The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-06-10
DAILY INFELLIGENCER.
Friday, June 10, 1881.
RAILROAD RESOLUTIONS.

At populsr meeting In Yakima
City. held last week, resolutions rs fol-
lows were adopted, and q copy sent TO
the Secretary of the Interior:
WHEREAS, More than twenty years
ago propositions and plans were cd.
vsnced for the construction. through
the encouragement and assistance of
the general government, of trans
Continental railroad, which should snip
ply Q nsedful link in connecting the
grea. chain of Northern lakes with
Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean;
and
WHEREAS. 1t appears that in view of
the great public advantage which
would have resulted at that time from
the construction of Q national highway
Of the character proposed. the United
States Congress. on the Goth of July,
1854. passed an act incorporating the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company;
that by Sd section Of said act Of incor-
poration . very large quantity of the
public lands of this Territory was
granted to said company to aid in the
construction of the proposed railroad;
that among other conditions upon
which this munifcent grant was
made it was prescribed that the
road should be speedily constructed, in
order that it might aid in the civiliza-
ton and settlement of what was at
that time an uninhabited North western
frontier; that although nearly II years
have elapsed since the date Of this
original act of Incorporation and grant.
and although the time for the compile
ton Of the great thoroughfare has re-
ceived several liberal extensions and
the company every needful encourage
ment from the Government and the
people, the road yet remains in an un-
finished condition. greatly to the dis
advantage of the country which Con-
gress designed it should benefit; tina.
depending upon the promises of the
company and the good faith of the
Government, thousands OF settlers left
their homes in the Eastern States many
years ago. and. Drawing the dangers and
hardships Of frontier life. settled in this
Territory along the line of the pro
posed road, that the far-of country
into which il was proposed that the
subsidized railroad should go forth %
pioneer. has long since been settled
and rescued from the control of savages
without any assistance on the part OF
the Northern Pacific Railroad Com.
pany; that during the time this grant
has been in operation the alternate sec
tons of land along the proposed route
of the road have been withdrawn from
settlement for 40 miles on each side of
the road; that the Government lands
have in consequence been doubled in
price and under some of the land laws
restricted in quantity to half the
amount; that these railroad lands have
been comparatively unavailable to the
actual settler. owing to the uncertainty
of their tenure and the price that might
be exscted for them if the rail.
road company ever obtain q title;
that this state of things has
retarded rather than aided the
settlement of the country. The accept
ance of the grant and asking that the
lands along the road be withdrawn for
its benefit is an implied if not express
agreement on the part OF the company
that the road shall be built according
to the terms of the charter, that in so
doing the government has performed
its part of the contract, and the people
in buying land at So 80 per acre have
purchased the right to have the road
constructed. They have bought it. paid
the purchase price, it belongs to them
Of right. and they demand it; there
fore
RESOLVED. That we respectfully but
earnestly appeal to the Government of
the United States to exercise such au-
thority in the matter as II may possess
in compelling the immediate construc-
ton OF the Northern Pacific Railroad,
including its branch across the Cascade
Mountains.
RESOLVED. That we look with sus-
piciou and regret upon the reported
transfer of controlling interest in the
great nstiopal highway to parties own g.
ing q controlling interest in the o r &
n Go. corporation which has grown
rich by exorbitant charges for carry-
ing the productions of this Territory.
and which apparently seeks the perpe
tration OF the monopoly.
RESOLVED, That we call on the peo-
pie OF this Territory. who have been
patient and long suffering in O matter
so intimately connected with their ma.
terial welfare. to make known their
grievances and assert their rights.