The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-16
rhe Texas.paelae Railroad :

90 far on your space, Tremain yours. truly
ia So. II. BIS. 4
The Texas-PaciAc Railroad.
SAN DIEGO, July 8, 1878.
Editors Richmond Dispatch:
Dear Sirs,-I- wish, 1t were possible 70
arouse the people Of, this entire country,
and especially the citizens OF the soulnern
States, to a realizing sense OF the great oan,
ger that now exists OF losing the Texas and
Pacific az din fndependent and competing
overland railroad. The managers OK the
Central and Southern Pacifc-the same
men-haye been determined fora NUMBER
al Years to possess and control the western
end OF the thirty-second parallel road 10
he OF real practical use to the whole Unlted
States. and especially the South, this new
overland road must be entirely lndepen-
Gent OF apy other corporatlon-a compeCng
road. n the Central and Southern racine
.monapers obtain control OF the texas
Pacific. there will be no competition, ana
the benefits we all hoped to receive from
the construction OF a new road across Tue
continent would be entirely lost to us
and swallowed up by the few men VINO own
the road. This is the grand object LOT Wnie a
these selfish and interruptions men are Ia
boring. They are working as qole,iy DIS
possible, but with the most amazing lnuuss.S
and untiring perseverance. Inc yast rev. ~.
nues derived from the people through OUT
raUeons charges forfreights and fares on the
roads they already control furnish them the
means Of carving out their nefar1ous pur-
noses which no other company possesses,
and the strange spectacle is presented or
free ana independent people IN republic
furnishing a great monopoly the means o!
increasing in untold degree the power oil
said monopoly to Cypress the people them,
selves It is the most ridiculous and absurd
nos;tion OF affairs that could possibly be
nroposed-people furnishing the iron
and performing the labor OF welding
chains with which to bind themselves. L
believe the only reason this unreasonable
state OF affairs is tolerated for single day is
because the people do not realize the ab-
surdity OF their position and the enormltY
of the outrage Of which they are the VIC
Tins. In furtherance OF their desl gns ana
accomplishment Of their purposes these men
hesitate at nothing. They have even deneo
the authority OF the Government. Ihelr
arrogance and impudence increase with
their increase OF power. AS the humDie
merchants of early days-when they were
ordinary mortaIs-they would have asked
the proper authorities for the right OF way
across the Government reservation at Fort
Yuma, over which they had no right TO
mass: but as the boatcd railroad million
aires OF the present degenerate time, they
simply took it by force, and even afler the
Secretary OF War sent orders to stop WORK
proceeded to cross the reservation and Dullt
a bridge over the Colorado, finishing 1t IN
The niqht. There were no soldiers at
Yuma at the time, and the officers in charge
of the fort could not enforce the orders OF
the Government Such an Outrage and IN.
dignity to a prominent public office" would
not he tolerated in any other country in the
world. and, I repeat, do not think the peo-
ple OF the United States properly realize the
situation. Some time ago these railroad
monopoly fiends took the precautlon; "heh
the citizens OF Arizona were wiz WIN
railroad fever and crazy enough 10 thlnk
any road was good enough, no matter VINO
built IT, to secure-with other unreasonaoie
privileges-the right OF way through that
Territory. Congress, at its last session, an
nuled this proceeding on the ground tnat
the Territory was yet minor and still
nnder the Guardianship OF Uncle Sam. And
now comes this interesting item from the
San Francisco Post OF June oath:
wear ago, when the editorial CORE
spondence of the Post relating to Arizona
was published, that Territory, to the MAJOR
ity OF Americans, was an almost unknown
region. Since then great mining and other
interests have begun their Development. a
railroad has already pierced the western
edge. and will by New-Year's day next be
constructed as far east as Maricopa Wells,
|1a1 miles from Yuma. We make this state
meut from learning that the Southern Pa
| ifc will, on the 1st OF September, place
9. 600 laborers at work on the ella Valley
route east from Yuma. The Territory IS
full OF activity, especially so in its central
and southern sections. In the latter, eastern
,capital, representing many millions, IS en-
gagged in examining and investing. Cailfor-
mia has also begun to fully understand the
importance of this new field, and the pros
pects of the Territory are daily brighten
ing.
They were ordered to stop operations at
Yuma, and paid no attention to the order,
but continued to build, crossed the river,
and are on Arizona soil. Congress has
snubbed them. by taking from them the
right OF way granted by the authorities OF
Arizona; but will this deter them from pro-
ceeding as above? They evidently consider
possession nine points OF the law, and II
thew can get the road built in advance OF
Colonel Scott, will have the preference and
not be required to take it up and lose their
investment. They were right IN this re-
spect, so far as the reservation was con-
cerncd, for the Senate Military Committee
mildly censured them for this high-handed
outrage, but recommended the passage OF
the bill to grant them said right OF way.
Now Just here is where our danger
lies of losing the TeXas-Paciic rs an
| independent competing line. IL with
their usual a,ldacity these men pro-
coed, usurping the right of way
as before, and build on through Arizona,
the plea will be advanced that they have
taken great risks and expended immense
amounts of money for the development OF
the country and good OF the people; that 10
parallel their road is unnecessary ana an
Injustice to them. They succeeded at the
reservation, might they not succeed IN tnls
They have only to usurp the r1sht 0! way
and tax their helpless patrons. on eNistins
roads at little higher rates, and the tmnS IS
ACCOMPLISHED land the competing road, Win
its inestimable advantages, lost to this coun-
trv forever. Let thinking citizens every
where make vigorous protest against tne
monopoly having the right OF way through
Arizona. and insist that the new overland
road. when built, shall be entirely free, in
dependent, and connecting.
Respectfully yours,
WILLIAM A. BEERS. :.
GFor the Dispatch.l
Refrcnchment and Reform.
This subject has for some time past been