Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-23
ST. PAUL, SATURDAY, MARCH %, 1873.
JAY GOULD,S MOVE ON THE NORTH
ERN P4CIFIC.

1t seems that the report that the Nipple.
Mitchell bill relative to the extension of the
Northern Pacific land grant for eight years,
was compromise measure, the result Of an
agreement between the Northern aud Union
Pacific companies, was an error. Instead of
being compromise, it is violently hostile
to the Northern Pacific interest, and is in
tended to destroy it, if possible. We have
not seen full copy of the bill, but it's lead
ing features are as follows:
First-It compels the company to build on
the south side of the Columbia river instead Of
tho north side, the only practicable route Sc
lected under the rigipal careful survey, the
south side being rough country, intersected
by mountain streams with ravines, which
would render the work unnecessarily expen-
sive, while on the north side the line is com
paratively easily constructed, and would di-
rectly accommodate much larger agricultural
country.
Second. It changes the character of the &C.
quirement Of the lands by the company, re-
duoing the value of the original grant, and
when the road is completed and the remaining
lands remote from the line of the road, not al
ready pre-empted are conveyed by the govern
ment to the railroad, it is under the restriction
that only one hundred and sixty acres shall be
sold to any one person. thus Gripping sales and
preventing farming operations on sufficient
scale to secure the economy obtained else
where.
Third. 1t robs the Northern Pacific of the
land under the original grant for the short
line from Lake Pend-Oreile, where the road
rounds the north pass of the Bitter Root noun
tains, aiming directly as possible to Puget
sound thus affording the country at large the
shortest line to the Pacific coast and China and
hu hrr mil n6
gives an equal amount some seven
million acres, to the SO termed Salt Lake
and South Pass company, and conditions that
the said Salt Lake and South Pass company shall
have equal rights of use of the Northern Pacific
railroad, whose main line is forced for the ac-
commodation of the former to the south of the
Columbia river, from Portland to Umatilla,
some two hundred miles, it's point of diverg-
ence from the line of the Northern Pacific to
Salt Lake, to become feeder to the already
plethoric Union Pacific.
This bill is deliberate outrage upon the
people of the whole country. 1t is calcu-
lated to cripple and indefinitely postpone the
Northern Pacific road and the Senate ought
to be manly enough to squelch it in it's in
fancy.
No one but pirate like Jay Gould, who
thrives and fattens upon ruin, would attempt
such scheme of spoiation. What the pub
lie desire is the completion of the road, and
to this end they hope to see the land grant
extended for eight years as requested, with
out the company being hampered with any
. adverse requirements.
The change of this route to the south side
of the Columbia river, and the compelling it
to terminate at Portland, Oregon, are two
provisions entirely in the interest of the
Union Pacific. 1t is Jay Gould's programme
to either compel the Northern Pacific to
build line which can be jointly used by the
Union Pacific, also, or else make the require
ments so onerous that they cannot be com
piled with.
By the use of money Jay Gould yields an
influence which is not to be despised, but
which is always evil. No one can honestly
join in his raid on the Northern Pacific. No
subsidy is asked or expected for the North
ern but it is asked and expected that if men
are ready and willing to furnish the means
to complete the great work they should not
be robbed of what the government original
]y pledged.