Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-01

mainly, that the land grant yet unexpended
| should be divided, pro rata, to any companies
| which should build the incompleted portions of
the extensions of the st. Paul Il Pacific.
bill just read and said that legislation had
been had every year since 1874, variously af-
fecting the st. Paul & Pacific but no roads had
been built until last year. A great injustice
had been wrought by the failure to construct
the lines. People had settled in certain regions
on the strength that the road would fulfill it's
promises only to be again and again disappoint-
ed. MIR. Gilman here traced the history of the
legislation during the last two terms. Last
year the forfeiture clause of the act was derld-
ed but on the very day on which the st. Paul
and Pacific had defaulted on the Brainerd
filed its intentions, and deposited its money as
its bond for good faith, and the road is now in
operation. The same conditions existed now
on the st. Vincent branch as had existed on the
Brainerd branch last year. Not rod of road
had been built. The parties, who had pursued
sue under the forfeiture principle, had, how
ever been now effectually estopped by the ex-
peri1Hce of the past year. Coming down to
Mr.. Rices proposed bill, he objected to
any further extension of time to the
line between Sank Centre and
don cut off making it desirable to continue the
line from Crookston to Fort Garry. But he be-
ieved the company did not wish to build the
road up the Sank valley, as it would be COM
peting line.
Mr.. Ed Rice asked Mr.. Gilman, if the bond
holders, the creditors of a bankrupt corpor-
alton, were to be held responsible for the de-
lays.
Mr.. Gilman replied that it would drive
man insane to keep track of the parties in in
terest in the st. Paul and Pacific, and now it
was party from Montreal, but he considered
%lo~, LII
wide open to the troubles, and should be held
accountable for the consequences of their acts,
and they had no right to upset any legislation
of the last two years which had already brought
forth useful fruit.
Mr.. /. v. D. Heard in closing the arguments,
paid considerable sarcastic attention to Speaker
Gilman, and then said he was authorized to
make the following proposition from the parties
lHill Kittson d Co.. representing the st. Paul
& Pacific:
eve offer to build from Melrose to Alexandria,
and from Crookston to st. Vincent, during the year
1878, and the governor Of the state shall not certify
an acre of land to either line, unless build
both, and we further agree to take amount of
mile for the distance between Alexandria and Fergus
Falls, which shall be held guarantee that tho por-
ton of the line between Alexandra and Fergus Falls
will be built during the year 1872"
| He then commended there had been no COM
promise effected in 1877, except it existed
| among the members of the then Legislature, as
Mr.. Farley, the receiver of the st. Paul Il
Pacific, was never party to any such arrange
ment. The Northern Pacific had been the oc-
casion of all the delay, and that corporation,
he claimed, was the predecessor, owner, and
originator Of the Western. The party causing
the whole of the troubles of DeGraff d Co.
was Mr.. Moorhead, who was the organ of the
Northern Pacific. DeGraff & Co. had received
$685. 600 on the Brainerd branch
from the bondholders of the st. Paul
and Pacific and the Western, which had taken
the road-bed thus paid for. the very party
to pay DeGraff l. Co.'S. balance, especially as
the Speaker understood DeGraf d Co. was in
terested to an extent of one-tenth in the West
ern. Talking of the appeal clause in the pro-
posed Rice bill, Mr.. Heard said it's necessity was
demonstrated by the fact that the commission
had allowed $500, 600 to DeGraff & Co., whereas
| the st. Paul d Pacific considered it only owed
| them some $780, 900.
The matter was made the special order for
tomorrow evening, and the meeting adjourned
till this morning at o'clock.