Daily Republican., 1879-02-04
For the Republican.
Trans Continental.


az the instrument whereby men shout
penetrate the mysterious depths Of ii,
far West, and secure TO our growing con
MERGE the prize Of Eastern wealth
Ten years later petition,,was presente
to Congress praying for the constructio
of road. The discovery OF gold /
California gave fresh vigor to til
agitation. In 1858 Congress yielded
the popular pressure and ordered SUI
veys TO be made; several routes wei
surveyed among them the one know
as the 32nd parallel running from MAJ
shall, Texas, 10 EIPaso, thence to Yum
and San Diego.
The platform of the Republican par
ty Of 1856, had OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES il
it. An effort was made in 1857 to secur
National charter; the measure wa
supported in the Senate but failed il
the House, doubtless from the fac
should the Government grant char
ter, the 32p no parallelroute was thu
popular, and could have been built OF
much more economic basis than til,
present Union Pacific route, but the
construction of road at that time
would have facilitated the populating
Of the Territories of New Mexico and
Arizona, and gained their early ad-
mission into the Union, with the right
OF human slavery: hence the opposition
from Northern Representatives. In
1862 an act was created, the Govern
ment loaning the company at the rate
of $l6, 900 per mile for the easy work,
and $4S, 900 per mile for the mountain
Gus division, the Government to have
a first mortgage, twenty-five per cent.
to he received until the road was COM
pleted, and the transient business of
the Government was to be paid solely,
by the extinguislnent of the bouded
debt. In addition to the loan, the
company had land grant Of 64oO
acres per mile.
The corporation known as the Central
Pacific was to build the Western end +,
having been preferred the same aid as
the Union Pacific, which company was
to construct the Eastern end. The Cen
trail Pacific Company accepted the char
ter and began grading the succeeding
February, Capitalists who held the des-
TIMES Of the Union Pacific met at Chica
90, September, 1863, the Lobbyists OF
the respective companies appeared in
Washington, in great force, making
further demands upon Congress-; their
statements were accepted with implicit
credence, and the res alt was supple
mentary act approved July I'd, 1864;
doubling the land grants, making the
loan a second lien, the
twenty-five per cent reservation was re-
moved and one half Of bus
i~-ss was to be paid in money.
By this defective legislation Congress
bestowed upon these corporations the
power to mOnop0tize thetrade between
the Pacific coast and the East and sad
die upoL the government debt which
now amounts to s95, 0o0, 600, and at
this time the merchants Of New York,
and other eastern cities are groaning
under the excessive charges for trans
portation, .xacted by this huge mo-
nOpoly in convection with the Pacific
Mail Steamship Co.
There is remedy FOR the evils Of the
corrupt legislation of 1854, and shoxld
the present Congress tail to apply the
remedy, by extending the time for the
completioa of the Northern Pscific
Railroad, and granting aid for the con-
structiou of the Texas and Pacific,
would We not be convinced, that the
powerful lobbyists, who figured SO ex-
tensively in Washington in 1864, and
are nov at work with their means, and
under the profession of soliciting a
grant 30 construct competing line, Gin
name snly) control our Legislators.
The Bill now before Congress for
aid, to the Texas and Pacific Road,
is as SGfe against corruption as can be
made by wise and judicious men, who
are endeavoring by the construction OF
this important line to open out the
vast domain now indeve loped for the
want OF Railroad facilities. The com
pany asks for the guarantee of interest
only, which will amount to about III ;
100000 per annum. All the money
due the company for the transportation
Of troops, Mails and Indian supplies, is
to he retained by the Government to
provide for the interest. In 1856 ths
Post Master General entered into con-
tract with thelEi Paso Stage Co., for
semi-weekly Mail service agreeing to
pay S600,0O0 per annun, nearly half
as mach as tn. guarantee asked for by
The Texas and Pacific Company.
The early completion of the road
secures to the Government large an
nual saving paid for the transportation
If troops and supplies, and it establish
,s AN Independent and competing line
o the Pacific coast, opening and devel-
ping the Territories of Arizona and
New Mexico, with their wonderful re-
sources, and climate equal to that OF
tally, facilitating trade between our
nerchGrts and manufacturers, and, Mex
co, cOnntfy next to our own possess
ny the greatest natural advantages.
the terminus, is abou; 40
niles south of San Francisco, at the
read Of 4 beautiful bay, twelve miles
II extent, harbor capacity for thousands
# vessels.
Bat the great benefits of this line do
Iot end here. Looking westward and in
he language OF Ber ton "There is the
East, there III India; with such tranapor-
alton facilities we can invite the ma
ions of the earth to make America their
ighway.
And in few years our country VIII
e a hive ofindustry;lOO, 000, 900 indus
riOus people with uEnumbered Amer
ian sailing and steam vessels blowing
he waters of the Pacific and the Allan
n Tban will ha prn, n pripS Of our