The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-05
Reply of the Union Pacific to Tel.

4SCPAy VI UAO OnIOlI dCAAC ~ 10k
Ter.
WASHINGTON, May 3.-The TO
lowing is self-explanatory:
UNION PACIFIC R.. r. Co.'S
OFFICE, Boston, MASS.
To Hon. III. NJ. Teller, Secretary
Interior, Washington:
S1R-Your letter of the 21st ult.
stating the claims of the government
upon this company has had careful
consideration. The purpose of the
company has been and is to
discharge fairly and impartially
its obligations to the government
and in explanation and Justification
OF its view THAT there is due the COM
pany a sum largely in excess of the
amounts claimed In your letter to he
due the government, it may be prop
er to state briefly the relation between
the parties, as they stop at two diff
ferent periods, namely, under it's
original charter, before the passage
of the so-called Thurman act, and
under the amendments made by that
act. Prior to July l, 1873. When
the Thurman act took effect, the
company under its charter was enti-
tied for performing postal service
for the government fair aud reasona.
BILE rates of compensation, not to
exceed The amount paid by private
parties for the same kind of service.
The government cOntended that not
outstanding this provision the Post
office Department had the right to
Nv thu 0ne1N n fSnn Or fl,o o~,>
on its own view of what was resona-
BILE. and to the extent and in the
same manner as it prescribed rates
for all other railways. This question
has been submitted to a judicial
determination and the Supreme
Court of the United States
has disaffirmed the view of the POST
office Department and affirmed that
of the company. There is, therefore,
an account for postal services to be
s. tiled pursu mt to this decision be-
tween the Company aud Government
up to the first Of July, rs, and if that
account is justly stated, il will leave,
as the company is confident it does. a
very large sun of money due the
company. 1t would be severe and |
hardly a just aus for the govern.
nlent to claim that Notwithstanding
the sum thus due the company. upon
which the govei nmen allows no
interest, it was its duty in disregard
thereof to make the payments re-
4uireu by your letter in assumed &C.
FORD with the Thurman act, when as
be seen hereafter the actual
amounts payable to the government
under that act a only be ascer-
aimed when the question of what
constitutes reasonable rates for ira rs
3ortation of mail shall be judicially
and when, after trial, it
las bee 70 determined the sum due
o the company for postal services
,rior.to the Thurman act will be
definitely fixed and at once payable
, the company. It should
'e added that at the date
n question there was also
further admitted balance due from
he government for other services
Which we do not refer to in detail.
ut confine ourselves to the question
t postal service, and the company
as caused to be stated that the &C
cunt made up to July 1, 1873,
upon the principle that compensa-
ion should be fixed with reference to
xpress rates, the service as being most
early of the same kind of service
eferred to in its charter, and that the t
mount due from the Government is I
,64S, 991. Of this amount it is adj.
litted by the Government that at
rates ATTEMPTED to be fixed as +
Dove by the Postofice Department q
lere is due to the Company 8
'64, 1Ol, leaving in dispute $S20, 800. q
he question whether the standard G
iopted by the company is so remains q
r judicial determination by the
'urt of claims, to which court it has G
zen RENTED. Since it was declared d
7 the Supreme Court some other g,
ement may possibly be shown
hich, If shown, would affect the Il
of reasonable compensation. G
ne next is to the account between v,
. government and the COMPANY a,
ace the Thurman act went into ef-
It, and down to a period ended h,
&c. Slst, 1882, to which period the or