The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-05
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD SENATE BILLS.

ate proposing to make provision for the construc-
ton of railroad from the Mississippi valley to the
Pacific We shall embrace an early occasion to lay
the several provisions of those various be-
fore the public We propose to condense for our
readers the leading features of this mammoth meas
ure, and to epitomize the arguments by which it
is supported At present we shall con6ne our
exposition to the scheme which has been sub
nited to the Senate by the special committee raised
by that body on the subject of which Mr.. Gwin, of
California, is chairman.
The title of this bill is ITO authorize the Pres
dent of the United States contract for the trans
portaton of the mails troops, scamen, munitions of
war, army and navy supplies, and all other govern
ment service by railroad from the Missouri river to
San Francisco, in the State of California" 1t is
contended that Congress possesses the conshtu
tional power to make contracts for the transportation
of the above enumerated objects of the railroad.
To enable the contractor to prepare road over
which to perform this transportation it is proposed
that Congress shall make certain advances. The first
is bonus of twenty sections of land to the mile
on the road In case the land is sold, then, equal
quantity within forty miles of the road The mineral
lands OF California are also excepted from selection
and an equivalent given elsewhere.
The road is to be divided into sections of twenty
five mes, and no land is to be conveyed until one
section is completed when tbreefourths of the land
pertaining to that section is to be conveyed and the
other fourth reserved by the government as security
for the completion of the remainder.
L. AS soon as one section Of 20 miles is completed
the President is required to issue bonds Of the Uni
ted States bearing interest at the rate of cent to
the amount of twelve thousand five hundred dollars
per mile but the amount SO issued shall not exceed
twenty -fve millions of dollars. Therefore, before
the contractors get any land or money they must
construct and put in operation 20 miles of the road
and another 25 miles before they receive any more
and so on with each section of the road In addi-
ton to which, they required to deposit as Sc
clrity 100000 in United States stocks, which can
be withdrawn pro rata as the road progresses. Be-
fore the contractor get either land or money he
must spend over million of dollars in making a
section of the road 20 miles long, and with each
section before payment. Thus there is no probabil-
ty of loss on the part of the government.
g. The money thus advanced by the bonds of the
government in transportation, at the ordinary rates
and mail service not exceeding the rate OF 5000
per mile. Thus, to the money to be loan And
as to the lands the government is to be reimbursed
by the Increased value and settlement of its remain
ing public lands in the vicinity of the road. It
claimed that this is not donation of either land or
money, because the money is all to be refunded;
and as to the land, it is only such disposition as
any wise proprietor would make Of part to render
what was retained four-fold more valuable than the
whole without the road
g. The lettings are to be advertised, and the con
tracts given to the lowest bidder by the President.
A. The road is to be completed in ten years
s. After the expiration Of the contract said trans
portaton--post military, naval, and for every
other government purpose-shall be performed on
lid road, uudor the direction of the proper depart
ments for reasonable prices, not exceeding those
paid on other frstclass railroads. to be ascertaned
by Congress, in the event of disagreement between
the government and the contractors owners of
said road"
G. The bill contemplacs that, after certain pc
rio l. the road shall be surrendered to the States
through which it passes
I. In case the contractor fails to comply or VIC
ates his contract, then he forfes all he has done,
and his deposits aud the President has right to
let the work.
g. The contractors arc required to sell one half
the lands they receive within five years from the
date of their patents and all remaining unsod at the
end of ten years is forfeited TO the United States.
This provision is designed to efectually prevent any
land monopoly.
o. Two hundred feet set apart along the road
for highway and telegraph.
These are the main features of tho bill. There are
many regulations in detail securing the rights of the
government and public It has been prepared by
the committee with much labor and care.
10. The contractors within the points named have
the power TO locate the road. 1t was supposed that
capital would seek the best location, the public
interests and that of the contractors must be neces
sarily to adopt the most remuneratve route. 1t is
one of those cases where the interest of the public
and the interests of the capitalists are identical and
in those cases it is always safest TO trust TO capital
for a wise and sound course Of policy.
On any Of the routes proposed or likely to be
adopted the advances of the government in bonds
and interest allowing ten years for the construction
of The railroads would not exceed three millions of
dollars per annum. 1t is oontcnded that that amount
can be spared from the treasury without giving the
SLIGHTEST Inconvenience to the treasury, or in any