Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-25

OFFICE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD Co.
HeN orr. April Is, is56.-Cb T1oS a So.
thHd04phid, Penn bear Sir: The press OF
the country are making allegations that GER
tain bonds OF the Little Book and Fort Smith
railroad purchased by the Union Pacific
from Hon. James @. Blaine, OF Maine. or
Inat ihe aVals In some form went u his
oenenI ans mat the knowledge OF these facts
rests Win the officers OF the company and
with yourself. These statements are iniIrri-
Gus both 10 Mr.. Blaine aud TO the I-nIoD Pa
S S,,.C , s,iioSd company. There were neve.
any facts 10 warrant them, and think that
state nent 10 the public is due both from
you and myself. desire, as president OF the
company. 10 repel any such Inference In the
most EN- phatic manner, and Wonld he Glad
10 bear nom you on the subject
Very respectfully,
Sidney DILLON. President.
OFFICE UNION PACIFIC RAILWAY COM
PANY, New York, April -, IS76.-R1n James
g.. Blame, Washington, u. C.-Desr Sir: As 1
advised you some days ago wrote Colonel
mos a. scott, and beg leave 10 enclose you
his reply. desire further 10 say that was
director OF the company and member OF the
executive committee I'm ls7l, aud To add my
testimony 10 AT of Colonel Scott's i'm veT'i.
fiCstio al all he has stated in the Iuclo>ed
letter Truly yours,
PHILADELPHIA, April p, 1855 fu-g
J V0n. esq. PTesiici' fHi3p pgris- RTiis,ly 2
Company, Nor YOrG.-My Dear Sly. I have
yOuT ,StIer under cate OF New York Apr.I
%, ls.6, stating that the press OF the cbun-
=
of TIE Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad,
purchased 10y the tuion Pacific Railroad
company In ISL, were obtained from Hon.
James Blame. OF Maine, or that the svatls
Iu some form went 10 his beuedt. thai there
never were any facts to warrant them: tia 4
Is your desire, as president of the co ana nv
n repel any such inference in the most EN-
plaiic manner, and asking me TO make a
statement in regard 10 the matter.
IN reply, / beg leave 10 say that much a.
dislike the IDEA OF entering into any ~ TIE
controversies that are before the pub,tc in
these days of scandal. from which out few
men in public life seem to be exempt. feel
~ my duty 10 state. That the Little Rock
and Fort Smith bonds purchased by the
Union Pacific Railroad cOmpaur ia I~-1
were rot purchased or received from Mr.
Blame, directly or Indirectly, and that 81
the money paid by the Union Pacific Rail-
road company, or OF the avails OF said bonds,
not one dollar went TO Mr. Blaine. or To any
person for him, or for his benefit In any
form.
All statements 10 the effect that lIr. blaine
ever had any trans action with me, directly
or Indirectly, involving money or valuable IS
OF any Kind, are absolutely without FONDA
ton In fact. ! take pleasure "a making this
statement to you, and YOU may use IL in any
manner you deem best for the interests OF
tie Union PaCinc Railroad company. Very
truly yours, THOMAS A. SCoTr.
And this closes the testimony have
wished 10 offer.
Several nCwsps pars-sOme OF them. doubt
less, from friendly motiyeS-have urged
that should ask for a committee 10 iuYss-
tgate these charges. m ght have done that
cad awaited the delay aud slow progress
that inevitably attend all Congressional in
vesiigatlons. Three and half years ago I
moved committee 20 Investigate the credit
mOblller charges, and though every particle
81 proof In complete eXculp patton of myself
was before the committee in tLirty-SiX hours
after its firSt meetiug,I was compelled 10
wait for more than two mOnths-indeed.
seventy Gull dB ys-OefOie got public re.
port generating and viL1Icating me from
the charges. II had asked for a COMMITTEES
10 Investigate tine pending matter / should
have been compelled 10 wait Us necessarily
slow action, with the ch1TEs All the Mlile
hanging over ne, uudeli-' and Tuaus gert,i.
and pending tue pTpceeli- - a. gn invest iga-
ton which l bt3 myseI asse prDprIety
WOuiQ have iGrO' 'tIen my cole citing a4t
publishing TIE decisive proofs wltcL have
now submitted.
For Ilesc .,asors have deemed that The
shortest and most Expeditions mole of EIu.
uicaiiOn was the one which I was bound 10
choose by every consideration OF m ysglI per-
sOnally and oi my official relations. I have
not omitted the testimony OF single ma
teTial witness TO the transaction ou which
the accusation against me il basel. and IN -
less / mlsapprehend the scope AM force OF
the testimony II leaves no Charge against
me. In any aud all events am ready 10
submit the whole matter to the candid flIg-
ment OF the House ana the country, aad II
the House thinks the matter should be fur
ther inquired into beg TO express my eutire
readiness TO give all Ine Assistance In my
power 10 make the luVes Alton a. -nOrCusl,
ar III III aLll lillphELla J DE.
To give seeming c.. TppyI alton ar nOUn Ia
lion 30 tne story wGicn have Is f~ '.8,e.!. the
sU>urL runOT has Is .elv aprear.s IN certain
Ee'-nsPsIs hat was az Rues or from
-l.o,tC0 TO ~-5o.OO 81 the LII, Rock aud
"a OF smith IA road bCndS, WHEN received
Without consideration, and that a. was nom
these O DIS that Thomas \. Scytj recei gei
his 80, 'UU. The statement = SraLuitOuSly
aId utterly false. Ne responsible author
appear, anywhere e." his UufCuAded story:
1u,, ID. olsinissitg ( desire IL make the
following eXpi.clJ Statement. More than
Jwenty-tureU years ago, N ga closing days
OF Nj FillmOre'S admins "a ion, tue gov
eminent granted To The state of Arkansa,
some pUDilc lands within It's own limits, u
re applied 70 the construction OF railroads in
that state.
Ire legislature OF Arkansas incorporated
the Little Rock and Fort smith railroad tie
same year, 2nd gave u the company pOr-
tion OF the lands IL had received from tue
general government TO aid In the cOnstruc-
tlUn Of the road, about five thousand acres
10 the mile, think. But the company were
unable 10 raise any money for the enterprise.
though they made the most strenuous efforts
and when the war broke out in lsgl, eigut
years after the state had given the lands 10
the company, not mile or the road was
built. or course, nothing was done during
the war. After the war all the grants OF land
previously made 10 the southern states were
renewed In the session OF 1885, The Little
Rock and Fort Smith company again re-
ceived a grant from the state and again tried
TO raise money to build their road, but ls55,
lar. Finally, towards the close OF lSjS q
company of Boston gentlemen, representing
considerable capital, unGe TlOOk its coustruc-
tlOn. In raising the requisite means, they
placed the bonds OF the road on the New T. ng-
land market in the summer or 1sO9. Offering
them on terms which seemed very favorable
TO the purchaser, and Offering them ri time
when investments OF this kind were fatally
popular. In common with hundreds OF other
people in New England and other parts OF
the country, bought some OF these bonds
not very large amount, paying for them
at precisely the same rate that Others paid
/ never heard and do not believe that the
Little Rock company, which i know is con-
trolled by highly honorable meI, ever parted
with bond 10 any person except at the reg
ular price fixed for their sale. The enter
prise, though apparently very promising,
proved unsuccessful, as so many sim lar pro-
iects did about the same time. / lost cOu-
siderable sum OF money-Over S20,OU0-by
my investment, and / presume New Eng
land met net loss OF -, 600, 900 In completing
that road for Arkansas, as she has lost over
5000 600 by similar ventures west aud
south within the last twelve years. 10 atti-
ton 10 my investment in the bonds, I united
with others in raising some moGey for the
company when IL met its first financial trou-
bles. Proceedings are now pending In the