New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-18

Constant complaints have of late been made
TO us by readers in Brooklyn that the news
dealers fail to keep a sufficient supply of THE
TRIBUNE to meet the increasing demand
We shall be obliged if readers who fail to
find sufficient supply this morning will give
us prompt information of the stands at which
they find THE TRIBUNE missing.
As was expected of them. the PPohibitionsts
of this State have nominated full ticket, the
Rev. Dwight Williams heading the list as candi-
date for Secretary of State. 1t must be con-
fessed that the Temperance people have no
ground for confidence in the party now i'll
power in this State. Much was promised
them, last year, but the fulfillment was most
beggarly. The Convention at Syracuse, yes
terday, affirmed all this; but whether it
adopted more hopeful course to secure their
aims is not at all certain.
Sir John A. Macdonald. the Canadian Pre-
mier and principal defendant, was on the wit
ness stand yesterday in the Canadian Railroad
investigation. Candid outsiders have long
since given up all hope of ever seeing any
evidence brought before this Commission ex-
cept that which would generally deny the
charges brought in Parliament. Sir Johns
testimony was DO exception to the general
character of that which has gone before. He
gave a very dlgnifed and plausible account of
the negotiations which preceded the letting of
the Pacific Railroad to Sir Hugh Allan darkly
intimated that Mr.. McMullen's operations were
Matchmaking, and generally conveyed the i'm
preston that that gentleman had made an IN
genious use of circumstantial evidence. Sir
John is irst-rate witness for his own side.
1t is not quite two years since Chicago was
devastated by the great fire which has made
the city more than ever famous In all parts OF
the world. The alarm, yesterday, was
naturally a great one for Chicago, as well as
for it's friends. Yesterdays fire, however, did
not do much damage, relatively considered,
though sixty -four houses would be con-
siderable loss in any city which had not so
lately and severely suffered The fire OF
October, 1871, began at the southern extremity
of the city and spread nOrthward widening
its track as it swept. That of yesterday started
from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Railroad terminus northeast of the old start
ing-place, and, famed by the prevailing south
west gale, took diagonal course across sew
eral blocks, consuming many new and mex
pensiyely built houses which dotted the COM
paratively open spaces to the northeast. The
loss falls heavily on many poor people; but
the Garden City has been mercifully spared
repetition of the calamity which will always
be a terrible remembrance.
BY the act of Congress under which the
Union Pacific Railroad was built, the Govern
ment was bound to issue to the Company a
certain amount of interest bearing bonds and
patents for certain bodies of public land. The
bonds were declared to be first mortgage on
the property of the Company. The Company
made contract at an extravaganza price, with
the Credit MObiler Association of America,
by which that organization assumed the build
ing of the road. But the Credit Mobilier Asso-
citation and the managers of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company were almost identically the
same persons and they stripped the road of the
subsidy granted by the United States, putting in
their pockets the generous difference between
the pretended and real cost of the construc-
ton of the work, amounting, it is estimated,
to more than $200OO,0OO. Part of the prop
erty on which the United States bonds were
issued as mortgage was the land granted
under the act of Congress. This land
has been sold and the avails disposed
of by the Company without making any
provision for the payment of the Company's
debt due the United States, or the interest
thereon; meanwhile, so much of the mortgage
security has been removed. In like manner,
the coal on the lands granted the Company
has been taken out of its assets by contract
with another organization made up, it is
charged, Of Union Pacific Railroad managers.
The Union Pacific Railroad bridge across the
Missouri at Council Bluffs is made over to
another company in the same way; and thus
nearly all the property of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company has been taken away from
its available assets leaving almost no security
for the Government bonds but the rails and
rolling stock of the road. These are the prin-
cipal points in the complaint against the Com
pany, though numerous Others are included.
1t is now prayed by the United States, that
the Credit Mobilier Association be compelled
to restore the money fraudulently acquired by
building the road; and further, that the vari
GUS contracts above noted be enjOined. We
print, to-day, q careful abstract of the bill in
equity which states the case in full. But it
should be borne in mind that the application
to the courts can be only incidentally affected
by the decision of the III. s. Circuit Court
in Connecticut. The question now to be de-
cided is as to the constitutional jurisdiction of
that court; the merits of the case are not
involved.
TRUST COMPANY REVELATIONS.