The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-23
Speech by Senator Mackubin, of st.
Paul, On Lending State Aid to q
Railroad to Superior.

III Iu0 OOuoUOS ot sn0 uA6 w oOooAVh " WIZ
Saturday, preceding the final adjournment
of the Legislature, and while the Railroad
bill offered by Senator HoDGEs was under
consideration, Mr.. MAcKuBIN moved to strike
out section 16, of the bill, and insert the
following:
The Governor shall Immediately issue his
proclamation calling upon the people to meet
on the first Monday of April next, at their usu-
al places of holding elections, and to vote upon
the proposition of offering bonus of 1926, 900
of Z per cent. State Bonds, to induce the con-
struction of Railroad from the Mississippi
Ito start at any point which the Company en-
gaging to build the road, might select, between
St. Paul and Crow Wing) to Lake Superior, on
the best and most direct route west OF the st.
Croix. At such election those approving the
proposition, shall place in the ballot box
ballot with the words "For POI bonus to the
shall place in the ballot box ballot with the
words ssagainst a bonus to the Railroad to Su-
perior' Should majority of the people vot.
ing at such election vote for the proposition,
then the Governor shall give notice for sixty
as he may select, that he will issue the above
named amount of State bonds in favor of any
Company or individual, who shall within three
months from the 4th July next, commence, and
within three years from said date, complete,
with the cars running thereon, such Railroad
such Company or individual s25O,O00 of such
bonds whenever fifty miles of the road is com
pleted, and the cars running, provided that the
same are completed within eighteen months
from the 4th July next. $250,GOO more when.
ever the 100 miles are completed as aforesaid,
provided the said 100 miles are completed by
the LIST January, 1868, and the remaining $685.
600 of bonds whenever the whole road is COM
pleted within the time provided. Any individ
ual or company undertaking to build said road
shall first deposit in the metropolitan Bank OF
New York, $4,000 Of United States or State
stocks, worth par in New York, as pledge of
good faith to be forfeited to the State OF Min.
neSota upon failure to comply with his or their
undertaking, and to be returned to said lndl-
vidual or company upon their completing ten
miles of Railroad. IF after completing ten
miles and he or they should fail in their under.
taking, all the work done, materials collected
and all interests in the road of any and all
kinds whatsoever shall be forfeited to the State.
The Governor shall enter in written agree
ment to carry out the provisions of this section
with the first party that offers to comply with
its requirements, or if two or more offer, then
with the one which offers the state the grea-
test amount OF the gross receipts OF the road, or
if the amount of the gross receipts offered be the
same, then with the party which the Governor
shall deem most Kelly to best promote the
and said agreement shall be signed upon the
part of the State by the Governor, Secretary of
State and Treasurer, and the bonds above des
cribed shall be signed by the Governor and
attested by the Treasurer and Auditor. They
shall be payable in rs years from date; interest
at the rate of per cent. per year, shall be paid
semi annually upon them in the city of New
York, but all interest becoming due previous
to the full completion of the road shall be paid
in per cent. interest certificates running ten
NJ Al .-ko.
bonds there shall be pledged three per cent. OF
the gross annual receipts from said road, which
shall be paid to the State in lieu of taxes, and
the interest not paid from this source shall be
met by the proceeds of specific tax which
shall be levied for the purpose of paying said
interest. Should the people at the election to
be held as aforesaid, vote in favor of the propo
stion above set forth, this section shall be, and
shall be considered part of the Constitution OF
the State of Minnesota.
But the previous question was sprung by
the Republican Senators, and by this means
a vote evaded Senator MACKUB1N's bill.
Pending its consideration, however, Mr.. NJ.
made the following forcible remarks
Mr.. PRESIDENT At this late moment,
at this eleventh hour, beg, implore this
Legislature to adopt this amendment. 1
ask it of the courtesy, the good feeling and
the magnanimity of the Republican majority
at least, to allow me to take the sense of the
Senate, upon its merits. I have sought an
opportunity diligently, to offer this amend
ment at an earlier moment, but the rapidny
with which they have pushed the bill, has
prevented me. 1 ask them, then, not, by the
previous question, to prevent me from Offer
ing an amendment, which l earnestly think
is necessary to make the bill of any material
value to the people of the State. beg the
the attention of Senators, to few observa.
tons which, l think, will demonstrate to all
impartial and intelligent minds, the vast
importance OF this amendment, and its entire
constance with views to which majority
of this Senate, and of the supporters of this
bill, have given their appreciation. What
does this bill purport What are its OBJ.
jects? What are its distinguishing features,
in reference to the great and engrossiDg
subject of proper Railroad policy?
FIRST, Sir, it offers to Railroad builders,
as an inducement to embark in the con-
struction of our works of internal improve
ments, simply and solely the lands donated
to us by Congress for the purpose of build.
ing Railroads, and the work already done on
the lines the latter, however, subject to
the debts of the various old companies for
work done and materials and supplies fur
nished) This is an important feature,
nearly all other plans for the settlement of
this Railroad question having been predica-
ted upon the supposition that a bonus also,
in the shape of bonds or money would be
necessary.
Second, This bill keeps separate and dis.
tinct, the two subjects Of paying our present
Railroad debt or bonds. and of building our
roads. This is another important difference
from the bulk of the schemes sugges ted for
the settlement of the debt and bond COM
plications and a most important one
Third, This bill expresses appreciation of
the policy of donating bonus in bonds for
the construction of road from the Missis>
sppi starting from some point between the
st. Croix river, and Anoka) to Superior.
1t provides in section sixteen that "if at any
time the people of the State of Minnesota
shall authorize the issue of Minnesota State
Bonds as bonus to any company which shall
undertake to construct and equip road to
Lake Superior, that the Governor shall issue