all interest
ed, Ia it peruse it carefully, and satisfy
themselves whether it is as Objectionable
as has been represented or not.
From the Pioneer and Democrat Of
23:h March, we extract the following
!. We hear, occasionally, something
about a RAILROAD Oligarchy. We shall
build up an oligarchy, BY helping these
roads to start next summer! In our last
article We showed exactly the reverse;
that by lending the name Of Minnesota
TO oaf companies, now, we can keep
them independent Of outside influences
we can have the work done by our
own people, for ready money. thereby
building cheaply, and securing low fares
and low prices for railroad lands
that, with temporary assistance, these
works can be lifted over the dangers
which beset all new Western enter
prises, and win continue more within our
control here IN Minnesota, than will
otherwise be possible Is not this rea-
sonable? Bat there is one clause in this
Section which should relieve these fears
Of Railroad Oligarchy. Defeat the
loan. and the Railroad Companies have
still a rested right to these lands, and a
period Of ten years in ,ch;ch 10 build or fail
IN building the roads? This is not denied.
What then is proposed as condition
OF the loans In 1861, il each company
has not completed Fifty miles, 300 miles
in atl--the State will take Tie land grant
again So in 1864, if4OO miles are not
completed BY all the Companies. So in
1866, if fonr-6tahs Of their whole lines
are not completed. Is not this q valu-
able provision Instead of Railroad
O'igarchy. here are three opportunities
(which will be lost by voting apaints
the loan) throwing off these Companies,
trust. ifthey do, and give the people
Of Minnesota a thousand miles OF rail-
road before 1866, increasing the value
ofproperty two hundred millions Of dol
lars, we fancy that the railroads will
not be very dangerous as an oligar-
chy.
2. What next It is urged with
great apparent gravity, thatthe COM
panies will scatter their construction
here and there over useless road-beds,
and fail to put the roads in operatioa
continuously west and north from their
starting points. Can any thing be more
absurd ? Who does not know that the