New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-27
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.
RAILWAY LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS.

THE FACTS ABOUT THE CENTRAL BRANCH on
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-0f all the many Rail
road Land Grant bils good bad and indifferent, now
pending in Congress- appears 10 be 80 little under
stood and certainly comes In for 80 much misrepe'
sentation as bill which recently passed the Senate 10
authorize the Central Branch Pacific Railroad 10 con-
tinue its line from its present terminus 10 form unc-
ton with the Union Pacific. The failure TO understand
the and do justice, Is owing no deub 10 inc
fact that some knowledge of Pacific Railroad legislation
ia necessary TO comprehension Of the points nFoVed'
The Central Branch one Of the four eastern
branches of the Pacific Railroad originally chartered by
Congress They were first treated branches Of one
road but were controlled by different companies. All
TO receive the same Government aid per mile OF
bonds and land The points Of departure on the Missouri
River from which these COMPANIES were to start were
Sioux City, Omaha, Atchison and Kansas City, But
three OF these companies began to push their roads
westward-the Sioux City Road being finally built
southwark down the Missouri to Council Bluff. Tho
three roads selected their routes, and, as required Dy
law Med their maps with the Secretary o. the INTERIOR
in order TO have the lands they were entitled to with
drawn from sale. The Omaha Road marked out the
route upon which it subsequently built Che Eastern
Division or Kansas Pacific laid out westward TO
the Republican Fork, and then northwcstward mp that
river 70 the Tooth meridian, and the Central Branch
was to go hundred miles west from Atchson 10 form
junction with the Eastern Division, and thus connect
the laws under which these several companies went 10
work provided that in any OF the companies
authorized construct any portion OF the Pacific Rail-
road or it's branches should have done and any portion
Of the road branches TO be constructed by any other
company should not have been constructed within the
time required Then the company which had performed
its part should be entitled and authorized TO continue
and extend road until such continuation should reach
reconstructed road and in such 10 receive lands
and bonds in aid OF such construction" cite this as the
most important point to be considered in the
The Central Branch Company went Oh to build their
road according the terms OF the law, but the Eastern
Division Company became dissatisfied with the route
given Them and not wanting 10 be merely branch OF
the Union Pacific and feeder to it, they managed to
slip bill through the Senate authorizing them to aban-
don the route mp he Republican Fork, and 70 80 west
ward Denver, with the ultimate design in view Of OBJ
tanning and Independent route across the contn'
ent. As soon the Central Branch Company got news
Of this they fastened to demonstrate against the passage
Of the bill by the House and assured by the Pacific
r. r. Committee that il should not be allowed to go
through. But the Committee were oveITulcd, and the
bill passed under the operation Of the previous question
This legislation capital thing for the Eastern
Division for il doubled the length OF their road ali
greatly increased value, but it left the Cent
Branch out in the cold. The Central Branch Company
had by this time completed so miles Of road had tho
other 80 under contract and obliged to complete
Also They had done this upon the express agreement
under the law that they 10 form ia notion with
the Eastern Division 100 miles west from Atchison, and
thus connect with the Union Pacific at the Tooth meridian
But the Eastern Division had started of in another drec-
ton and there was nothing 10 form junction with.
The company found themselves in the possession OF
road which might be said 10 nowhere. IL runs out
on the prairie hundred miles, and there stops. With
out extension and connection with some Other road,
il is worthless and the money invested IN IL has been
sunk Such is the position in which the Central Branch
stands now. 1t is not only hard for its directors and
stockholders, but hard for the Government, which
has given it $4,000 a mile Of bonds, making in
all 81 GOOOO and whose only chance OF repay lies
the road becoming profitable concern. Inc e9,i-
pany had remedy howeyer under thar portion 81 81 1e
law nave stated iey were cdat,y th route the
Eastern Division had abandoned, and make thelr con-
were entitled TO receive the same OF bonds and
quantity OF land which the Eastern Division Company
agreed They determined to do so, aud applied 70 tho
Secretary OF the Interior to withdraw The lands my
were entitled TO from sale, but the secretary being IN
some doubt to the construction OF the Different avs
declined TO take the responsibility Of dong so ara -
ferred the company 10 Congress % give them such g
ation as would protect their rights and render yanabo
the property they had invested In the road already con"
Meanwhile much time was consumed, and much Of tho
and belonging 70 Ic no' b no. Cntra7 Ramon Comany
now ask and the senate bill proposes TO gave tneH no
exact number OF sections OF land per mile from their
present terminus their junction with the Union Pachc
which the law specifies and the same number WHEN mo
Eastern Division Union Pacific and other roads have
received and no more and they 10 abandon forever
their equitable claim TO subsidy OF bonds. me PHI
provides that wherever the odd sections OF land granted
to the road have been sold, settled upon, or excepted
from the grant, the Company is to receive IN lieu theteoL
a corresponding number Of even sections lt L. TINS
provision that the opponents Of the bill chiefly
inisrepresent They declare that the road IL TO
take and keep from settlement a sond , DeI
OF country, 90 miles wide and goo long
that il is to have both the odd and sections &c.
There is no truth in these statements for not single
evennumbered section would be given to the road ex-
cept replace odd section which has already Oeen
settled upon reserved. TIE road does not get an aero
more by this arrangement and makes not particle or
difference whether the settlement is made upon odd or
eyennumbeIed sections. The same amount ot land VIII
belong the road and the same amount TO the settlers
OF TO the Government for future sale.
But the bill been referred 10 the House Committee
on Public Lands, by whom 1t Is understood IL will be
amended to cOnne the grant 10 the odd sections
only but TO extend the limits within which the odd see
lions be taken, TO recOnnense the Company
in part for the land originally granted OF which they
have been deprived This amendment viii tend 10 do
Justice To Company by fulfilling in part the contract
the Government made with them when they commenced
their road without departing from the lOngestabshed
principle OF keeping all the evennumDcrcd sections OF
the public lands for settlers. In this shape there would
be no reasonable ground OF objection 10 the BILL for 10
makes Increased land grant, and is not open 10
the opposition of those who wisely oppose any further
giving away Of the public domain.