Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-03
TIE PACIFIC RAILROAD IMBROGL,o

We see that some of the leadin papers of the
country are commenting with severity upon
the manner In which the public interests are
trified with by great railroad corporaiioLs
The idea that the people have any rights 10 the
premises Is quite ignored by the railroad m q.
Mates Our railroad system, instead Of being
vorkedin the interest Of the great public. and in
behalf OF national progress, is now little more
imam q Ioobing concern, in which the Jim Flsks
Of the day are the ruling spirits and run the
machine solely 10 further their own speculative
AIMS, or TO gratify their private animosities.
This selfish, graspipg policy Of the railroad
clques, regardless of the public interest, Is
illustrated on large scale by the action OF the
Central Pacific Railroad Company in under.
taking to arrest the progress of the great na-
r1Dpal work Of building a through hns to the
Pacific. The country has followed with intense
interest The wonderfully rapid progress west
ward Of the CnioE Pacific railroad, and had
already begun to count the days when the
great desidera'um would be attained OF through
railroad communication with the Pacific
coast But the work is no W suddenly brought
TO stand still by the California comp any,
who, by sort of Fisk grab game, are essay
irg to get possession Of some four hundred
and thirty miles in ad vance Of their completed
track, in order to make Ogden the point of
junction. The Union Pacific Company have
already completed their road thirty miles be-
yond Ogden and propose to make Monument
Point, at the head Of Salt Lake, the point of
junction, that being the great natural connect
ing point in view of the future roads diverging
from it to Montana, to Portland Oregon,
Puglt Sound and else vi here. But the Central
Pacific Com pany, for purposes of their own,
had determined, by hook or by crook, to make
the connection as far East as Ogden, and find
ing themselves unable to compete with
their energetic rivals In road building
they have resortsd TO lobby tactics a.
Washington, and by some legerdemain
worthy of the smartest of the New York rail-
road operators, procured the acceptance of an
Ill-dehned map and an illegal issue of s2,4OO,-
eco of bonds in the closing hours Of Andrew
Johnson administration. The bonds were is
sued absolutely on the ID OF March. the last
day OF that administrator, evidently in the be-
lief that IT would not he lfe to have the affair
pass the inspection Of the incoming q :binet.
Thus the Central Company expect to cover
the ground they Govet, not only to delay the
completion of the road some months while they
build IN this direction, but also o compel the
Union Pacific Company TO take up some thirty
miles of track they have already laid beyond
ogden This will not suit the American idea
of progress. and Congress Is not at all likely to
iLdorse such erab-hke policy. The opinion of
thoughtful, welI-inforued members of Con-
gress, so far We can hear, is decidedly agaIrs,
allowing any hocus -pocus arrangement
effected in the last moments of Johnson's ad-
ministration to interfere with the progress OF
this great national work. The Union Pacific
Company are building on legitimateIy under
their charter, to meet the other road. The
public are indifferent as TO the POINT of june
ton, but they want that junction 10 be made as
speedily a. possible.
Since writing the above hear 1t stated
that the Senate Pacific Railroad Committee
have agreed TO report in favor OF authorizing
the President to fix the point of junction of
the two roads; and, should he deem il expedi.
ent, to appoint board Of disintere> ted civil
isns TO report upon the condition OF the roads.
This seems 10 be fair and just solution of
the difhculty. President Grant has himself
been over the ground, and is q competent um-
pire, in whom both sides can place confidence