, 1878-04-27
Northern Pacific Railroad.

'WAsHISGToN. d. c., April 23, 1878.
EDITOR BEE: | have received
your dispatch saying my enc
mics say. in case the Northern
Pacific refuse to build the port
age railroads around the Cas-
cades and the Dalles, there is no
remedy. This is f;Ase. The bill
for the extension Of time to the
Northern Pacific after two days
discussion, passed the Senate to-
day, as l reported it from the
railroad committee, without ma
terial amendments, without. any
amendment whatever affecting
Pacific coast interests. The bill
as it passed the Senate throws
all agricultural and grazing
lands open to settlement in guam
titles not exceeding 100 acres at
a price not exceeding $3.50 per
acre. IiomcsteaGs are enlarged
TO 100 acres. The company are
to commence work near the
mouth Of Snake river within
nine months from the passage OF
the act, and complete % miles
eastwardly the first year, and
10 miles each succeeding year.
One hundred miles OF road must
be completed each year. The
whole road must be completed
in ten years. The company must
also complete and equip the road
around the cascades of the Co
lumbia in two years from the
passage Of the act, and around
the Dalles in two and onc-half
years from the passage Of the
act. In case the Northern Pa
cific fail to construct and equip
the road around either the Cas-
cades or the Dalies within spec
flied time, then the whole grant
from Portland to Umatlila is for
feited to the Portland, Salt Lake
and South Pass company, and
they are to commence at Port
land within three months after
such failure, and construct 33
miles the first year and % miles
each year thereafter until the
road is completed to Umatilla
and whichever company builds
the road between Portland and
Umatilla, it shall be a common
road for trains of both the n. p.
and Portland, Salt Lake and S.
P. companies. The bill also con-
tains stringent provisions COM
pelling the Northern Pacific to
receive freight and passengers
on their portage roads from all
boats on the Columbia river
without discrimination, at rea-
sonable rates The courts have
jurisdiction under the bill to en-
force these provisions. The road
between Portland and Umatilla
is transferred to the south side
of the river. The effect of the
bill, should it pass the House, as
| believe it will, will be to open
the Columbi: river to free navi-
CATION; and an amendment Of
tered to enlarge the time to three
and four years to construct the
portage roads was defeated by
19 votes for, to 80 votes against.
The bill as above finally passed
the Senate without a single dis
senting vote. Considering the
opposition here and at home, |
regard this bill as one of meal
culable Importance to Oregon
and the whole Pacific North
west. JOHN h. MITCHELL.
As the bill now stands, leav-
ing the lands open to sale and
settlement in limited quantities.
no man in Washington Territory
certainly none in Seattle
will object to it, and all will re-
ijoice at its final passage, which
cannot but be of the greatest
advantage to this entire Terri
tory. no less than to Oregon.
Putting aside all prejudice, it
must in simple justice be conced-
cd to Senator Mitchell and re-
fcctiveIy to Delegate Jacobs,
the credit oT having compelled
the company to accept condi-
tons which are vital to the best
interests of the people of this
country; that is, in depriving a
corporation ofa monopoly OF the
public lands. We have no faith
in the view of Senator Mitchell,
that the transfer Of the route to
the south side of the Columbia
river and the provisions to Sc
cure the building of the portages