Arizona citizen., 1878-06-14
The Southern Pacific Railroad
 Question,

Senate on Friday. The Senator stated that he was extremely anxious for the construction of a Sou:hern-Pacific rail road, and was willing ,o render any reasonable assistance to accomplish this object That he desired that the road should be truly a Southern road, and at the same time he wished to see it contribute to the advantage of the north. He desired 10 see the greatest number of miles built for the least amount of money, so that the people could have the largest railroad advant- ages for the money expended, and thereby preclude the possibility of the corporators making illicit gains in the construction of the road. He desired to see the trade with Mexico stimula- ted and increased, and the border made safe by the construction of a road near the frontier. He desired to see the rights and interests of the people protected so that excessive charges could not be exacted for freights and fares, and all these objects he had tried to secure by the bill un- der consideration. No one he pre- sumed would dispute that the interests of the Southern States were much better protected under this bill than under that of the Texas and Pacific. By this bill two lines of road will be secured to Fl PasO and all the con- meeting links will be filled up, uniting these roads with Galveston, New Or leans, Yicksburg and Memphis, and insuring the building in the South of about eight hundred miles more road than is provided for ill the Texas and Pacific bill. All this can be accom- ! plished for about one-half the money that is asked to assist. in the cOnstruc- ton of the Tom Scott road. He also showed that the line of the Tom Scott road does not touch on the Mexican border until it reaches Fl Paso, and consequently will be of little assist ance in stimulating trade with Mexico or protecting the border; while the bill he introduced runs near the Mexican line from San Antonio to El Paso, and will in consequence build up thriv- ing population, and vastly stimulate trade, and give protection along the border without the necessity of soldiers. The connecting roads are all compelled 10 pro rate and are always subject to Government control, which is the best guarantee the people can have against exorbiiant charges for freights and fares. and is, in fact, the only guar rantee the Texas Pacific, or any other company, can give the people. The Southern Pacific Company, having built its road from Fort Yuma, in Arl- zona, 720 miles east from San Fran cisco, and being willing to extend its road from Fort Yuma to Fl Paso with out dollar in monied subsidy or the indorsement of bonds, afforded the means by which the south would se- cure about 500 miles more road than Is provided for in the Tom Scott bill. Besides, the Southern-P Pacific, having already completed 72O miles of road on the western end, would insure a through connection several years soon- CT than can be secured in any other
 way.
 The Senator argued that under the circumstances it would be rank in-
 justice to the whole country to sub- sidize the Texas and Pacific company
 at the rate of S26,5OO per mile from
 Fl Paso to San Diego, where most of
 the road is already builtfrom Yuma to San Diego without cost, and when the 1 Southern Pacific Company stands ready ! to complete the balance, and also from
 Yuma to Fl Paso without a dollar ex
 pense to the Government, and argues also to accept the provisions of the
 same law as provided for in the Texas
 and Pacific bill. He said that it matter ed not to the people who built the road linen were nothing to them-measures that would rebound to their benefit was
 inc desired object to attain. The Sen ator claimed that it was the right and duty of Congress to make such use o the grant of land to the Texas anc Pacific Company from Fl Paso to For
 Yuma as will most speedily secure tho
 construction of the road, that by tho lcharter 10 the Texas and Pacific Com
 many it was argued that the company shonld commence and build from eacl end of the road; that not a single mil'
 has been built on the Pacific end, anI lonlv one hundred and eighty-tou miles of the main line on the eastern 2 and that the off-shoots built on thu eastern end, were no part of the mail
 tracks. and in no sense was a compil ance with the charter, hence the com
 pany had not in any particular com piled with its charter, and now praciI
 cally acknowledged is inability t
 build more of the road unless tn Government furnishes the security O money to build it The charter pro
 vides that whenever the company fail to build the road Congress shal
 adopt such measures as il deems prope f to secure its completion. With thi , state of facts he believed that the tim