New-York tribune., 1885-03-17
THE "BACKBONE" GRANTS.
AN AcRID DISCUSSION IN THE SENATE.

MIR. VAN wYCK REVIEWS HIS ATTACK UPON sESA-
TOR TELLER WHO DEFENDS HIS COURSE.
WASHINGTON, March 16.-Mr. Van Wyck's
Backbone resolution was laid before the Senate To-
day and Mr. Euss OF Louisiana, made speech upon IL.
He was personally cognizant OF the fact ne sad tna'
preat wrong had been done to the people Oh LOUISIANA
and wished to enter his protest against Its consumma
tiop I'm 1877 three years before the assignment was
made the legislature had repealed the charter to the
Backbone" /" company Everybody was perfectly agreeu
that the company nuisance and disgrace; that IL
never lived for any corporate purpose whatever but
was the mere skeleton OF derect association fet III
1881 by one the most extraordinary proceedings on
record this defunct company made an assignment 10 Tue
New-Orleans Pacific Company and 1t was upon such
title that the latter based claims BY tho charter the
company was TO have Its domicle in New-Oreans but
meeting OF the drectors-and no one knew VINO were
the backbone directors presenthad been held in the
city OF New York and there the transfer had been made
The act was radically yicous-absolutely void.
Mr. Sherman asked what consideration was passed. III
onv between the Orleans Pacific and the Back
bone" Company.
Mr. Eusts replied that It was the large sum OF Sl
Continuing said the art OF the directors In Newfork
had ratified by only twothrds OF the stocKhoiders
I'm Orleans. The remaining third denounced the act
before the Interior Department as sham and fraui.
Mr. Teller was recognized In debate that followed and
he said that he did not care how dishonest the original
corporators had been they had ed their plots ana put
their bonds upon the market and when the aSSiRheh'
was made there was no voice raised in Louisiana which
was not hearty approval OF tho assignment AS tho
Interior Dep arment had been vigorously asssiled ooth
as to honesty and its ability, he wished to call aten-
ton to the who composed the committee OF the
House which had passed upon these questions In tho
same way. He read the names OF the thirteen members
OF the judiciary Committee and said he was wilng 10
stand with them Against them he had the Senator from
Nebraska r. Van wyckl and 1.-The Senator from Louisi
(ir. Eustls).
Mr. Teller spoke at great length when Mr.. Van wyck.
referring 10 Mr. Teers speech OF last week said that
the Senator from Colorado regretted tnat every person
who has spoken this subject was not lawyer mean
ing probably lawyer OF railroad proclivities so there
might be full accord such lawyers as during most OF
the last sixteen years had been at the head OF the De-
partment OF Justice and OF the Interior making the
which the Secretary boasted he had fol-
lowed He alluded to the Crdt Mobielier, the
location and conveyance OF lands TO the sioux
City and Pacific the donation OF lands from
Portland TO Puget sound and the consolidation OF the
linton Pacific with the Kansas and Denver Pacihc In
the latter transaction the Union Pacihcwas made practi
caiy bankrupt and Gould and hts syndicate realized not
less than $40 900 at the expense OF the Naonwhe
the p.ope between the Missouri ana the Pacific Ocean
we're subjected TO outrageous and eStortonate cnarse
II was usual for corporation attorneys 10 hugmatlLe tue
settler interoper and speoulator Tue eAoccre
tary he said had listened long that dialect In the
Department It natural he should repeat II In his
speech and .neeng such almost In the Language
OF Tweed he asked what you going To do about f
There was time for Cabinet IA setng on the Last day
the last Administration. The secretary or
the Interior probably the only advocate feeling as he
ays that this corporation had been wronged Oy having
his grant withheld two years, In tho eGuberance OF MS
sympathy for Gould and Huntington urged, or con-
gift Of and lOO miles OF graded road
s.nisi & p@sS y stssr wys1 S
There another remarsaoie feature III
This The eI--ecretary, from many years
practice attorney for the Union Phcnc Railroad ana
long experience In the Department knew that
alton declined 10 take patents except rs they marketed
their lands Millions OF acres were yet unpateuteu 10
the Pacific roads although these corporations had been
To patents 500 Did not the great desire
of this New Orleans and Paeinc Company Ia secure
pa nearly million OF acres of land Immediately,
which would subject the land Ia taxation from the date
of the OF the patent suggest strong suspicion
that must be fear Of the noxt Congress- or
that Administration might not DE COM
petcy subject to the railroad corporations control
MIR Teller denied that uioranco OF his Justlned
that n. regarded settlers intcriopers
The honorable Senator had alluded TO the cOnsolda-
tion OF the and the Union Pacific railroads aud
said there "A twenty million dollar steal ln IL. ho
had designed the public should undertand that hs TOOK
pace under his tMr. Teers adminis,rston. which was
moi The ease But IN this matter. too tho Secretary OF
the Interior powerless Goud ana Huntington were
great but N they had made any thing wrong
fully out OF the public by the consolidation whose duty
was IL To interfere The derectOn lay at the senator's
own door. The senator had been member Of the Cou
mttee Public Lands four years ANA had never raised
his hand 10 Tenedy the wrongs OF which he complained
until the Texas Pacific bill came over from the House
10 thanks to him.
Mr. Van Wyck defended himself against the charge Of
inaetion.