, 1870-05-17
The Northern Pacific Railroad Com.
pauy--Ila Acquisitions and Its De-
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When 3ir. Wheeler called up tho Northern
Pacific Railroad joint resolution in tho House
and demanded tho previous question his IT.
tempts at pushing it through under gag law
hurt it, and although the majority wore with
him, get his stout deninl Of the privilege
Of amendment set the minority opposed to
bers Of tho Houss voted stoadi1y against dlla-
tory motions, not because they favored tho re-
solution, but because they beloved tho conse-
quences Of passing it should rest with the men
whose votes Hero recorded for it. Tho diIatory
motions had the effect OF awakening public
sentiment against the scheme, and the weak
b. one til tie msioTity turned tko othcr waT. nv
Tho nominal gift Of government lands to
this road By former set Congress amounts
to ~, ,000, 600 acres. 1t embrreeH l. sttip from
the head Of Lakn Superior to Portland, Orc
gon. The company geta tho odd sections Of
land for forty miles On each side Of tho track,
and el1ty miles on each Bide ia fxed as the
limit. within which tho selections may be made.
This resolution wonld continue the grant from
the point Oh the line Of their railroad deemed
most suitable to Puget Sound, an OK
tfneion about as indefinite as words can
mako it. Here might be two lines main Htom
Auu olNle!, oHneo " tne Same persons, over
hpping each her hundreds Of miles, till BY q
cbrksIew route ths branch diyorgod and
reached Puget Sound near the Frazer River
cbuntry, after having trave1Bed {, 600 miles or
more! The company WAS first organized to
build in straight line TO Portland, Il shown
BY their map lines at the time. They changed
their ine little, and still littls mora, each
change involving more 1Hnd by lcngtheuing
the route; and even now no power outside OF
Congress can prevent their making Torm-
fence road from Lake Superior to the Western
terminus, and increasing the contemplated
grunt by At least one-hal. -.
The holders Of this grant would hare Con-
greas suthofize them to mortgage their Isnda
for money 70 construed the road, butwould
they agree to = stipulation th1t the 500, ,000,-
0$0 IN bonds they propose to offer shal1 be the
ldst till the road is fnished2 The nnswer has.
bfeu given emghatically to those trying to
gfess to guard against watered stock anil q
sTiaaled publio9" "No!" mas the answer
,,6upposing that those who arc asking tho
passage Of this resolution intend to build the
road, 340, 0o0, 900, it ia estimated, viii do it;
and yet the first mortgage would be for 9100,-
c00, GOO. Where would the balance go7 Are
ceaver would probably be needed in less than
foF tho company Rhan have any hand in its
management.
The stubborn resistance to all propositions
toattach to the land grants conditions for tho
projection and encouragement Of the settler
give at least color to the bellef which is conf
IDENTITY expressed that each desirable point
would soon be in the hands Of monopoliats,
and tho line Of tho road would in time become
the seat Of landed aristoc1aes who would
dole out quarter and half quarter SECTIONS 1t
e1nrbitant rates. Nowhere in the United States
are the people opposed to the construction
Of this road, and tho only substantial opposi-
tiun here ia from the covert influence
Of those interested in the two central trans-
continental roads. Many in Congress oppose
the provision inserted demonstrating the e1clu-
sive purchase Of American iron Tor the road,
but they would swallow that dose Il they felt
that the rest OF The bill had IN it any fairness.
A niue-tenths majority in both houses Of Con-
greas favor three trans-coutine ental roads one
above the enow line, about the proposed Line
Of this; one &c1oss tha southern country be-
loF the snoU line, knd the central route, which
Is already completed: