Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-14
CENTRAL PACIFIC.
Its Relations With the Coy
eminent.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS.
The Acts of Congress Reviewed and
Brief History of a Great
Undertaking.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS.
STRUGGLES OF IT'S PROMOTERS.
What the People Expected OF the
Roads and What They have Re
ceived Corporation Not
Fairly Dealt With.

WAsHIsGToS, April 7th.-When the Senate
special committee, to which was referred the
great Pacific Railway controversy, met to-day
Creed Raymond, solicitor-general of the Central
Pacific Railway, concluded his argument on be
half of the corporation. 1t is a review of the
situation, strongly put and well worded Mr.
Raymond is credited by those who have closely
watched all the phases of the case, with having
created e most favorable impression. His full
argument is as follows He said
If the committee please, this is the third day
that have appeared before you to present the
case OF the Central Pacific road / am not un.
mindful OF the fact that you have been consid,
crate IN granting me so much time, and for this
reason l will endeavor to conclude to-day
though when have finished, shall feel thai
not one-half of what might be said in favor OF
the Central Pacific road and its Directors had
been said.
In the case of the Union Pacific and the Cen.
trail Pacific compared, have attempted to point
out the difference in the status of the two trans
continental companies growing out of the ma
lure OF things: | have shown you that the
trunk line of the Union Pacific road runs
through the Platte river bottoms, the garden
spot of the West. That to this line the rich and
fertile valleys lying 10 the north and south could
be made tributaries by branch roads.
The trunk line OF the Central Pacific road
nave shown you runs through country which
cannot support a heavy population. The land
IS not arabic, aud adjacent TO it are no rich val
leys which could be made tributary to that road
The grant to the Union Pacific was of garden,
That TO the Central Pacific of desert.
THE AIDED LINE
or the Union Pacific road is O3S miles in
length, while the aided line of the Central and
western Pacific Company combined is but $50
miles, making difference of 10 miles in
length. The aided line of the Union Pacific
road lies chiefly in the State of Nebraska and
me territory OF wyoming. In 1850 the popula-
ton OF Nebraska was 122,9 1893, while in 1885, its
population was 74O645, an increase of 81 per
cent The population of the Territory of Wyo-
ming In 1850 was 20, 7S9 in 1885 it was Co. 600 an
increase OF a I'll, or 2l2 per cent.
road is chiefly through Nevada and
Utah, the mineral wealth of which
has been in a great degree exhausted
and the agricultural possibilities of which are
45l miles, lies in the State of Nevada. The pop.
ulation OF that State in 1850 was g., 26G In 1885
the population was estimated by the Secretary
of state of Nevada at SIS 900.
There is no other State or Territory in which
the population has not largely increased during
the last five years. In Nevada alone, in which
our greatest mileage lies, the population has de-
creased. The Union Pacific road had a line of
level country much greater in proportion than
that Of the Central Pacific, ard therefore the
bonds issued to it did not amount TO as much
per mile as the bonds issued to the Central Pa
clfc, making the Indebtedness of the latter to
the Government by reason of the fact that a
great proportion OF its line was mountainous
much greater per mile than that of the Union
Pacific. The labor and supplies for the Union
Pacific road were paid for in currency, so that
no Discount was lost in realizing on the bonds
hence while the Union Pacific received nearly
s6VO.oOO less OF bonds than the Central Pacific,
yet It realized from the loan it received nearly
S1,oo0,OJ0 more in money.
THE NET EARNINGS
Of the Central Pacific aided line were largely
reduced by competing through lines Toe
Union Pacific suffered in a like manner but It's
local business, owing TO the rapid settlement of
the country through which it passed, held I'D its
earnings in 1854 the Central Pacific aided line
earned $1,000 per mile. in 1885 s., COS per mile.
While in 1884 the aided line of the Union Pacific
earned 1851 per mic, and in 1885 81 2SS per
mlie; The net earnings of the Union Pacific
aided line Tor those two years were nearly five
times as great as those of the aided line of the
Central Pacific
The Union Pacific road has received five times
as much as the Central Pacific road from the
land granted. The sales of the Union Pacific
road up TO last August amounted to SD 275, 4s6
while the sales OF the Central Pacific land grants
amounted TO but little over s. 0000O0. / have
already adverted to the fact that the Union Pa
citc road was built in the presence of an armed
force maintained by the Government of the
United states; That by reason of treaties made
with the Indian tribes the expense of main
tanning such force did not fall upon the Coy
eminent III the construction of the Central Pa
citc line.
a ".
an article published in Hdrper's Monthly Mdgd-
zlne for April 1855, upon this topic says There
Is no place here tor dissertation on the subject
but the TACT remains that west Of the Missouri
no roo OF roAd was surveyed, no rood of land
was titled until swept by the rifles of the regu-
lars, and as for the great railways that now span
the continent and have brought the very wilder
ness under tribute, the posts of their Longest
lines are not enough in number TO score the
lives OF our officers and men laid down in the
Indian battles during the years it took to build
them
in dealing with the Central Pacific road. when
you come 10 an adjustment of accounts, this |
suggest Is matter which should enter into
consideration. The Government sustained great
expense III protecting the construction forces of
the Union Pacific, but not n dollar to that end
was expended by the Government on the Cen
trail line.
THE UNION PACIFIC HAS BEEN FAVORED
In the matter OF Government Transportation.
The Union Pacific has been assisted In that re
spect in an amount, as already shown nearly
i've times us great as the assistance from the
same source TO the Central Pacific Large fields
of coal have been found upon the line of the
Union Pacific. but none upon the line of the
Central The cost of fuel &c the Union Pacific
has been largely reduced. besides the coal traffic
which result has been great source of revenue
and always will be to that company.
So important WAS the happy discovery of coal
upon that line that President Adams tells Won
that it IS doubtful if the line could have been
probably worked but for that discovery.
These are some OF the many facts which con-
Stitute a difference between the cases of the two
roads. do not advert to them TO disparage the
Union Pacific. As a citizen of this country |
rejoice in the prosperity of that company, and
pray it may never be less. would not pluck a
leaf from the ehaplet which its bold projectors
are entitled to wear or detract from the honor
of the brave men who met the dangers of the
wilderness, aud all in an enterprise which
has brought to my country such munificent re-
turns.
In my first days argument before this COM
mittee, and with the purpose Of setting at rest
forever the charge that the Directors of the COM
pany had expended the full amount they had
received of the first mortgage bonds, and from
the sale of the bonds of the United States in the
construction oftbe Western and Central Pacific
Railroads. showed that the Commission esti-
mates the cost OF construction at 81, 900. 600.
That TO be added to this sum was $4,000 for
the rebuilding of the American river bridge,
and 81, 10000 for the cost Of the snowsheds, be-
ing in excess of the amount included in the es-
Innate. making in the aggregate an actual cost
according 10 the estimate of the Commission,
without allowing cent for profits TO the con-
tractors, of 81, 25S 900.
showed you then from the report of the Com
mission that the company received from itsown
first mortgage bonds and from the Government,
bonds the rum of 81 .4S0. COO Standing upon
pated from the charge so often made that they
had appropriated any ofthese sums to their own
use. propose now TO show that the
COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION
OF the Western and Central Pncife Railroad,
far exceeded the sum at which the Commission
placed il.
The engineer of the Commission could travel
over that line CT road. could measure exactly
the aIaouns OF the excavations and Ills the
amount of bridging and stonework upon the
line. the number o: ties and pounds of rails and
Tx their cost. This estimate, made as il was By
q skilled engineer and constructor, would have
been reliable one if the road IN question had
been built as roads ordinarily are built The
estimate would have been a fair one If the con-
tractor had been allowed TO take his time and
select the besc seasons for the work and push II
forward continuously from one elid 10 the other.
But such was not and could not be the case in
the construction of the Central Pacific road ]
have shown yen that long before any Act OF
Congress was passed the projectors Of the Cen
trail Pacific road had determined that II was
practicable and had concluded to build II had
made the preliminary surveys. completed the
Organization of 4 California corporation. and
had put IL Large sums of Koney and received
aid from various sources. The end which they
hoped 10 8ltain in the distant future was q
ject was TO push the road across the sierras
and draw 10 It the trade of the great interior.
FOR which they could have no competitors.
They were either bound to accept any Act of
Congress subsequently passed looking to a
transcontirental line or abandon their project
entire. When the Act of 1862 was passed they
did not accept il.
THE UNION PACIFIC COMPANY.
Although les it Afterwards TUNED OUT it had a
much easier line 70 construct. could obtain sub
seriptions OF but 81 900 in the United States and
le, iny made no expenditures Whatever, de-