Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-12-27
RAILROAD LAWS AND RESoLU-
TONS

TIoNS.
\ few days since we noticed Mr.. Cut
ter'S resolutions, introduced in the House,
asking Congress to give ten millions in
bonds to assist and encourage the Placer
vile Company in fastening the construc-
ton Of its ROAD across the Sierras. These
resolutions, and the possibility of their pas
sage by the Legislature, have operated
like "long pole" in stirring up those
interested in the Central Pacific Route.
The Central Pacific Company are trihing
with the people and the Government.
They received, at the outset, franchise,
which for Eberality was unparalleled;
they subsequently had their subsidy in
creased, an extension of their time grant,
ed, and their forfeiture annulled. Their
own prospectus showed that with the
enormous grants which they had received
from Government, their enterprise was
the biggest thing" in the history Of all
railroads. Not content with this already
big thing, they applied to the counties of
California for about a million for cur
rent expenses; and the people of those
counties voted them the bonds. Every
thing that the Central Pacific Railroad
Company asked was freely and promptly
granted, with the exception of few hun
drcd thousands of dollars, about which
the Supervisors of San Francisco have
acted muleishly and refused to issue the
bonds. These bonds, if issued and in the
hands Of the company, would build, per-
haps, seven or eight miles of their rail-
road; and it is for the want of these few
bonds that that railroad has been at q
dead lock for months past. When the
people look at the gigantic work which is
before that company, and the vast num-
Der of millions which will be required for
the completion of their work, the amount
of San Francisco bonds now in litigation
sinks into paltry insigni6cance. The
company had no right to expect that APP
preparation, and it did not enter into their
original calculations. The people of the
several counties voted those appropria-
tons for the purpose of fastening the con-
Struction of a road, the want of which was
felt throughout the nation. Suppose they
had voted against these appropriations.
Would the Central Pacific Railroad enter
prise have been abandoned If so, the
company trihed with the Government,
and deceived the public with their pros
pectus. Ifnot-if the franchises and sub
sides of the Government were ample as
the company represented, then the con-
Struction Of the road has been uselessly
and inexcusably delayed for the purpose
of squeezing an unimportant sum from
the Treasury of San Francisco county.
The people on both sides Of the noun
tains are becoming tired and disguised
with this trifing upon so important sub
iect. The Placerville Company have
evinced a discrimination to push their road
across the mountains; and the people,
despairing of the Dutch Flat route.
are turning their eyes toward the
Placerville line. They care nothing about
routes" or " companies :" they want
road. They believe that Government
should extend helping hand to those
who eyince something ike good faith and
earnest intention; and Cutters resolu-
tons embody the wi shes Of those who
hope TO one day see railroad across the
Sierras. We believe that the Dutch Flat
route is the natural route for railroad,
and that in the hands of men of proper
disposition that road could be completed
within the time specified by the Charter.
No such disposition is manifested. The
resolutions may have the effect Of stirring
up the animals, and we may see little
more activity on the Dutch Flat route.
The Crystal Peak Company have their bill
before the Senate. The only value that
their franchise will have IF they get it,
will depend upon the construction of the
Dutch Flat road. They are an enterpr-
sing, energetic company of business men,
not much given to wild and chimerical
speculations, and probably know pretty
well what they are about in the present
instance. If they obtain the franchise, it
will be for their interest to ensure and
hasten the construction of the California
road, with which theirs is to connect.
Between them and those who favor the
Placerville road, there will be naturally a
strong rivalry, and we hope that through
that rivalry an impetus will be given to
the conduct of railroad matters which
will result to the ultimate benefit of the