Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-21
Gbeprestott5our
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@kDN EsDAY. DEC. ar. 1870.
ST. oRoIx 8 SUPERIOR n. r..

Agreeably TO the terms of the post
ponement of The land grant bill, that
measure Was sgain brought before the
House, last week Tuesday, The question
being on the Reconsideration Of The vote
whereby the bill was previously rejected
The result was The postponement OF any
further action on the measure I'LL the sec
ond Tuesday in January.
This partial defcnt of the biz is attrib
uted to the action OF the Southern mem
-bers. who seem disposed to oppose any
and all measures granting lands 10 rail
roads until their own claims for land
grants for similar enterprises are recog
med by Congress. Aud certainly their op
position Is not without reason. Congress
has lent money and granted lands for the
construction of the Union Pacific railroad,
has conveyed enormous grants 20 North
ern Pacific and given thousands of acres
To other northern railroads within the
isst eight years, aud nOr, VII n the
Southern states ask for like assistance TO
enable them TO buid a Southern Pacific
Tsi.road, Congress shudlers a, the idea
and proposes TO shut down on land grants
altogether. Bsyonl all question they
are MS much entitled to the public do
main rs their sister states. While we
feel keenly their opposition in this par
iicular instance; We cannot blame them
fOr taking this position. We are forced
TO admit the justice of their claim, and
hope they will gain their point. They
have once more gathered around the
family board, loyal and peaceabIe, and
nov they ask Uncle Samuel 10 talk
turkey TO them, once in while, as he
dishes out huge slices of the public do
mains TO northern gourmands.
From a Washington dispatch of the
18th, to the Chicago Tribune, we t,ke
the following extract, which briefly sums
up the causes which led to the defeat OF
the bill:
The bill extending the time for the
completion of the ST. Croix & Superior
Railroad over which there was n fight
in the House last week, came up again
TO day. and motion was immediately
made to postpone its consideration to the
second Tuesday in January, which was
carried SO to 81. Many interested per.
sons are here from Minnesota and Wis
consin, and their Indignation is loud and
deep. They made an earnest appeal to
the friends of the Fremont Road to help
them in the matter, but were met with a
refusal ON the grounds that the Fremont
Road had been tricked aud cheated
enough BY the friends of other schemes,
and would enter into 10 more bargains
until tho demand had been responded to.
When the issue was doubtful, the friends
of the Fremont Road drummed up from
the cloak room and Hobbies enough votes
to defeat it. and cons quentlv the North
west is exasperaled against the men coun
ted on as allies.
Ii is reported that Jay Cooke, who
now owns the franchises of the projec-
ted road, is confident the bill will finally
pass. Perhaps it will, but at this stage
Of the game it looks very dubious, in
deed.
The people of the st. Croix Valley
are deeply interested in this enterprise.
and from one end of the proposed line
TO tie other, we do lot believe there is a
person living who would not hail with
joy the passage of tho act. Hence,
congressman opposing the bill under the
pretext that the people here do not
want the grant extended may away with
that excuse, for there is no truth in il. =
Relying on the assurances of Jay Cooke
& CO. that the road will be built if these
lands are re granted, the settlers not only
ask, but demand the passage of the ex
tension act, in which they are more vi
tally interested than any one else. We
sincerely hope I'LL difficulties will be ad-
justed, aud the final passage of the bill
secured, on the second Tuesday Of next
January.
N.
- IN