The Portland daily press., 1877-11-19
WASHINGTOs.
The Pacific RaiIraaa.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 17,-The Senate Judc-
larry Committee to-day heard further argument
on the Pacific Railroad Company's indebted.
ness to the United States Government and the
best means Of providing for its payment Mr..
Storrs, counsel for the Central Pacific and
President Dillon of the Union Pacific made
arguments against Mr.. Humans sinking fund
bill, and advocating the proposition submitted
in behalf of the company to-day, which pro-
vides for the creation of sinking fund to
liquldate their total Indebtedness by 1905 The
material festores OF this proposition have been
published MIR. Storrs presented the draft of a
bill embodylng the proposition that the Cen
trail and UEion Pacific companies Shall recon-
vey to the government all unsod railroad lands
between the 1854 meridian and the eastern
boundary OF California, amounting to about
100000 acres, the government crediting the
companies with the aggregate price thereof at
S125 per acre, and that in addition thereto the
companies shall.pa into the treasury of the
United States semi-annualy sum which, to.
gether with this amount and one half the cost
of the government transportation with interest
on all these sums compounded semi-annually,
will be sufficient to liquidate the ir Indebtedness
to the government by 1905.
Sidney Dillon, President of the Union Pa
clnc ana MI huntington, Vice President of
the Central Pacific strongly contested the right
OF Congress to pass any bin altering the t, rms
OF the original charters, but each pledged their
respective )mpanies to a faithful performance
CT the Obligations proposed in the draft of the
bill presented by Mr.. Storrs, provided Congress
would pass it as substitute for Mr. Humans
bill.
The representatives of the first mortgage
bondholders of the Kansas Pacific Com pany
said they had no objection to Mr.. Humans
bill, but that if any new legislation was to be
mad coDierfing additional benefits and advan-
tages on the Central and Union companies by
extending the time for their payment of the
Indebtedness till the year 1906 they would sug-
gest that it be made conditional upon their
complying with the law Of Congress, which re-
quires the main line and branches to be operat-
ed as one connected continuous line without
any discrimination either in favor OF or adverse
to any of the companies.
The Patent Laws.
The Senate Committee on Patents to-day
heard further argument on Senator Wadleigh's
bill providing for the revision of the patent
laws. Ex-Commissioner Leggett spoke in
favor of the proposed amendment to the pres
ent laws and in advocacy of the bill.
j. IL. Raymond, of Chicago, argued general
~ against the present law, mentioning in detail
its existing evils, and favorng radical changes
therein During his remarks he gave history
CT the nature and operations of the statute of
Limitation.
The committee adjourned until Monday,
when MIR, Raymond will make some further
remarks and be followed by j. j. Storrel, of
Boston, in favor of the proposed revision. A
ioA 50 uuAUcI VI LILO dbtub OluC0 UdF dSSOCld-
ton were present from various parts Of the
United States.
Various Matters.
The President has signed joint resolution of
Congress, the first since his accession to the
Presidency. 1t was presented by. Representa-
tative Rainey of South Carolina. After affix-
ing his signature he presented the gold pen with
which he wrote to Raney as memento of the
occasion.
A sub committee of the House Foreign Com
mttee Saturday held meeting when the argu-
ment on the question of investigating the al
legged frauds in the We'll and La Abra claims
was begun. The counsel for Mexico expressed
the willingness of the government to snbstan-
tate the charges if permitted to do SO, but sug-
gested that honest claimants should not be COM
PEELED to await an investigation, but should be
paid at once. The counsel for the two claim
ants referred to then denied the right of Con-
gress either to withhold their money or to en-
terrain the charges.
The Solicitor of the Treasury will recommend
the sale OF real estate in various parts of the
country which has been seized by the govern
ment to make good defalcatons. The amount
is at least $1,0O0,0O0