, 1869-01-29

An important debate WAS had in the
Senate CT the United States, on Monday
last, on the bill to grant an additional
subsidy ard additional lands to the Cen-
lral Brarch Union Pacific Rsilro-l 10
cnsble the company building that road
10 extend it about one hundred and fifty
miles farther, to torm connection with
the Enien Pacific, Eastern Division,
Railroad. The amount oi money asked
for was $2,40U,000, and the number Of
acrts ct LAID, 100000. The vo:c on the
bill was taken on Wednesday,, and it was
rejected by q majority Of two. There is,
bowerer, an expectation that 1t will be
rccoEs:lered. Tic dcbste disclosed the
SratisyinE fact that q number OF Scas-
tors who voted in the afflrma,ivc dld 50
solely OF the ground that the govern
nent Asd encouraged the Central
B1s1ch CompsuE 10 commence the
construction Of thslr road on 8
.:-e wi:ch has turned cut to be
41para'irelr va1uelcss, ard will con-
- ce 10 be q, ullsss j: slsl! be continued,
Z th5 same ee:eral direction tha: It Is
-1w fo.i- wig, cue h1rGted ard d.ty
E;:e= fsr1Le.. Senator Fezse1dec, who
yl::sd n t2e si5lualiye, stated that he
Tsz oppf=ti to government subsidies in
-: t4st be had vottd agai1s. a.! CT
s7-r, :1c1rdIg :Ief re fer the N ain line
Il The Toioa Pacific, sud inst he cx.
Pec:eil 10 To.e gains: all he rest, as fas:
e5 they Should come forward. lie roted
fcr tbs ore because he believed that
CcEeress had put The company in their
;rcsent p1elicament, and thst i. was
EMz!iy bcuId to help thtm m cut Of it.
This Central Branch was formerly
known as Pomercy's rosd-Senator
pouer.y, of Kansas, having been its
President. We believe that his brother,
CT some near relative, has succeeded to
the Presidency, in obedience TO public
prejzd.ce. which leans somewhat heavily
against Senators who hold official posi-
tons in Railways which depend upon
government aid. The grant was origin
silly intended to furnish to The Hannibal
Il St. Jeserh Railroad connection with
the Kansas Pacilc Railway at Topeka,
1ia Atchisop. The act of Congress gave
to it the sane amount Of subsidy aud
lands per mile as to the main line of the
Pacific Railroad, but limited it in distance
TO one hundred miles. The debate, Will
the bill was pending, proves that Topeks,
or some place near 1t, was the objective
point Of the road, and that both the Kan.
sas Senators 50 understood it But the
hill, instead ol naming Topeka, provided
in general terms that the road should
he extended one hundred miles to juno
ton with the Eastern Division road
The claimants allege that they waited
until the Eastern Division Company had
filedtheir map in the General Land Office
snd that then they laid cut their owr
1iEc SO as to form connection at dis
tsnce Of one hundred miles from St
Joseph that subsequently the Esster1
Division changed its line so that the Cen
trsl Branch could not iorm its connec-
ttou st the anticipated point. Hence thu
claim for government aid In bu l3in.
cpe hunjr and flf = miles more.
Ex-senator Howe argued that the Ccntra
Brarch Compsny had no legal or equita
bic claim upon Congress for the acts 0
the Eastern DiTision-a pretty plat
proposition, as we think. Senator Conk
ling followed in very convincing argr
nent, showing that the claimants 1si
their road where they did st their per
without authority Of law, and withou
any right either 10 expect or claim COZ
ncclion; that had they built it where
was designed to g., junctio
would hsye bocn found With
enc hundred miles at Topek
b1anhs,lan, or Fort Riley; that by c,
t;udipg The time to the Eastern Divisio
no injury was wrought to The claimant
because then then they had done no.hiu
committing them TO q location whic
they could not change; that In ever
aspect Of the case the rellei proposed
excessive, inorlintte, uDjustifable, E
added: This bill has been pressed upo
"us By the rearing lion Of the lobb
"wstb an ass'duity, with pcrlinscit
"with an enterprise never equal''
''durirg my brief experience in II
@'body as far as know"
II it lns moi been fatally killed alread
we,1us: it will be when it next makes
appearance In the halls OF Congress.
Is q significant fact that the ST. Joseph
D.uytr City Rsi:road is being CO..
st1uc.ed at the present time without 60
ernmcnt aid OF any kind, on line mar,
!rl with The Centtel Brs-- h. pAcifc, a,
running large part OF tue way with
in miles Of il.