Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-23

WAsHINoTos. Jan. 2l.-Represensa.iy.
COBB, Of Indiana. thinks that @. p.
nuntinston showed amazing effrontery
IN daring TO appear before the Commit
tse on Public Lands. of WHICH Cobb is
chairman, TO oppose the forfeiture of
the California and Oregon railroad land
grant. Mr.. Cobb says: In 1873 met
Huntington, who WAS here to oppose
the subsidy Of the Texas Pacific by a
guarantee by the Rovernnent of So
OD.O0 Of its bonds. His ground Of op-
position was that he a. building a
road on a parallel line by private capi
tai. asking no aid from the government
! believed "a his bona fides, and helped
MIN to prevent the passage of the Ssott
Dill. Huntington. in the meautime, h ad
p'ssed through California and New
Arxico and had reached Colorado. His
plan was to 90 straight ahead, without
ever asklng the government or anv ose
else for right Of way. In California
hs vas making rapid progress through
. military reservation Whsn he vas
stopped by Gen. Sherman AS hs was
constructing a bridge over the river at
Fort Yuma. A dotachmcnt of soldiers
WAS sAnt to enforce the order, and the
railroad mon promised to desist. The
soldiers and civilians left the spot to
gether, the former to remain IN their
quarters for the night, bat Hunting
tOn's men executed faux movement
hnd by morning had cars running over
that bridge. This is u sample Of how
HuntingtOn's work vas rushed along.
SCOTT died, and Jay Gould and Hunt
inRton made an agreement whereby, ac-
c0rding to, that part whicn was made
public, the Texas Pacific grant was con-
veyed to the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Finding that q patent vas about 10 be
Issued PaysOn came to Washington last
summer and filed protest against it.
One Newell, Who had done lobbying for
Huntington ard had never been paid,
was about at the same time, and had
nied = very damaging document. He
wanted access to certain orders, which
the Interior Department ruled were
closed to him, ~ n private person. Mr..
Payson and we're about to file our pro-
test. when Newell asked permi sion to
act a. our attorney, representing that it
would give him the necessary access to
the rec rds. We made the appoint
ment, stipulatinR the extent Of his pow
ers under it. In the moantim We left,
and Newell expeiienoOd 4 change Of
heart. from What cause know not, and
demanded back his diary, At the same
time attempting 10 withdraw our pro-
test against the patent. l came on
again, Just in time to prevent this"
In answer to An inquiry as to the
cause Of the delay in preparing report
on the fOrfei ure Of tho Texas Pacific
grant, Mr.. Cobb said: ''rhe COMMITTEES
directed Mr.. Payson and myself to pro-
pare report on the road. At first vs.
decided to mako this brief, but in writ
ing it We found 30 much th It was SO i'm
portant for the House to be acquainted
with before voting that We agreed it
would be best TO make it more exhaust
i've. As Horace Greeley vas wont TO re-
mark, 1t will be mighty interesting
reading We shall give a number of
Huntington's letters in this report. 1t
will be ready r. present 70 the commit
tee on Tuesday. and 1t will be printed
and placed before every member on the
following day. 50 that WHEN We ask for
suspension of rules We shall ask for
the passage OF the bill. In the next
three months 20,OOO,0 600 acres of railway
lands will certainly be declared forfeited
70 the government and opened to public
entry"