The Placer herald., 1872-04-20
CAN THIS BE TRUE .
The subjoined is from the San Francisco
Chr0nicLe Of The 14.h instant:

i he subJoned Is IRON the Dan IIalcISco
Chronicle of The 14ih instant:
a. petition to Congress has been gotten up and
Forwarded to Mr.. Sargent, and Will be by him
presented in the House when the bill for the
transfer of Goat Island again comes up for con-
sideraton, which will be early this week, perhaps
tomorrow.
The petition sets forth that Goat Island is the
natural terminus of the Central Pacific Railroad
that the building OF bridge across the bay would
cost So eco 000, and that therefore it is mprac-
ticabe that neither the State nor the nation
would be taxed one dollar for the needed I'M
provements on the island to fit it for the use Of
The railroad company; that at least 81 per ton on
freight from the interior would be saved by the
island being made the terminus OF the railroad
and therefore, the petitioners ask for the passage
of the bill transferring the island in the interest
of cheap transportation and the commerce OF
the interior.
The petition is signed by b. d. Wilson, of Los
Angeles, chairman of the Committee on Agricul-
ture Thomas Fowler of Tulare, Kern and
Fresno, chairman of the Committee on PuDlc
Lands; Judge Van Ness, Of San LUIS Obispo,
chairman of the Committee on Federal Relations !:
George s. Evans, of San joaquin, chairman OF
the Committee on Military affairs; Senators Nett
of Placer Goodale of Contra Costa Duffy of
Sacramento, Minis of Yolo, Kent Of Nevada,
Hutchings Of Yuba, Dyer of Calayeras, ana
twelve other Senators.
We are inclined to doubt the correctness
of this statement of the Chronicle. We
do this because these Senators are ignorant
Of the truth or falsehoods stated in the petit
ton. How do these Senator's know that it
will cost $15 900, 600 to bridge the bay
None of them are civil engineers, or have
ever figured on the cost Of such bridge.
How do they know that it will cost an extra
dollar on each ton of freight if not landed on
Goat Island Senator Nef knows that the
railroad charges on every ton of freight every
dollar it will bear or the law allow. VIII
it cheaper freights 10 spend millions OF dol
lars to bridge the flats and run it to Goat
Island rather than land it at their wharves
and landings now at Oakland? What non
sense; worse than nonsense, for it is a lie.
Could, or did, these Senators sign petition
to give Goat Island one of the most valuable
defensive points in the harbor Of San Fran
cisco, either against n foreign foe or domestic
rebellion, 20 Stanford & Co. ? 1t is impos-
sble to believe Neif, Minis and Evans
stood out against the monopoly all Winter,
and now have yielded at last? Tie
Chronicle must prove this before we will
believe it. The signatures of these % Sen
ators may be valuable to the monopoly, in
Washington, but what means they used to
Get them we are at loss to imagine. We
look upon that official who would aid III
despoiling the Government Of Goat Island
and giving il to this selfish monopoly as a
public enemy to the best interests of the
country, and untitled for any public position.
How must these sagacious Senators feel
when the justly celebrated engineer A. W.
Won Schmidt tells the world that he will
construct a bridge across the bay, at Ravens
wood, free for all railroads, for $3.50 ,O00-
Just one-twentieth of the sum they have GER
tilted it would cost, in signing the petition
If these Senators did sign such a petition,
and their names and official positions are
used at Washington to aid in robbing the
State and country of Goat Island, worth in
money $50 ,000, 600, and as a defensive
point in national view invaluable, and give
it to a selfish, tyrannical monopoly, as
further method of expressing the people, they
will never rue it but once, and that will be
all the days of their lives.