Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-31
THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON RAIL
RoAp-soME PLAIN STATEMENTS.
IRed Bluff Daily Sentinel, July Goth.

The Committee on Public Lands in the
Lower House of Congress has had under
| consideration for some time bill restoring
| to the public domain land claimed by the
Texas Pacific Railroad Company, and that
committee has reported the bill back
recommending its passage. 1t has been
and is still mooted question whether or
not the proposed action OF Congress is for
the best interest of San Francisco and the
State at large also. Suppose we admit for
the sake of argument that the bill is emf.
nently right and proper, and ought to pass
and become law, and that those land
grants, as well as the lands granted to the
| Southern Pacific from Tres Penas to
Goshen, should be restored to the public
domain, and that the company claiming
those lands have no Just and equitable
title to them. There is another matter OF
vital interest to the people of the northern
part of the State, the State at large and
| San Francisco as well. We refer to the
extension of the California and Oregon
road, which is being pushed ahead as rap.
idly as men, money and engineering skill
can do it, backed I'D by an amount of pluck
seldom if ever equaled in the history OF
railroad building
| The vacation OF the Texas and Pacific land
| grant must Of necessity iniure the credit
of the railroads securities, and whether
these lands are restored to the public de-
main or not, the same result is bound to
| follow-the retarding OF the work and the
probable suspension of all further opera
| tons north, in the near future, making the
completion of the road doubtful for five
years to come, il Congress passes bill re-
storing the land to the public domain that
was granted to the California and Oregon
Company. 1t is an acknowledged fact that
the work on the California and Oregon line
is heavier and will prove TO be more expen-
sive than any ever done, not excepting the
work on the Central Pacific over the Sierra
Nevadas. Furthermore, it is necessary to
protect the commercial interests of the State
and those of San Francisco particularly,
that this road should be completed at the
earliest possible day. The Northern Pacific
may possibly extend its line dorm into the
Sacramento raliey north Of Red,iing and in
that case tie trade ,could 90 to Portland 1-
stedd Of going to San Francisco, anil the
gr0irth and progress Of he attire Stdte b.
seriously impeded.
Now then, what are the facts in the case?
So far as the value of lands along the line
of the California and Oregon road are con.
cerned, those lands lying within the boun-
dairy of the grant, up ID the time when it
was known that the company was to COM
mence extending the road, hundreds OF
Government sections were unoccupied and
considered OF but little value, no matter
what the character of the land was. What
are the facts now? Government lands are
eagerly sought after, and are being filed on
and entered rapidly, and as soon as titles
are secured those same lands rise in value
two and three fold above the price paid.
These are tGcts that no one can successfully
| contr0uert. The Government loses nothing
by keeping faith with the railroad com
pany, but, on the other hand, the value of
its lands lying within the limits of the land
grant is enhanced in value from 80 to IS
per cent. These are PLAIN, stubborn facts,
and no amount Of sophistry can c0atrOrert
or successfully Ocerthro1C them.
Going little further in this line OF argu-
sment, which is alike correct and the points
made equally as tenable and not any easier
oveIthlown, it is worthy of mention that
many new enterprises have been inaug-
urated and others are now in contempla-
ton, such as the establishment of stock
ranches, grain farms, orchards and gardens;
the erection of sawmils and the manu-
featuring of lumber, window blinds, sash
and doors building large and commodious
houses, aud improving adjacent grounds
for summer resorts for both health aud
pleasure, besides a score OF minor pursuits
that go to make the country rich and pros
porous and the people happy and con-
tented