The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-04-16
THE NEW RAILROAD LAWS.
The Milw aukee L st. Paul and
Northwestern Railway Companies
j Advised aud Decide to Resist Their

The Milwaukee L st. Paul and
| Northwestern Railway Companies
! Advised aud Decide to Resist Theil
|: Execution. s 8a. a.@alz 5a
|Ispccial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.
!! New York April 6-Mr. s. s
Merrill, General Superintendent Of the
| l;Milwsukee 4 st Paul. aud Mr. H. II.
t"r,er. General Superintendent Of the
Chicago l. Northwestern Railway,
we're in this city during the greater
part OF last week, aud Saturday after.
noon these gentlemen, who have the
mana.rmeut Of over 5000 miles Of
railroad, attended u joint meeting OF
the Boards Of Directors Of these twu
corporations. Besides the fall Boards
there were present Messrs. Charles
OLonnor, K. +. Curtis, William N
Ev ,us f. Il. Hoar, s"d the regular
attorneys of the Companies, together
vi h the Hon. Alexander Mitchell. who
had been summoned from Washington
for this special purpose. ... ~.
OBJECT OF rue MEETING.
The meeting had been called in or.
der that the Board might consider
what action it vss advisable f,r thcu
." take in regard 10 the rev Railroad
or Granger laws Of Iowa, Minnesota.
aud Wisconsin,. ...-. ,.-... 5...
EFFECT oF L'viNs UP 70 rHE LAWS.
M,ssrs. Merrill and Porter made
statements to the Eject that It would
b.. imp"ssibIe to operate the roads Of
which they have charge a"der these
laws, or 10 run then, 3, as to pay ex
pr"s.s They agreed in giving it a.
.hrir belief that, II the laws were live'
up to, the reads w"uld no more than
pay expenses, nd Certainly could sm
ply anything to Stockholders, eve" It
they e"uld pay the interest on the
b"nds. They said the operating ex
p-nscs are fully Is per Cent Of fthe
.r"ss receipts. and that the redue,i""
If trci.t,s resulting from an enf"rce-
m"nt Of these laws would diminish the
receipts 25 per Cent. which would re.
suit almost Inevitably in \ failure t"
pay interest os the bonds. 8" th,t Che
r"ads would be list to the Stockholders
aud taken possession OF by the bsud
holders.
LEGAL OPINIONS.
The laws in ques' lou were then read
70 the lawyers present, aud we're care
fully considered by them. They wer.
unanimous in their opinion that thess
enac.ments we're unconstitutional. aud
would never be sustained by the Unit
States Supreme Court, although they
might be by the inferior State and
Federal courts. which were surrounded
and to a great extent, Influenced BY
local influences. These laws, in their
opinion. were nothing more nor less
than acts If confi,cation Tneir opin-
IONS are to be revised aud written BY
thr,n. aud will serve the roads AS tncir
Justification for the coarse they iateud
pursuing.
ACTION OF THE BOARDS.
The b ards of Directors, after hear
ing these full and explicit statements O'
'srir managers, and the opinions Of
he lawyers. unanimously resolved I"
r si>t the law, and instructed thei,
'nsul.ers to 20 on aud run the roads
"pn business principles, for the be"e
6t Vt the stock h"l,lers. tixiny such pas
en.cr aud freight rates as might seem
:" them best for the interests of the
con. munity aud the Stockholders, and
:" pay TO attention to the Law where it
c"flicted with the opinions they had
received irnm the lawyers.
POSSIBLE CASE. .....
The question was asked by one Of
the ms"agere ~ to what 9, urse he
should pursue it the sgeat ef his road
1t any point were, under the provis
ions If auy Of these laws to be indict
I'd aud punished with f"e aud impris-
"n,ueut. Il is believed that the qaes
'i"n " not d. 6nitely answered, bu,
some Of the directors seemed to be OF
opinion that the course to pursue in
such Case would b. to shut up ths,
office whose agent had thus been pun.
i>hed, aud to let the trains run past II.
---
The St. Cloud Press says that farm.
rrs i" the srassh"pprr district Ought
m.. 10 sov whest, oats, or barley thi,
spri"g. for the reason that there Is sure
,n Be g""d crop of young grasshop.
Pers wto will devour it. These will
get their wings aud leave shout June
The Press says: I've advise those l..
'erestcd to keep their seed wheat dry
,ili they ascertain whether yraSshop.
pers are coming out Of the Sol! around
them aud ii this is fa,und to b. the
case keep their seed wheat in the gran.
ary till another gear it they do M,
have to use it in the meantime for
bread C"en, potatoes buck wheat peas
'us"'ps, 3D., ~ill ply for cul,iva,i"y
Wheat will not. We went thruu.h
the same experience in S,ea,ns county
in 1857. that N"bles, jackson, C.,tson
wood aud other Counties of the sou, h.
vest part Of the State have before
them the cunning season. II the ret
Tiers in these counties wish to avail
'hr,u.clve. Of the benefirs Of our exps
rience they Ga d" 10 xrssaisously.
TEACHERS MEMORIAL 70 AGAssIz
"A movement il now ON fWs TO rsis..
= memorial to Agaesis. BY placing up
IN strong sud enduring basis the
work to which he devoted his life, the