Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-02-22
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
A Sad Nishap-Ths BIH Gees Back to the
Senate.

WASHINGTON, February Zl.-ln
the House TO-DAY, Mr.. Wheeler, from
the Pacific Railroad Company, re-
ported back the Senate bill entitled :
IAN act to Incorporate the Texas
Pacific Railroad and aid in the con-
struCtiOn Of the road, and for other
purposes" with an amendment to the
original bill. The report contains the
names Of John Q. Fremont, Marshall
o. Roberts, Thomas y. Scott, William
s. ROsecrans as corpOratrrs. The
amendment changes some of the
names of the cOrpOratOrs, changes the
name of the company to the South
Pacific Railroad Company, and re-
duces the capital from S1O0, 1000, 600 to
$50, 900, 900, provides for a single track
from a point on the eastern boundary
of Texas, at or near Marshall, TO Ship
Canal, in the Bay Of San Diego,
California, pursuing the route known
as the thiTty-secoud parallel Of north
Latitude. 1t also proposes a uniform
grade.
Mr.. Wheeler, in reply to Mr.. Gar
field, said that it was not complicated
with any branches or side roads, and
did not call for a dollar in bonds or
money, and that the object Of the
Committee was to draw q bill so that
the men to whom the grant was made
should build the road and not trade
on the valuable franchises.
The House agreed to the amend
ments and passed the bill.
The Committee on Elections made
a report in the Missouri contested
election Case-Shields against Van
HOrn-With a resolution that the
sitting member, NanHOrn, is entitled
to the seat, and that Shields be paid
$1,000 for his expenses. Adopted.
PROVISIONS OF THE PACIFIC RAIL
ROAD BILL.
WASHINGTON, February 21.-The
Senate bill Of the South Pacific Rail-
road, as passed by the House yester-
day, requires the COrpOratOrs to meet
in New York in ninety days from the
enactment of the bill, to open sub
scripHOn books and organize the Com
p8ny, when &, 600, 600 stock is subscrib-
ed, and $40, 600 paid in. The capital
of the company is limited to $50, 900,
600, unless Congress authorizes an in
crease. The purchase and cOnsOlida-
tiOn Of any existing railroad COmpa-
MES on the route, with all their fran
chises and land grants, is authorized,
though this i 3 forbidden with any
competing line to the Pacific; and
the right to purchase or accept
State or individual grants of
land for legitimate purposes. The
Company is conceded the right of way
four hundred feet wide, though the
public lands give forty acres Of land
wherever necessary for station pur-
poses. Twenty alternate sec
tiOns per mile of public lands
through the territories, and ten
sections per mile in California is
granted the company, with the pro-
vision that land not sold within three
years from the completion of the en-
tire road shall be subject to settle
ment and preemptiOn at not over
two dollars and fifty cents per acre;
that construction bonds be secured
by mortgage on the road, the
rolling stock and franchises, and
land bonds secured by mortgage on
land grants, authOrIsing that con-
Of the road be begun at
both ends; that land patents be is
sued on completion of every twenty
miles, and that the entire road be
finished in ten years. Only iron or
steel rails manufactured in American
mills and from American ore are to
be used.
The Government is to have the use
of the road on the same terms as pri-
vate individuals, and have precedence
for its service, and Congress has the
right to fix the passage and freight
rates, though they shall not exceed
those Of the Central and Union Pacific
railroads. Full liberty is given other
to connect with and inter-
sect the Southern Pacific.
The latter is forbidden 10 discrimi-
nate in favor Of or against any such
companies. The directors are forbid
den all share or interest in the con-
tracts for the construction and equip
ment, or running the road, and any
such existing contracts will be an
nulled.