Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-03

hecensly the road has been iusr@ct4d
and. have seen by the nevspapsrs- has
been accepted. / do not understand
tnat any COMMITTEES In Congress has
ever proposed TO forfeit any part of the
land grant for that portion Of the road
wnlcn was constructed within the time
limited by the act. SO I think il in cor
| rect 70 say that there is a legal question
| involved IN this resolution. and II Is very
proper that IT should 20 10 the Judiciary
Committee for a report: al least / eau
se', no harm 20 arise from that course.
! think IL would be very un. afe for the
Senate 10 undertake to pass upon this
question on the sx ys1rte statement of tie
senator from Nebraska or myself.
Mr.. Slater-W hiie cannot speak from
any personal knowle dye sf the transac-
tions r,latIvs TO this particular section
of the Northern Pacific Railroad. there
are many facts ~hlch have come 20 NV
knowledge through Ctner parties that
! lead nIe to the conclusion that this con-
templ4ted section originally was not
intended to be part of the Northern
Pacific. / understand that the histo-
Ran OF the company. Mr.. Smalley, nas
very specifically put it down In a work
written by him under the auspices of
the company, for the benefit of the COM
pany, that this was simply a local coal
road, not even ovned By the company.
Whether this Is 80 or not | do not know,
but certainly no harm can come 10 the
company
Mr.. Dolph-Will the Senator allow me
to ask him question:
Mr.. Slatsr-Certainly.
Mr. Dolph-I should like 10 ask 10Y
colleague, If that is so, by what an-
thorlty, under what charter, he sup
poses the Northern Pacific railroad
Company built this branch, If it was
not part of their Cascade branch or
their maix line?
Mr.. Slater-As To that / cannot saw.
As said before, | have no personai
knowledge of this matter; all the IN
formation i have comes to me from the
writings and statements of other par
ties who, from their situation. were in a
position to know, and for this reason |
think II Is wise and we'll that there
should be some little delay in this
matter until the facts may be ascer
tanned.
Ii Is well known in the western part
OF the country, IN Washington Terrific
~. that this IS local road, and never
was considered OF understood by the
people there to be part # the line,
and that the recent purpose of having
IL accepted az a part OF IL Is to cover
lands knsvu TO be valuable III coal and
timber; but whether .hat H. 80 or not |
cannot say.
would suggest to the Senator from
Nebraska To change the word direct
cd " TO REQUESTED" Tins being "A call
on An executive officer to refrain from
action under tbe statute, | think IT
would be hardly proper to direct" "
him; but it ~ common, a5 | understand
the practise of both Houses of Congress,
to request delay for limited period
of time until an investigation can be-
had or until better information may be
secured.
IL seems to me that no harm can come
to the company from this request. Ii
IL simply precautionary move, and in
tended only to delay action until bet
ter understanding and better informa-
ton can be obtained. 1t does not IN
dertake to decide any question. Ii sim
ply requests delay III the issuing of
patents. do know that there has been
very great interest manifested by agents
and persons intimately connected with
the Northern Pacific Company that no
action of this kind should be- had here
| speak now frsm personal knowledge.
IL they are thus anxious, 1t Is plain %
ne that there may be good reason for
that anxiety, hoping that no agitation
might be had until such time as eve
rythIng could be made absolutely So
cure beyond reach of any Congressional
action.
hope that the resolution will not be
referred, but that 1t will be- passed by
the SeuAte.
Al To b. continued.