Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-09-26
OUR RAILROADS.

: A letter to the Herald from Oneida states
that the road-bed Of the Utah Norther
: road is completed to within one mile @
/. Black Rock station. and that the rails al
: being laid as rapidly as they can be for
warted. The writer also states that tire
additional engines are due from Philatlel
I phia, upon arrival of which ten miles o
track will be laid per week. Grading i
finished to Pocatilla, to which point tn
track was to have been completed by tn,
18th inst, and to Blackfoot by October
18th.
Jay Gould has written gentleman o.
Ileleaa, that he will not regard the order
OF the Secretary Of the Interior to cease
work upon the road, issued upon the plea
that it runs through an Indian Reserve.
On the contrary, Mr.. Gould claims that the
bill which passed the last session of Con-
grcss, by implication, gave the road the
right Of way, and that he can legally pro-
ceed : it'll the work.
Regarding tie Northern Pacific road,
while its managers make many promises
and send out many examining and report
ing commissions, the COURIER is informed
by gentleman who should know, that
we should not expect much progress, at
least in the early future. Jay Cooke has
lately predicted the rapid increase in the
value of the stock, and it must be admitted
the roads augmented business would seem
to support the idea. 1t is stated that the
average increase in the earnings of the rail-
roads OF the country for the past year has
not been ten PER cent, but the gross earn
ings of this road for ten months, ending
with June, were very nearly forty per cent
greater than for the same tine last year.
and the net earnings were scventy-five per
cent greater.
The Chicago Times Of late date SAYS
editorially: 1.-The company are asking an
extension for ten years; but il it be grant
ed. the road will most likely be in opera
ton throughout the whole line in less than
six years from this time. They have fair
ly forfeited no right; have failed in the full
tiilment of no undertaking.; have done
nothing and omitted nothing to change
any reason that ever existed in favor OF the
carrying forth of this great enterprise.
The most appropriate. as well us the most
answer to the outrageous pro-
ceedings of the Union Pacific line which
Congress could give would be the passage
Of an act extending the conditions Of its
and grant. Such extension of the North
I'm Pacific grant can be put upon the highest
round of public interest, justice and pro-
'ricty.
at is an exceptional case, if there ever was !
me. 1t is a case in which the reasons now I
nanifestly justifying and demanding an ex- ,
cnsion of this particular grant are ten-fold G
tronger than any that were or could have q
cen originally urged in favor of any rail- h
Dad grant whatever a
Now. while Montana can but admit the i.
nth of all this. it asks that the road be .
ompelled to proceed with the work aoc @
ad to show, Enthusiastically, its intention Il
I'd ability to complete it within reason n
lie time. Else the withdrawn lands
,ouid in justice be restored to the public %
,main, that bona fde settlers may no "
niger be deprived of the right to take b,
EN- up under the land laws of the United &C
atcs. Something's due the people as well ar
the road, and, no matter how friendly u,
= may have been to il. the Government pt
ould now demand Of it compliance with Sc
e terms of its contract, m