Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-01-12
r.oo, the Washington Union, Jan. 5.
rho Pacific Railroad Senate Bills.


me 'Saastr,ict;on of railroad from the Miss |
ihe =; Tallev to the Pacific. We shall en-
isslPPl =, early occasion to lay the several pro-
bIa's Of those various measures before the |
7lsTI trn We propose TO condense for our rea-
3.rs -@ the leading features OF this mammoth |
deIs .ure. r and to epitomize the argument by
nSaji IS;"b it is supported. AT present we shall |
w. Sne our exposition to the scheme which |
copI"a h"sr submitted to the Senate by the Spe-
ha; Tommittee S[ raised by that body on the
clS' w. of which Mr. Gwin, of California. is |
cnsIp+;l Mt ,;tle Of this bill is:-''To authorize |
=, lPT President of the United States to contract
& .be transportation Of the mails. troops, I
N munitions of war, army and navy
"al'ra Us ard all other government service,
nPY.gIrr,a from the Missouri river to San
\ &c IN the State Of California" 1t is
l'.'a.onded that Congress possesses the consti-
Jul mower to make contracts for the
!uI'-. !uNI-.nr,dtion Of the above enumerated ob-
taD'P tho ynilroad To enable the contractor
l-.snore Jew, a road over which to perform this
".gs.rFortaton, it is proposed that Congress
|'TIt ~ t.,ke certain advances. The first is
;N1' e twenty sections of land to the mile
V'YIt' r,od In case the land is sold, then,
" @ana quantity within forty miles of the
~ ~ The mineral lands of California are
ETa-, ,,r,apted from selection; and an equiva-
lent given elsewhere -. :
.renty-fye miles, and no land is to be con-
.'ra5 until one section is completed, when
,t:se. t! 6urtbs of the land pertaining to that
'..op is to be conveyed, and the other fourth
- he reserved by the government as security
=, the completion of the remainder.
As soon as one section of 20 miles is
.,n,nIeted, the President is required 10 issue
S,r5s Of the United States bearing interest
,t the rate Of per cent, to the amount OF
,rsIys thousand five hundred dollars per
milo. but the amount so issued shall not ex-
,sci twenty-five millions of dollars. There
fire before the contractors get any land or
money, they must construct and put il opera
doD Is miles of the road and another % miles
before they receive any more, and so on with
s,b section of the road In addition to
Which, they are required to deposit as securi-
.ys5O0 600 in United States stocks, which
~ be withdrawn pro rata as the rcas3 pro-
,rses, Before the contractor can get either
int or money he must spend over million
otiolars in making a section Of the road 20
niles long, and so with each section before
nyment Thus there is no probability of
l:ss on the part of the government.
.. The money thus advanced by the bonds
ofthe government and interest, is to be re-
funded TO the government in transportation,
{: the ordinary rates, and mail service not
exceeding $500 per mile. Thus, as to the
ucuey it is to be loan. And as to the lands
the government is to be reimbursed by the
Increased value aud settlement of its remain
ing public lands in the vicinity of the road
1t is claimed that this is not donation OF
either land or money, because the money is
al to be refunded; and, as to the land, 1t is
I nly such disposition as any wise proprietor
sould make Of part to render what was re-
IOed fOurfold more valuable than the whole
VlOut the road.
8. .4e lettings are to be advertised, ans
/. contracts given to the lowest bidder b,
b. President.
I. The road is to be completed in ter
I;sTs
). After tie expiration of the contract
said uanspOrtation-postal, military. naVa
. Ni for every other government purpose =
a,l be performed on said road, under tn
direction of the proper departments, for rea
4 Nlsble prices, not exceeding those paid oil
yher frSt-class railroads, to be ascertalne,
s5 Congress, in the event of disagreement
+ .s.Seel the government and the contractor
Is Goglers of said road.
), 6. The bill contemp plated that, after Ger
q al period, the road shall be surrendered t
1 &:Sates through which it passes.
. J. In case the contractor fails to comply
. aTDlateS his contract, then he forfeits all
Z, las done aud his deposits, and the Prcsider
. las d right to re-let the work.
S 5. The contractors are required to sell ene
Q asf the lands they receive within FIVE yea'
q from the date Of their patents, and all remail
4 ng lusold at the end of ten years are fol-
hIcl to the United States. This provisio
designed to efectually prevent any Ian
q monopoly.
!, 9. Two hundred feet are set apart alor
! be road for highway and a telegraph
These are the main features of the bill.
0 lgre are many regulations in detail securir
4 &rights of the government and the pubL
|. a.u been prepared BY the committee wi
q ,:ch labor and care.
j 10. The contractors within the points n
Z, lsl have the power to locate the road.
- supposed tnat ca pllal houlu Seeh 'hS VIC
cation, as the public interests and that
@s contractors must be necessarily to ado
r ce most remunerat:ye route. 1t is one
ls 2obe cases where the interest Of the publ
=, y: the interests Of the capitalists are ident
n g, aud in those cases it is always safest
= %G to capital for wise and sound cour!
}, aPoicy.
. O1 any of the routes proposed or likely
y S'o9paed the advances of the governmel
y "lds and interest, allowing teE years fl
obstruction Of the railroads, would Ii
S'eed three millions of dollars per annun
u y coatsnded that that amount can be sp
y - Hom the treasury without giving IL
20 -saest inconvenience to the treasury, or
10 a way adding perceptibly to the taxation
~ country. These bonds have ninetet
.' 'tH run, and before they fall due it
Vi ~@ed that ii will be refunded in transno