Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-03-30
mr. Armstrong's defence of his action
on the Southern Pennsylvania and
ConnelisviiIe Railroad Bill.


member Of the House Of Representatives; but
do object to being made the subject Of criti-
cism to build up the claims of others of my
own party to foist them into Office
The true version of the S. P. and c. r. R.
question is this: The bill as it passed the
House. land to which you devoted nearly a
colnmn( fixed three years for the commence
nent of the road, but no time for its eompls-
ton. At the time the bill passed those were
the best terms that could possibly have been
secured. Twas dissatisfied, but learned prior
to the passage of the bill that it would have
been useless to have asked anything better
and therefore did not. Ny action on the bill
in question, proceeded altogether from sim
cere desiresto favor, as best could, the inter-
ests Of my constituents, and although / felt
that ! was doing it but poorly and not as |
wished to, / claim that it was the best that
could then have been secured. The billpass-
ed and was sent to the Senate where il be-
came the special property Of Mr.. Household
er, if am to Judge from articles in your pa
per and the Harr isburg Telegraph.
What occurred in the Senate quote frora
the Senate Journal of March Goth as it now
appears in the hands of the State Printers
The bin as passed by the House was called
up First section agreed to. The second
section was read as follows:
Sec. . That SO much Of the said act incor.
porating the said Connellsyille and Southern
Pennsylvania railway company as limits the
time for the construction of the main line of
their road to three years from the passage
thereof, be and the same is hereby repealed
and that the time for the commencement of
the construction thereof shall be extended for
three years from the passage of this act; and
that said company shall have the same power,
by branches or otherwise, to connect their
road with any road Incorporated by the State
of Virginia, or West Virginia, to the same ex-
tent that they have now by law the right to
connect their road with any road authorized
by the State of Maryland.
Mr.. Householder and Mr.. Bigham moved
to amend the section by striking out from
line l to the word act in line 6: ''That so
much of the said act incorporating the said
CoHnellsville and Southern Pennsylvania
railway company as limits the time for the
construction of the main line of their road to
three years from the passage thereof, be and
the same is hereby repealed, and that the
time for the commencement of the construc-
ton thereof shall be exteneed for three years
from the passage of this act. Not agreed to.
Yeas 10. nays II.
Mr.. Householder and Mr.. Bigham moved
to further amend by striking out in fourth
and fifth lines from repealed to years inclu-
sive, and by inserting "extended for the pc
Rod Of FIVE years." ''ProUided, that portion of
the main line between Mt. Dallas and Buffalo
Run, in the county of Bedford, be completed
within two years. Not agreed to- Mr.
Hall and Mr.. Connen moved to amend by in
serting after the word 'years' in the 5th line,
the words 'and the time for its completion
eight years" Agreed to.
Mr. Householder aad Mr.. Bigham moved
further to amend the section by adding to the
end thereof proviso as follows: "Provided,
that at least twelve miles of the main line of
said road shall be completed within three
years from the passage of this act Not
agreed to. Yeas 9, nays 10. Mr.. McConnau-
ghy and Mr.. Roger moved to strike out in
the 9Th line the word three and insert the
word two. Not agreed to. Yeas II, Nays
II. The section was then agreed to.
Mr.. Householder and 1Tr. Graham then
moved to go into committee of the whole for
special amendment, as follows: provided,
however, that said company shall put under
contract at least FIVE miles Of said road within
six months after the passage of this act, and
complete the same within twelve months
from the passage of the same, and shall put
under contract at least FIVE additional miles
of said road within every successive six
months and complete the same within every
twelve months" Not agreed to. Yeas and
nays not called for, but I am informed by Mr..
Householder that only three or four voted for
it. On the question shall the bill pass, the
yeas were "a and the nays were 5. Mr..
Householder voting with the majority.
The reader viii observe that the only diff
ference between the bill when it passed the
House and when it passed the Senate, receiv-
ing Mr. Householders vote, was, the fixing of
the time for the completion Of the road to
eight years. The bill as it passed the House
and Senate gave the company three gears to
commence the construction of the road.
On Thursday the 22d the Hon. John Cess
ma effected an arrangement with the parties
interested and a reconsideration of the vote
IN the Senate was had, and the bin was
amended so as to force the company to com
mence the road in one year from the passage
of the act. Justice requires ne to say that
neither Mr. Householder, Mr. Ross nor my
self we're in any way instrumental in bringing
about the above arrangement. The bill, as
amended, passed the Honse on Friday last.
| might say, however, that the credit isclaim-
ed to belong to Mr.. Householder, as witness
the following from the telegraph (Johnson's
organ) Of March 24th:
'sWhen the bill was reported to the Senate,
Senator Householder at once discovered its
vital defects, in that it did not provide def
mite period far the completion Of the road.
He accordingly had an amendment introdu-
ced, providing that the construction of the
Connellsville and South Pennsylvania rail
road shall be commenced in one year from
the passage OF the act authorizing said road,
and that it must be completed in eight years.
Thus by the energy and vigilance Of Senator
Householder, the completion OF this impor-
tant work has been secured.
n