The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-06-19
GALVESTON RAILROAD.

The editor has been absent, and has
not even examined The TRIBUNE since
his return. 1t has been in the hand
of Col. w. Y. Roberts, and a man can
afford to neglect his business when lac
has good substitute. Like the good
old deacon who fell asleap in church,
and justified himself on the ground of
confidence in his minister, we know that
| THE TRIBUNE has been all right, and
our only fear is that our readers will all
be sorry that we returned at all. But
the Galveston question.
We are not very familiar with the
new treaty, except that we learn that
eight millions acres of the best lands in
Kansas have been contracted by the
high contracting parties for twenty
cents per acre, on the condition that the
Galveston Railroad Company shall con-
struct only twenty miles of railroad per
| year. This is unreasonable and unjust,
not particularly to the Indians, for we
don't go much on Mr.. "Lo," but to the
Woodworking, honest settlers of Kan
sas. 1t is right to encourage railroads
and railroad men, but the settlers, and
all the people of Kansas, have rights
which white men are bound to re-
spect."
1t is unjust, because Mr.. Sturges and
his friends agreed to build this road to
| the south line of the State, without any
Indian donation, within two years from
the time the franchise was donated to
| them, and he and his friends have no
right to require seven years for what
| they agreed to accomplish.
| 1t is unjust to the people, because no
| limit is made to the price which the
railroad company may ask for these
| lands.
| 1t is unjust to the taxpayers of Kan
sas, because it places it i'll the power of
one man to prevent the settlement of at
least one-tenth of the State, except upon
! his own terms.
1t is unjust to the State, because these
lands are sufficient to secure the build
| ing of the whole line of the road to
Galveston, by a larger donation to them
than is given even to the UNION Pacific
railroad.
Either the company should be COM
PEELED to build the road through to Gal
weston, Cor to construct one hundred
and fifty miles of the branch by way of
Emporia.
Hon. VIM. Spriggs, who is well ac-
| quinted with these lands, told us that
they were unexcelled by any lands on
which he had ever set his eyes. 1t is a
low estimate to call them worth eight
millions Of dollars more than the COM
pany pay for them, and it is not eXtray-
agant to say that the company will real
/ iZe twenty five millions of dollars for
| them.
By no means would we say anything
to defeat the road but we would plead
for its speedy construction. Let the
treaty be so amended as TO require a
sufficient amount of road to be con-
structed-first upon the main line, then
on the branch towards Emporia. The
Neosho Valley, that enterprising and
prosperous portion of Kansas, on and
near which these lands lie, have rights
in the public domain. The good sense
of the managers of this enterprise ought
to teach them that the enormity of this
! grant requires them at once to- suggest
such amendments.
Never was such an opportunity pre-
scented for the development of a country
as is now offered to Southern Kansas in
this treaty, and our Senators and Con-
! gressmeR will have heavy responsible
ity resting upon them if this twenty five
millions dollars worth of lands is not
made to construct at least six hundred
miles of Kansas railroads.-LdlcreIsce
| Tj.ibHUe