The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-31
PACIFIC RAILRoAD LEaIsLA TON
TIE Pro Rate nm and the Northern Pacine
Extension Reported FavorabIy.

WASHINGTON, March 3O.-Two important
Railroad bills were decided upon to-day by
committees Of the House and Senate. The Com
mittee on Pacific Railroads in the lower branch
decided TO report the Pro Rate bill. and the Sen
ate committee the bill extending for eight years
the franchise OF the Northern Pacific Railroad,
but materially abridging its privileges The
struggle over the Pro Ratio bill has been long
one. and was only decided by compromise
which IL not likely TO further the adoption Of
the measure. The arguments for the passage
of the Pro Rate bill have turned upon the claim
of the Kansas Pacific to be considered as by law
continuous with tho Union and Central
Pacific BY Mr.. Luttrel's motion to-day, In
s%S Of the f iii was V ssenaG so as tho TO
Ts 9RsfrYn prG Snd pro
spcctive. including besides the three trans-con-
tinental roads. tho Atlantic and Pacific. and the
Southern Pacific. Practically. tho measure be-
comes one for the general rcgulationof all these
roads. with summary powers vested in com
mission proposed 10y the bill to enforce compi-
nncc with the charter in which aid was granted.
The next step in the compromise was naming
the commission. and two names were inserted
In the bill without serious objection. Charles
Francis Adams. Jr., and Andrew Fink of Louis
yillc, KY. railroad manager Of some motto IN
isst an. Ex-Goy, iIaighi's name OF
G n oS and T"' was 1s
but Mr.. Hewitt objected somewhat sharply. and
after some debate. in which Hewitt and Iuttrcll
were principally engaged. IL was decided to
defer the selection OF the third name until Mon
dav, Hewitt expressing n desire to procure
more Information rs To Haights railroad rpla-
tons before voting definitely on his name. Tho
vote by which the bill was reported wns not
unanimous. the yeas being House. Morrison
Iuttrcll. bandcrs. Hewitt, Cole. Chalmers
Throrkmorton. Rice, and Elam and the yeas
Blair. O'Nei and Caswcll.
In the Senate Committee on Railroads there
dissenting WINDOW
ncsota. against reporting Mitchels bill az
finally amended. All the general features Of
the bill-s provisions extending the franchise
eight years. opening land To settlement. re-
striting rates to single person to one hundred
and sixty acres. lapsing the grant on the Puget
Sound branch, and making over rs u now grant
an equivalent ncrcagc 10 the Portland. Dallrs
and South Pass Railroad. In order to
build tho line to Salt Lakc-rcmain. The
changes are in allowing the Northern
Pacific to begin building ut some point
between Snake river and Columbia within
nine months. building twenty-five miles each
year and forty miles yearly thereafter instead
of at Portland. and coupling this pcrmiss on
with the requirement that beginning within one
year II shall build in two years the line around
the Cascades. and In threc years around Dalles.
all ihose dates being reckoncd from the passage
Of the bill. Stringent clauses require the ronl
To pro rate with all river and land lines through
out its whole line. or ON any bran N or portion
thereof. and arc manifestly directed against the
Oregon Steam Navigation Company.