The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-31
ARMY TRAVEL
A New Order to Govern Travel Over
Bond and Land Grant
Roads.
A List OF Aided Roads and Their
Debt to the Govern
ment.
Subject of Closing the Worlds Fair on
sunday being Vigorously AgItated
ut the Capital.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The latest GEN
eral order now in process of Issue by the
war departments, and which has been pre-
pared by the quartermaster general of the
army. fills a long existing want in trans
portation circles aud nbounds with in.
formation of interest and Importance not
only the army, but to the public in general,
and all branches of the executive depart
ments of the government.
This order is designed to show to officers
charged will the duty of issuing trans
portation for troops and army supplies the
location, mileage and principal connections
of the many land grants and ~bond-aided
railroads of the country. as well as to indi-
cate clearly to the inexperienced the nature
of thel land grants under which these roads
are operated. together with the points at
which the land grants and bonded portions
begin and terminate, and also the Joints at
which settlement is made Of the accounts
of each road.
all legislation affecting these roads to
date. July /, 1892, has been classified and
arranged. or SO referred TO in the order as
to make reference to the acts of congress
convenient. The imperative or obsolete
legislation once governing in these matters
and published as 1t was passed, in piece
meal form, has been eliminated, and thus
the mist Of bygone years in which these
matters have been long clouded has been
brushed away by the new publication.
To further serve the interest and conven-
fence of all officers issuing public trans
portation or making journey on public bug
mess. a map showing in different %oolors.
the many roads to which the order relates
is published in connection Herewith, 80
that an officer may determine at a glance
the routes along which his travel lies and
what portions. if n.y.. are covered by
bonded or land grant railroad. and in
telliRently determine for himself the
question of routes to be used on official
journeys under existing laws and regula-
tions. which limit the issue of transpor-
tation in kind to officers travelling without
troops to the bond aided and free land
grant railroads and to conveyances owned
by the United States. Mistakes in these
matters made by officers are. costly, as the
law and Regulations as now existing forbid
reimbursement of the cost of Transportation
over such roads when erroneously paid by
officers from private funds.
The new order and map shows that the
bond aided railroads lie entirely west of the
Missouri river and form the great nerve
centers of connection between the Pacific
territory.
Thu land grant roads, about thirty-fve in
number. form a network of connection from
Chicago, st. Louis, st. Paul and Kansas
City, with points in the northwest as far as
Portland, Ore, and Tacoma. WASH, and
southwark to New Orleans and Shreveport,
La. end Tampa, Fla. and southwestward
nv UQv nf tho AfChipOn Tppaka 3 Spnko Ia
road to Albuquerque, N. M. and via the
Atlantic & Pacific to Mojave and Los An
geles, CAL, and these cover IA, 948 miles of
territory. Thus all through travel west OF
the Missouri and south of the Ohio rivers
necessarily involves the use of these land
grant and bonded railroads, and the intri-
cacies and Inconvenience Of separate settle
ments with the United States for all ser
vices performed for the general government.
The all cash roads very properly insist that
their account for public transportation,
both passenger and freight. which aggre-
gate over $4,000. 900 annually for the army
alone, shall be divorced from those of the
subsidized and land grant roads, as other
wise the cash roads would have to take ur
the vexatious question of settlement with
these handicapped connections.
The law moreover places the supervision
and responsibility for settlement of the ac-
counts of these roads controlled by land
krdue duo eupololA6h AeRiSAahAOus 6AClubIV6ly
under the quartermaster general, and
charges him with the duty of keeping dis
bursting officers of his department In con-
venlent possession of the necessary refer
ences 60 all laws and regulations governing
the matter.
Over several of the more important and
extensive of these land grant rail Dads, such
as the Northern Pacific, the Atlantic & Pa
ciio and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
congress has, by the terms of the charters
granted, reserved the right to regulate
rates. from time to time. rs it may see fit.
and their compliaucs with any suoh reduc-
tions as congress may impose is their only
security for the rich and extensive grants
of public lands. rights of way. ETC.. con-
ferred by their acts OF incorporation.
Under these provisions of law the roads
mentioned, as also extensive portions OF
the Southern Pacific system, suffered a re-
duction of 40 per cent in their traffic rates
from March, 1891, to July l. 1892, and after
this date a still further cut to 80 per cent OF
tariff rates to the general public. on all
transportation of troops and supplies for
the Amy.
SUNDAY OPENING.