Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-01
A VITAL QUESTION Fer TIE PEOPLE.


IMarysviIe Appes. January slst.l
There is no denying the great prejudice
against railroad land grants, but all this
vanisbes in this Section OF California when
it is brought to bear in support OF Congress
declaring the and grant given to build the
California an Oregon Railroad be forfeited.
The Califprnia and Oregon Railroad has
been hard at work earning its land grant
the past year, and is still tunneling the
snow. covered hills of Shasta and Siskiyou;
but II Congress interrupts this railroad
at this time it would come from partisan
purposes and not from any desire to re-
cover forfeited public lands and benefit the
State. Congress made the grant to aid IN
the construction OF a road over route that
would probably never have been built but
for the credit it gives the California and
Oregon. The company could not under
take the earning of its land grant until 1t
had positive assurance that its road would
be met at the State line by another road
from Portland. As soon as the building OF
the Oregon line was assured work was I'M
mediately resumed on the line OF the Cal
ifornia and Oregon, and it has been pushed
forward toward the junction of the two
roads with all the energy and means at its
command.
AT THIS CRITICAL TINE,
When the company is fulfilling its contract
with the Government, the House Commit
tee on Public Lands step in and make a
report recommending that all unearned
railroad land grants be forfeited. If bill
should pass Congress in pursuance OF this
resolution declaring the California and Ore
gon Railroad land grant forfeited, and at
the time when the company was complet-
ing the last mile OF the road, would not
Congress manifest an unjust hostility to
this important railroad communication, as
well as deal heavy blow to the trade
along the line OF these two railroads The
junction at the State line would be in
definitely postponed. An interruption to
this railroad connection would also prove
to be severe blow to the owners Of lands
and other proper t. along it's entire line, as
well as to the commercial interests OF San
Francisco. All the people of northern
California would ne greater sufferers than
the California and Oregon Railroad-and il
is for the interest OF the people, not any
railroad corporation, that we urge Con-
gress to except the California and Oregon
line in its law, if it is to pass one declar'
ing land grants forfeited. 1t was the de,
sign of Congress by this grant to aid in
building railway across the mountains
and uniting the States OF California and
Oregon by iron bands. That work,
THOUGH RETARDED FOR YEARS,
Is now approaching completion; and il
no unfrien6ly legislation is adopted by
Congress Portland and San Francisco will
be connected by rail within eighteen
months The early completion OF the Cali
fornia and Oregon Railroad, and thereby q
connection made with the Oregon and
Transcontinental Railway, is of vital i'm
portance to every city and town on the
route from Radding to San Francisco
Every man living On the line knows thai
the completion of this road will add to the
value of the lands in the northern coun
ties. New towns will be built along 1T
track, and life and vigor be extended t.
the farming and numbering trade TO tins
extreme northern limits of the State. Tit
/ California and Oregon Railroad, if finished
to the junction, will be of ten times more
value to the people OF California than t.
its builders. All the new enterprises which
! the people have inaugurated Ia contempla
ton Of the speedy completion Of the roaC
will come to a standstill if the building Ii
stopped. Many ci5izens from various sec
| tions of the State have invested heavily IL
iron mines, quartz mines, sawmllls, gralr
| farms and stock ranges, and all these en-
! terIrises must prove failures
UNLESS THE RAILROAD Is COMPLETED,
| As the thousands of citizens contemplated
it would be. To complete the road nov
the State as well as the people will b,
large gamers. To suspend the work mus
result in a general loss in the value o
| lands. both to the Government and tbs
people. The uncompleted portion Of thi
/ road will cost millions Of dollars, and thu
| land grant will be well earned when 1t II
! finished The Government guaranteed thu
land grant, and the California and Oregon
Railroad have entered upon the work il
good faith. No railroad will ever be bull
over the Siskiyou mountains without th
aid of a land subsidy. 1t will pay NJ
other company, and only this because OF it
connections with the Central Pacific. Tn
reasons offered in support OF the suspen
sion Of this great work sre small in com
parison with those in favor of It's continu
ance. We know that the argument
against interrupting the grant and permit
ting the road to be completed are justifie,
by every consideration of public policy an
statesmanlike reasons. We believe tia
the California ard Oregon Railroad, by it
connections with the Northern Pacific vii
do for the towns of northern Csliforni
what the Southern Pacific has done 70
Los Angeles and other southern towns
The entire people of northern Californi
ought to move promptly, and enter
formidable protest against Congress cuttin
off their noses to gain temporary partisal
advantage.