The herald., 1895-02-21
THAT SALT LAKE RAILWAY
A Meeting of Citizens Considers
Legislative Action
THE PROPOSED BILL READ
Another Assembly to Be Held Tomorrow
Evening
A. s. Longiey Tells How the Project
Can Be Carried Out

The call for a meeting Of citizens at the
assembly rooms of the Chamber of Com
merce last night, to consider the building
of railway to Salt Lake City, proved q
disappointment in point of numbers. The
Chamber of Commerce took in hand the
proposed bill that the Salt Lake railroad
people wanted the Legislature to pass and
referred it to a committee.
The action of the Chamber of Commerce
seemed to put damper upon the public
enthusiasm and hence the meeting last
night was small one. The proposed bill,
which is given in full below, if passed
would apply to only two counties in the
state. Before the tax to build a railroad
could be assessed the Board Of Supervis-
ors of the county would have to sanction
the matter, and if a tax was voted under
the bill the Board of Supervisors would
have the power to select the route.
At the meeting last night Colonel Mar
BILE preside, Layto Coles acting as secre-
tary. The chairman stated the action Of
the Chamber of Commerce and said that it
was his belief that no man could build a
railroad farther than he could throw a
stone if he depeuded upon popular sub
scription in this city. The only way to
build the road was by taxation, so as to
make the other railroads owning property
in the county pay their share of taxes
He called attention to the fact thst only a
five per cent assessment on the taxable
property was asked.
George +. Kirby followed with map,
diagrams and statistics. He showed that
the people of the city and county of Los
Angeles could reach Salt Lake by building
less than 300 miles of road. If a road was
built over the Union Pacific survey coal
could be landed here for 81 ton, twenty
cars day of lead ore containing gold and
silver could be secured, and besides the
line would run through fertile valleys rich
in products of the soil
The proposed bill to be presented to the
Legislature was then read, as follows
An act to authorize counties o. the Sec
ond class to build railroads and to
lease or operate the same.
The people of the state of California,
represented in Senate and Assembly, do
enact as follows:
Section 1. That in counties of the first
and second class the Board of Supervisors
thereof shall, by a resolution passed by a
majority of the members elected thereto,
declare it to be essential to the interests of
such county that line of railroad, to be
named in said resolution, should be pro-
vided between termini designated therein
one of which shall be in such county it
shall be lawful for a board of trustees ap-
pointed as herein provided and they are
hereby authorized to borrow as fund for
that purpose not to exceed the sun of five
per cent of the assessed value of the pro-
perty on the assessment roll of such
county and to issue bonds therefor in the
name of said county under the corpo-
rate seal thereof bearing interest at
rate not to exceed five per centum per
annum, payable semi-annually at such
Oh. ,l,-nH T.
deemed st,by said board. Said bonds
shall be signed by the president of said
board and the chairman of the Board of
Supervisors of such county and attested
by the County Clerk who shall keep reg
lister of the same and shall be secured by
a mortgage on the line of railway, and its
net income and by the pledge of the faith
of the county and tax not exceeding
two and one-half mills on the dollar,
which it shall be the duty of the Board OF
Supervisors thereof to annually levy suffi-
cient with said net income to pay
the interest and provide a sinking fund
for the final redemption of said bonds;
provided, that no money shall be bor-
rowed or bonds issued until after the
question of providing the line of railway
specified in the resolution shall be sub
mitted to vote of the qualified electors
of said county, at special election to be
ordered by the board OF supervisors thereof,
under the general laws in other cases of the
creation OF other county bonded indebt-
edness; and provided further, that two
thirds of said electors voting at said cleo
ton shall decide in favor of said line of
railway. The returns of said election shall
be made to the county clerk and BY him
laid before the board of supervisors, who
shall declare the result by resolution. The
bonds issued under the authority of this
section shall not be sold or disposed of for
less than their par value.
Sec. g If two-thirds OF the votes cast
at said election shall be in favor of pro-
viding the line of railway as specified in
the first section. it shall be the duty of
the district attorney of such county
forthwith to file petition in the Superior
Court of such county praying that the
judges thereof will appoint five trustees,
to be called the trustees of --- railway
(the blank ITO be filled with the name given
shall be the duty of said judges to make
the appointment and to enter the same on
the minutes of the court. They shall enter
into bond to the county in such sum as
the court may direct, with one or more
sufficient s1retles, to be approved by the
charge of their duties. The bond so taken
shall be deposited with the treasurer of
the corporation for safe keeping.
Sec. 8. The said trustees and their sue
cesSors shall be the trustees of the said
fund, and shall have the control and dis
bursement of the same; they shall
xpend said fund in procuring the
right to construct and in con-
structing single or double track
railway, with all the usual append
ages, including a line of telegraph be-
tween the termini specified in said resolu-
ton; and for the purposes aforesaid shall
have power and capacity to make con-
tracts, appoint employ and pay officers
and agents, and to acquire, hold and pos
sess all the necessary real and personal
property and franchises in this state;
they shall also have power to receive do
natns in land or money, bonds and other
personal property, and dispose of the same
in aid of said fund.
Sec. A. The said trustees shall form a
board and shall choose one of their num-
ber president, who shall also be the act
ing trustee, with such power as the board
may, by resolution, from time to time con-
fer upon HIM. majority OF said trus-
tees shall constitute quorum, and shall
hold regular meetings for the transaction
of business at their Office in the county
seat of such county under whose action
they are appointed; but they may adj
journ from time to time to meet at any
time they may think proper; they shall
keep record of their proceedings, and
they shall cause to be kept a full and ac-
curate account of their receipts and dis
bursements and make "A report of the
same to the board of supervisors an
nually, and whenever requested by a reso-
luton of the board of supervisors. No
money shall be drawn from said fund but