The Washington critic., 1886-04-21
WASHINGTON, APRIL 81, 1886.
GENERAL wILLIAMsoN's LETTER.

WASHINGTON, APRIL 2l, 1886.
GENERAL wILLIAMsoN's LETTER.
In another column, General William
son, the general solicitor OF the Atlantic
and Pacific Railroad Company, replies
to an editorial in The CRrIc of the
10th. He says:
"The company did not and has not sold
out Its line TO two other companies, nor to
any other company or person. The com
pany maintains an active corporate e:dst-
ence, builds and operates Its road free
from interference or suspension by any
other person or corporation
We reiterate our statement that 'it
sold out to two other companies which
continued its nominal existence" and
as against General williamson denial
we put the positive declaration of the
president of his company, taken from
his annual report for the year ending
December 81, 1882, as follows;
'Should the net proceeds OF these sub
scriptions prove to be insufficient TO com
plete the road and pay the interest upon
the first mortgage bonds during construc-
tion, arrangements have been made with
he AtchiSon, Topeka and Santa Ne Rllrold
Company, and the Saint Louis and san
FrdnoiSco Railroad C0mpdRN WHICH OWN
NEARLY ALL THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THIS
COMPANY, to advance any deficit, share and
share alike, In the form of n loan, to be re-
paid hereafter" (see Report of Railway
Commissioner for 1885, page 55)
In Poor's "Railroad Manual for
1885, at page SIG, the statement ap-
pears that "the authorized share capi-
tai of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Company is $100,000,0O0. OF this
S51, 1902, 800 have been conveyed to the
st. Louis and San Francisco Railroad
Company and the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe in equal amounts in con.
sideration of the preceding agree.
ment." AS the total amount of stock
issued is only S54, $40, 300, only 49,
5O7, 200 exists in any other hands than
the two companies named. If that
does not make them the purchasers and
owners of the property what would?
THE CRITIC stated that between 1871
and 1882 not mile of road was built.
This should have read "between 1871
and $780," The error was as unin-
territorial as 1t is immaterial. But it
enables General Williamson to score a
point. He says "before the close of
1882 the company constructed not less
than 400 miles"
But what has the General to say to
our statement that between 1866 and
1871 only thirty.four miles of the road
were built, and that between 1871 and
1880 not an additional mile was built,
although the grant was made on con
dition of the completion of the whole
line of road lover 1000 niles by July
a, 1878? Ihi1ty:four miles in fifteen
years Then sell-out to two other
companies, as above shown.
The president of the company, in the
report above cited, says that "the road
has been divided into two divisions"
called the Central" and western"
divisions. The first extends from the
Missouri State line to Albuquerque, n.
NJ, and the last from the latter point to
the Pacific Ocean. He says that in
January, 1880, ''the company was the
owner of MtrtyJour miles of com
pleted railroad of the Central Division,
and that although the line had been
definitely located no acork Of construc-
tion hdd been done upon the Western
Division" AS the whole line, accord
ing to the presidents statement, was in
these two divisions, it follows that no
work was done between 1871 and 1880.
And now as to the extent of the land
grant. The CRITIC gave it at 1924.
S03 acres. General Williamson says
"the grant made by the act appears to
approximate 47,0O1 800 acres.' Our
figures will be found on page 2SS of
the annual report of the Railroad
Commissioner for 1888, and also on
page of report No. 1913 of the House
of Representatives for this session.
We are willing, however, to accept the
Generals statement as correct.
But he says that for various reasons,
which he states. "the company can
only, when its road is finished, receive
about 100000 acres of land in the
granted limits, and aohat IL may get in
tic aoay Of indemnity." In New
Mexico and Arizona this indemnity
will doubtless make good at least one,
half OF the 5000, 900 acres he estimates
to have been lost therein by previous
grants.
Concerning the Indian Territory, he
says; "But the Interior Department
says there is no grant in said Territory
which, If true, reduces the grant 49,.
640,0O0 acres" But he and his com.
pany say it is not true, aud If their
claim prevails, the grant is not so re.
duced. Without allowing them for
any indemnity lands in California, the
grant is not only 1900, 900 acres, but
nearly twenty millions more in the Ia
dian Territory, New Mexico aud
Arizona, or $4,000, 900 acres in all.
Whatever 1t is, it has all been for
feited, unless by an act of grace IL be
allowed for the "a miles built before
the time had run out for building the
whole road.
The Generals statement, that "the
company has built, owns and is now
actively operating S13 miles of road, "
may not be understood by all. lie
means that the company has built and