The Shasta courier., 1872-10-26
THE GOAT ISLAND BILL AGAIN.

OF Representatives OF the U. s. last Winter
and which cuts such figure in the Con-
gressional election in the State this FALL
Our apology to our readers for again pub
fishing ii is the persistent Misrepresentation
of the bill itself, and of the acts and mo-
tives of those who supported it, by those
interested in the defeat of the Republican
candidates in the End and 3rd Districts of
this State. The Sacramento Union has
been repeatedly requested to publish the
bill, that the people might judge for them
selves of its merits or iniquity, but has in
every instance refused, giving instead
false and garbled statement of its purpose
and contents. We ask every Republican
to carefully read this bill and, judge: for
himself:
Be itenacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, that the use of onehalf of the
island of Yerba Buena, of Goat Island, in the Bay
of San Francisco, California is hereby granted to
| the Central Pacific Railroad Company its success
and assigns, for terminus for its railroad to
be used exclusively for railroad purposes and this
grant shall continue as long the said premises
shall be used by said company, its successors and
longer; and said premises shall be subject to tax
alton as is other like property under the laws of
the State Of California Provided That within
month from the passage of this act, the Presi
dent Of the United States shall appoint three
missoners who shall be authorized at the expense
of the Central Pacific Railroad Company to exam
inc said ,islanl to hear allegations and proofs,
and to take into account well any benefit or any
injury which may accrue to the Government OF
the United States from the execution of this act;
and within three months from their appointment,
said commissioners, a majority of them shall
award such sum for the use of said half of said
island granted by this act as in their judgment,
or in the judgment of majority of them shall be
deemed just and equitable, which amount shall be
paid by said Central Pacific Railroad Company,
before it shall avail itself of this grant Provid
ed u ther that said half of said Island shall be
selected and designated within six months from
the passage of this act, by or under the authori-
ty of the President of the United States. And be
it further provided, That this grant is upon the
press condition that the Government of the United
States hereby the free use of the whole of
said island for military purposes in time of war,
in anticipation of war, when deemed necessary by
| the President of the United States.
| Sec. 2. That nothing herein contained shall
destroy or impair any lawful equitable rights
and claims of private parties if such exist, to the
said island, any part thereof; and the said Cen
trail Pacific Railroad Company is hereby authorized
to locate and construct its railroad and telegraph
line from its present terminus at Oakland to said
island and there establish the western terminus of
said railroad and telegraph line. Provided, that
this extension shall be subject to the charter laws,
and conditions which now govern the construction
| and existence of the Central Pacific Railroad but
no subsidy of any nature whatsoever. is hereby
intended to be or given to the said Central Pacific
| Railroad Provided further, That said railroad
shall reach said island with its track, and occupy
its designated portion thereof, within three years
from the time said company shall be in undisputed
possession, free from adverse claimants : And be
| it Further provided, That the supersructure upon
which the tract shall be placed shall be built upon
piers, with spans of not less than three hundred
| feet, which piers shall be reduced to a minimum,
and also to the least possible width CONSTANT with
safety, and so placed and shaped with reference to
the channel and direction of tides as to offer to
them as little obstruction as possible.
Sec. 3. That if at any time the wants of COM
merce naval communication shall require it, up
thedirecon of the President of the United States.
the said Central Pacific Railroad Company shall
erect a drawbridge such portion Of the chan
mel the engineer department Of the United States
| shall direct.
Sec. A. That any and all railroad companies
shall have the right to run their cars from the
mainland over the track the Central Pacific Rail-
road Company to said island, and accommodations
for doing business under such rules and regulations
as shall be prescribed by the said Central Pacific
Railroad Company but each company availing
itself ofthis privilege shall first pay to the Central
| Pacific Railroad Company just proportion of the
| cost of the improvements on said island and the
expenses incurred in reaching the same from the
| mainland such proportion to be measured and de-
| termined by the benefits which said railroad COM
| pany may derive from the use of said main track
and island; and in case of any disagreement be-
tween any such railroad company and the said
Central Pacific Railroad Company, as to the
amount to be paid, and as to the use and occupancy
OF said track and island, the same shall be deter
mined by the Secretary of War, subject to the ap-
proval of the President of the United States Pro-
| yided, That said Central Pacific Railroad Compa-
ny, and any other railroad company availing itself
of the privileges of this act shall receive and de-
liver freight and passengers which shall pass over
their lines of road or any part thereof, without ex
ira charge, at one or more points convenient for
business and travel on the western shore of said
bay, and within the corporate limits of the city of
San Francisco, Provided further, that the said
| Central Pacific Railroad Company shall make
charge for wharfage, for freight passengers
which have passed or are to pass their line of
road or any part thereof And be it further provi-
/ ded, that Congress reserves full power whenever
| in its judgment it may be proper so to do, to
thorize by law any other railroad company or COM
panies to construct and maintain its their own
| Independent connections with and use ofthat part
of the island of Yerba Buena, the of which is by
this act granted, that shall not be actually occupi
cd for legitimate railroad purposes under law of
Congress at the time said subsequent legislation
may be had.
And Congress may, at any time alter, amend or
repeal act, having due regard to the rights and
interests of the railroad companies which may have
avaled themselves of the privileges hereby granted.
The foregoing is the bill which has been
| daily, for the last three months, held up to
the people of this District by the Sacramen-
to Union and by its dsmagogical candidate
for Congress, J. K Luttrell, as subsidy
| to the Central Pacific Railroad Company
worth fifty millions of dollars. Was there
ever greater perversion of truth What
are the facts: One half of the island is to
be leased by the government to the COM
pany to be used for railroad purposes only,
at such rental as three Commissioners ap
pointed by the President of the United
States shall deem just and equitable, which
rental must be paid in advance by the
Company. There is a farther provision to
guard efectually against any monopoly, that
the company might seek to establish under
this lease to the effect, that all otherjroads
shall have the right to run their CATS over
the track of the Central Pacific Eom the
main land to the island, that deh other
companies shall have as ample6ccommoda-
tions on the Island itself as tie Central Pa