The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-02
JhYoOULD,s DESERT.
TIE Union Pacific Lands he and his Steel
Pigeon are Irving to sell.

OF the points which Jay Gould makes 10 sup-
rort Of the price Of Union Pacific stock and
bonds is that the road has an Immense land
Rr mt OF bout IL 100000 Of acres and that sum
Client sum will be realized from it's sale to take
no all OF the bonds and leave the property out
OF debt and belonging entirely TO the stock
holders His computation IL that the lands will
sell at an average rate Il Is Ter acre, or for a
sum total OF about t60OOO,OO0.
OF course the sale Of sich vas. tract Of land
at the nRure mentioned would place the road In
easy circumstances and enable II to lidu date Its
debts OF Ill sorts. both bonded and floating.
Then the stockh olders would be the envied Of
all men. and Gould's gigantic venture, instead
OF involving him In tremendous loss. would
prove to DO OF the most remunerative kind. The
Tribune. too, which IA largely dependent upon
the success OF OOuld's Union Pacific bull specu-
tion for existence, would then be enabled to
try the triple sheet experiment again the edi-
torial and reportorial stan might get their aala-
rics restored to their former figures the re-
mainder Of the tall tower might be erected and
In I, hut not least, the young editor might re-
min in his posltlon, which, AZ matters now
stand, he will soon be compelled to vacate.
hut the TTtbune and Gould need not count on
the sale OF the Union Pacific nds at g. per
acre. nor upon making people believe that they
will be sold for that figure. The glowing descrIp-
lions OF the fertility Of the soil. and its peculiar
adaptation to agriculture which appear In the
so-called " Land Guides" issued by the Union
cinc Railroad, fall FIAT with people who have
travelled over the line and know the truth In re-
gard 70 the country.
The agricultural lands are described In the
prospectuses ~ bottom lands, table lands, and
rolling prairies the bottom lands as OF rich
alluvial soil. OF great depth and inexhaustibl bic
fertility; IA slightly mpregnated with lime. free
from stones and gravel, and OF easy culture.
Crops never I IA: tue soil does not bake after
rain, nor Is there deep mud; yet the dirt Is so
ten cious as to rendsr any walls to cellars I'M
necessary.
TIE I b,e lands are represented TO be OF tho
same afnd of sell rs the bot oms, and all sorts
~ cereals. vegetables, root crops, and fruit ana
forcs trees grow almost spontaneously. The
prairie lands are described covered with nu-
tritiOus Lrssfe., "a having an abundance Of
sweet, pure running water, and rutsncd with
convenient groves to shelter the sheen ana the
calves from the he OF tine sun aud the fury of
the storm In winter there IL said TO be no
or NJ who -ettles IN this Western paradise need
do no no hing after selecting his nd and pay
ing for n except W tch the development Of ma
ture, when. IN that fertile country takes the
place ~ machinery and ~ human toll.
Besides the agricult raj ltnds.tne prospectusee
mention tue grazing lands and the mineral
lands. These each take ur about 400 uil's In
lens h of the Union Pacific Riiltoad. TIE pas
tor lands are ~ course represented to be pc
cuiarly ad pit Tor grazing, ana tho mineral
I nn- 80 be teeming with coal, iron. lead. silver,
and gold.
Now, what are the facts In regard 70 this strip
OF laud LIE mites In length, which the Govern
ment has gwen to the Umon Pacific Railroad,
and which la been put up for sale by the com
nv. with such astounding stories as to its
OF the enrire land grant there is but small
poruon say one-eiG H. which Is In any way
gdap ed To the requirements II agriculture.
| L rest IL of the most sterile and until Bile
tute. lt might b. apptopn ttly design ted a.
| tue great Sahara Of America. he world might
| ne searched In vain for a strip " land OF such
length which Il 80 utterly worthless and I'M
al pted t. the support OF mau. Water exists
only at re Intervals. and attesian wells fail to
solve the problem OF providing "A supply suf-
ncent for tue requirements Of man hnd beast
and of irrigation. The soil for hundreds IL
ntles " lmpregnated with alkAlis, and Croppines
out Of salt exist, which q, strov vegetation
utterly. Timber Is Sc rec, and such as does X
list Is OF a poor quality. So extensive are the
the Indians fear TO pursue game across the
wastes, lest 10y some mschance they should he
unable % get out and So ole OF starvation. The
| best uthouti.s agree III no mode OF irrigation
| has Yet been dew ed which Will give this coun-
Try any value Whatever; The vegetation which
appears Is Of sage brush, with c.sional pi0 5
| OF grass, and the animals existing are Or iirie
| DOGS, coyo es, nd jackass ra6his.
An en- -ineer OF repute said, In conversation re-
Gently, that inst adj ~ being worth IS Der acre,
the ere portion Of the Union Pacific land
grant l. not worth, and cOuld not be sold, at me
| rae ~ one cent for atnOusand acres. TIE la Dis
are cot liy unsuited To tie support of human
and vegetable life, and consequently the railroad
| viii Il. We to depend upon through traffic toI
| us maintenance. Its local tr"fic receipts
| would b mostly confined to freight carried Gu
PERSONS connected VITA the road, who IRE COM
lelt t. i've al little 81 tlons along the line M
ntder 10 be on hsuu to attend to Il, ir duties.
! On the Western section some local tan can he
| butt up by developing the coal mines which
! have Leeu discovered Their and CHEAP fuel n
| be obtirel, Which Viii reduce tue expense OF
| running the trains,
TIE only way N which these lands can be dis
posed 4 in q a tiles II ~ people proposing i'm
mig alton IRON rope. IL Is likely thut Gould +
agents niGht get riu q. some ~ them before the
| ar wal u the Intending settlers, but the road
| would urOGabl suTe more from their Veugeful
| OF tnetr pIrch4s- than IL would gain by the sale
| OF the properly.
| Gould and MS young editor will have to try
some "thcr plan to Keep w the price OF Union Pa
cue besides that Of desc Nting uponth- value OF
the Lana or Mt Pea. L. Will NOT buy Union PaUlc
no u thA idea any mo than upon the BLACK
! Hills slNdust game. lnyeslo will not buy any
stock where Gould nrures as the heaviest hold
er. Ihey do mol want his stock or his bonds,
nor do they ". ut his newspaper. even with TIE
GO umns emot lllsheu by the powerful twaudle
| OF his stooi pigeon. They do not want the
| tribune stock either nor the bonds upon the
| tribune building. lt has become "A matter Of
| record that Gould ruins everything which he
toucnes newspapers not excepted.
ll Is te to say that the Union Pacific lands
VIII not cell Tor - per acre hat the road will
not receive <GO0O,UIO ny their di-pos 4 4; that
Guuld " III not ne aole To sell out his stock and
bonds At hlgh prices; tnat the Tribune will MT
resum" the triple-sbeet issu" that the fAlaTiei
| on he Tribune wlll NOT be put up To where tn, v
! were; thal tn tower OF tabble viii not be COM
! pleied, nd That the young eoItor will not remain
forever In It's apex dealing out literary musn IL
the Disciples of free love aud Beeohersm.
S1RABOUT.