The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-01-19
Astounding Railroad Operations.
A@ether Chapter of stupen.
dOus Frauds.
One Third OF the Public Domain
Given 10 Railroad SPECTATORS.

CINCINNATI GttLeIlo.
The subject of the great railroad
frauds grows at every attempt TO ascer-
tain its limits, and it is only by investi-
eating one scheme after another that the
full rounded infamy begins to appear.
THE SIOUX CITY BRANCH.
There was clause in the Pacific Rail
road bill which required the Union Pa
cifc Railroad Company to construct h
branch from Sioux City to connect with
their main road by the ''nearest and
most practicable route
The road thus provided for would, if
any attention had been paid to the law
authorizing it, have been built from a
point on the Missouri river, opposite
Sioux City, in direction almost exactly
southwest to Columbus. in Nebraska, on
the main stem, distance Of ninety-six
miles.
Instead of doing this, the road was
built down the rich and level bottoms of
the Missouri, in direction considerably
east of south, and for sixty ght miles
of this distance, at the end of each sue
cessive mile, the track layers were fur
ther from the Pacific ocean than when
were twenty miles further east than the
meridian of Sioux City. Then turning
westward and crossing the Missouri thir-
ty miles above Omaha, the line strikes
tha m ain ctop, Of Er,,,nn+ r,olyin,r tho
branch thus built 100 miles in length,
and its terminus at this point of june
ton, only six miles nearer the Pacific
ocean than the point where its first rail
was laid.
And for this road lying almost wholly
in the State Of Iowa, in no sense a Pa
citic road, and in almost all sense pri-
vate one, bonds, by way of government
subsidy have been issued by the Secreta-
ry Of the Treasury at the rate of about
$4,000 per mile, and lands have been
certified by the Secretary of the Interior
at the rate of 1880 acres per mile,
and by legislation already perfected this
branch, thus constructed in violation of
law, is regularly receiving its proportion
of these subsidies, and claims the whole,
namely, 1000, 600 and 1,2S0,000 acres
of land.
BURLINGTON AND MISSOURI RIVER ExTEN-
SION.
BY the amended Pacific Railroad act,
of 1864 certain Iowa parties secured an
amendment authorizing this company to
extend its line from a point on the Miss
ouri river, near Nebraska City, westward
to point near Fort Kearny, or any
point east of the hun,lredth meridian
The distance was about $50 miles, and
the land grant 1880 acres per mile
Here Mr.. Secretary Harlan stepped in
and withdrew from public sale not only
all the lands south of this road to the
Nebraska line, but went over into Kan
sas aud withdrew all the lands down tO
those which Senator Pomerov' company
had already received. Between these
two gentlemen and their friends, tract
large enough for q very respectable State
came near passing into the hands Of s
few individuals. But the Kansas Legis
lature and the Kansas delegation in the
House made such an exposition OF the
transaction as to compel Secretary Har
Ian, in self: defence, to restore the Kan
sas lands to the market.
THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOSE BRANCH
All the irregularities connected witt
this branch system have not been upor
the eastern end of these roads. Under
the original Pacific Railroad act the
Central Pacific Railroad of Californis
was authorized 20 construct a road eli
ther from San Francisco or the naviga
bic waters of the Sacramento river tc
the eastern boundry of California. The
company selected Sacramento City as
their point of departure.
Subsequently, however, another com
pany, chartered by til State, claiming to
have an assignment from the first com
pany, proceeded to build q road from
Sacramento via Stockton to San Jose, ;
point not Oh the Pacific coast. The line
was 100 miles long and it itreceired a sub
sidy of 81 100000 and large grant ot
land besides. The facts as given above
in the case of these two branch roads
were charged on the floor of the House
in March last by General c. Z. Wash
burn, of Wisconsin, and not denied.
LEAvENwoRTH, LAWRENCE AND CALVES
TON ROAD.
This is one of the rotton Kansas
swindlcs. 1t runs from Leavenwortl
southwardly through the eastern portion
Of the State, and of course through
some of its richest lands. This latter
feature is popularity of these latter
day roads. At the East, where compa
nies pay for their lands, they run theil
roads as far as possible over the poor
lands, but at the W est the reverseis true
The companies do not pay, but become
wealthy by selecting the richest lands.
The portion of this road which lies in
Kansas is $50 miles long, and the cost
of building this will not average over
$4,000 per mile. This road has already
received the following aid:-The gov
ernment has granted it 100000 acres OF
excellent land, the State of Kansas has
given 1854 acres and the counties
through which it passes have issued ii
their bonds to the amount of 100000.
This company, in the person OF rep
resentativc, is now before the Senate
urging the ratification of a treaty, known
as the Usage treaty, which enables this
company to buy 100000 acres of land
at nineteen cents per acre, the payment
having fifteen years to run. These lands
have been variously estimated by good
judges, who were all acquainted with the
tract, AS worth from SS,O00,00O to $l2,-
000.000.
The whole affair has been from its in
ception a gigantic plundering scheme,
and Senators have been in it, are in it
still, and it is said that one has declared
that some time when the Senate was
tired and most had gone to dinner he
would get it through.
The treaty for these lands was negotia-
ted by a commission sent out from this
city. 1t is understood that the treaty
was drawn here i'm advance. The reno