The New York herald., 1869-01-10
ASTOUNDING RAILROAD OPERATIONS.
Another Chapter of stupendous Frnads-One-
Third Of tho Public Domain Given To Rail-
road Gnecu,ntOrs

Another Chapter of Stupendous Frnuds-Onc-
Third Of the Public Domain Given 10 Rail-
road Spectators.
/ Washington Jan. 81 correspondence OF the Cincin-
| natI Gazette.l
! The subject or the great railroad frauds grows at
investigating scheme after another that the full
1 rounded infamy begins to appear
The SIOUX CITY BRANCH.
mn nere h mss & ~ shn a. u,o tu1 paenc Rai1roa1 ro
pany to construct u branch from Sioux City TO con-
meet with their main road by the .nearest and most
Tne road thus provided for would, n any attention
had been paid to the law authorizing II, have been
| built from q point ON the Missouri river, opposite
| Sioux City, in direction almost exactly southwest
| TO Columbus in Nebraska, on the main stem, dis
Instead Of doing this, however, the road was built
! down the rich and level bottoms OF the MIS-
souri, in direction considerably east south, and
each successive mile. the track layers were further
from the Pacifc ocean than when they began and at
the sxty-eighth mile twenty miles further east
than the meridian oi Sioux CITY, Then turning west
/ ward and crossing the Missouri thirty miles above
Omaha, tle line strikes the main stem at Fremont
| making the branch thus built 100 miles IN length
and its terminus at this point OF junction only six
miles nearer the Pacific ocean tan the point wnere
And for this road lying amost wholly in the State
1 OF Iowa, in no sense Pacific road, and in almost
| all senses private one, bonds by way OF govern
ment subsidy have been issued by the Secretary OF
and lands have been certified by the Secretary OF the
Interior at the rate OF 12 500 acres per e and by
Legislation already perfected this branch thus con-
structed In violation Of law, Is regularly receiving
4 its proportion OF these subsidies, and claims the
WHOLE namely, 81 100000 and l,2soooo acres OF land
| BURLINGTON AND MISSOURI RIVER EXTENSION.
BY the amended Pacific Railroad act OF 1854 GER
tain Iowa parties secured an amendment authorizing
the Missouri river naer Nebraska City, west
ward, to q point , near t,,,,a Fort hearny,
distance was about. 100 miles, and the land grant
II, 800 acres per mile. Here Mr.. Secretary Harlan
stepped in and withdrew from public sale not only
ali tie lands south OF this road to the Nebraska line
but went into Kansas and withdrew all the
lands down to those winch senator Pomeroy's com
pany had already received. Between these two gen.
temen and their friends, tract large enough for
very respectable State came near passing INTO the
hands Of q few individuals. But the Kansas Legs-
ature and the Kansas delegation III the House made
such exposition Of the transaction as to compel
Secretary Harlan, IN self-defence TO restore the
| Kansas lands to the market.
| THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOSE BRANCH
All the Irregularities connected with this branch
system have not been upon the eastern end OF these
roads, Under the original Pacific Railroad act the
to construct road either from San Francisco or the
| nayigable waters Of the Sacramento river to the
eastern boundary Of California. The company e Sc
| Subsequently, however, another company, char
tered by the State, claiming to have an assignment
from the 1irSt company proceeded to build a road
| from Sacramento via Stockton to San Jose, point
| not on the Pacific coast. The line was 120 miles
long and ii received subsidy OF 81, $40 900 and
| large grant of land besides. The facts as given
above In the case OF these two branch roads were
charged on the moor Of the House in March last by
General Q. 9. Washburn, Of Wisconsin, and not de-
| MED.
| LEAvENwoRTH, LAWRENCE AND GALVESTON ROAD.
This Is one Of the rotten Kansas swindes. 1t
runs from Leayenworth southwardly through the
portion Of the State and OF course through
some of It's richest lands. This latter feature Is
popularity OF these latterday roads. At the East
| where companies pay for their lands, they run
their roads as far as possible over The poor lands,
but at the West the reverse is 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, aud the cost OF building this VIII not
\ mar mil nc
| already received the following aid:-The govern
ment has granted It 100000 acres Of excellent land,
the State Kansas has given 125 900 acres and the
counties through which Ii passes have issued IL their
| bonds TO the amount OF 5000 900.
il now before the senate urging the ratification Of
| treaty, known as the Usage treaty. which enables
teen cents per acre the payment having fifteen years
10 run. These lands have been yariously estimated
be good judges, who We're all acquainted with the
| tract. as worth from $S.0o0,O00 20 sI2,000,OC0.
The whole affair has been from its inception
gigantic pundering scheme, and senators have been
IN IT, are In IL STILL and u ~ said tna one mas de-
ciared that some time when the Senate was tired and
most had gone to dinner he would get it through.
The treaty for these lands negotiated
| by commission sent out from this city. II
| Is understood that the treaty was drawn here
4 in advance. The removal OF the Indians
secured by threats. In the speech made to the In
| dlans on tine subject, by Commissioner Taylor on
! the displeasure Of the government and q with
| drawal OF provisions L they did not agree 10 the
treaty Colonel Murphy, Indian superintendent
! between the Osages and their enemies on the plains
/ II they would sfgn, but II not nothing should be
| Colonel Boone another commissioner, told them
they could choose between the treaty and lighting
| As already stated this treaty. thus secured Is
pending before che Senate Of the United States; and
although its attention has been repeatedly called 10
| its characte- t has not been rejected.
THE CHEROKEE NEUTRAL LAND JOB.
This Is, IN iis main features, republican venture.
Mr. secretary Harlan was the principal oslcal actor
The treaty regarding these lanis provided that ne
might sell them in body OF no, less than one dollar
| the Conneccut Emigrant Company. which was In
| reality an Iowa company, In which his friends, at
| cash, he, III violation OF law, sold the tract OF
100000 acres on time, requiring only $4,000 a. a
| first payment The sale was disputed and the Attor-
| ney General decided that the whole affair
was Illegal Here. Il rested till supple
Senate, authorizing q sale on time. The lands
then sold by senator Browning, without adver-
raj road man here. acting for The kansas and Neosho
Valley Company. for one dollar per acre, he agreeing
WIN ae Company tp pay back ,d .ae
bogus purchase so fur ~ those In official position
are concerned the chief responsibility FOR this trans
action rests directly upon Senator Harlan. Leaving
entirely out o view the iowa feature OF the so-caed
Connecticut Company ana the circles OF his friends
be put upon Il s that the Attorney General decided
the operation to be outside the bounds OF law. Even
the final sale 10 Joy by senator Browning was with
out Advertising appears rom report he sent to
Congress, where he Is obliged to admit that he
only authorized an un01cidl statement 10 nc
made in newspapers that proposals would be re-
ccived till certain day. Az that time Joy the
only one Offering TO buy. and 20 he got The ands-as
| was Intended. senator Pomeroy sufficiently in
crested in this same Kansas and Neosho Valley road
t. Introduce and attempt 70 pass blll granting IL
| L. 500 acres OF land per mile Tor about 100 mites.
GRAND TOTALS LAND GRANTS.
Congress up 10 March last had granted in all TO
various western and southern states 81 900
acres OF lands for railroad purposes, It has gveu
besides, over i7o00000 acres TO canals aud similar
| improvements. The Pacific railroads aud branches
have received I24 acres and to this is added
| the even numbered sections along these routes,
| which the Secretary OF the Interior decided to be
closed for settlement, u will appear thai nearly one
third OF the entire public domain has been made over
| TO the control Of railroad companies
.The quantity Of lands conveyed w these grants"
! saws the Commissioner Of the General Land Office
lis OF empire extent exceeding In the aggregate by
more than i've millions Of acres the entire areas OF