Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-01
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC.
Exposure of the scheme which is nox
Being Lobbied Through Congress.


Washington Special to CAicago Tribune.
A land grant of 1900, 900 acres, valued
at So, 000, 900, is worth fighting for if there
| be chance to win it. This is probably
the opinion of Jay Gould and c. p. Hunt
| lngt0n. who control the Southern and
| middle tranScontinental railway lines.
Ihese observations are suggested by two
interesting bills, both favOrably reported,
| which now await such action as may be
| secured in the hurly-burly of the last
/ days ana nights of the FOrty-seVenth Con-
/ gress. These bills apparently provide
that the Southern Pacific Railroad Com
/ pany may consolidate with other compa-
| MES under one organization, so as to form
a continuous line from San Francisco
| to the Mississippi river. The true history
| Of the birth and growth Of the transcOnti-
| mental railways contains material for
| stories which would astOnish the world.
The rapid growth of colossal private
| fortunes, the establishment Of great and
oppressive mOnOpOlies, the means used
for securing legislation, the evasion or
defiance of law, and the indications of
greater schemes to be cOnsummated in
the near future, are subjects which invite
study and excite wonder and other emo
tiOns. Besides some of the transactions
which have occurred in the history of
these roads, an attempt to capture an I'M
earned land grant valued at $685.
100000 is a small undertaking. The
Texas Pacific Company secured
4 land grant from Texas
applying to all the road which might be
built in that State. This grant amounted
to 10000 acres per mile. In 1871 the Texas
Pacific secured from Congress an addi-
tiOnal grant applying to the road west of
Texas. The company was expected to
extend its road through New Mexico,
Arizona, and Southern California to San
Diego, on the Pacific coast, and the land
grant was $4,000 acres per mile in New
Mexico and Arizona and l., 800 acres per
mile i'll California. But the Texas
Pacific has built no road beyond
the western boundary of Texas. and
therefore has not earned an acre
of this enormous grant in California
and the Territories. Before the Texas
Pacific reached the western boundary of
Texas, the Southern Pacific had rapidly
extended its road eastward from Southern
California, through New Mexico and
Arizona, to Ell PasO, point at or near the
extreme western boundary of Texas. So
vigorously was the construction of this
road pushed forward that the line had
reached Sierra Blanca, a point in Texas
ninety-twO miles east of FL PasO. when
the Texas Pacific, extending westward.
met it, In this way the Southern Trans
continental line was completed. But the
part which lies between Sierra Blanca
and Southern California was built
without n land grant. The Texas
Pacific could have proceeded with its
road and constructed line to the Pacific
coast parallel to the Southern Pacific, and
thereby earned its land grant. 1t did not
do so. 1t stopped ut Sierra Blanca, and
the two railroad magnates, jay Gould and
{. Il. Huntington, joined hands and en-
tered into an agreement. the terms of
which are not generally known. This
agreement provided that the ninety-two
miles of track between Sierra Blanca and
FL PasO should be jointly used by the two
companies; that through business should
be done pro rata; that Huntington
might continue his road to the Gulf
of Mexico upon condition that the
seabOard business should be equally
divided between this continuation and the
Texas Pacific; and that, in consideration
for the privileges given on the Pacific
coast the Texas Pacific should relinquish
to the Southern Pacific its claim to land
grant, right of way, and other franchises
in the Territories and California The
question has been how to get it and how
to induce the United States to authorize
the transfer. There are now pending in
Congress, as has been said, two favorably !
reported bills, one in each House, author |
iZing the Southern Pacific to consolidate
with the Texas Pacific. They were re-
ported recently, and an attempt made two |
or three weeks ago to fix a day for the |
consideration of the House bill seemed to |
show that the majority would support |
that bill. The Senate bill has the same |
title. 1t is expected an attempt will be |
made to pass the consolidated bills in the |
last week of the session.