Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-13

Union Pacific railroad and the struggles
of its founders, who succeeded only be-
cause OF government asslstance-one
feature OF which was the land grant
voted by Congress, the influence of
which has ever since remained with,
and served to reduce taxation upon the
land interests Of the farmers and
ranchers within the portions Of the
states affected.
General Dodge said, "tf should try
10 portray 10 you the experiences the
trials and the suiferlnga OF the picket
line Of settlement ana exploration In
those days you would declare II moro
fiction than fact, This city ana state
for their great prosperity after the
fact, are mostly Indebted 20 the Union
Pacific railway Il bla2ed the way
across the continent. It's builders took
all the chances ana solved the problem
OF the building Of railroad 20 the Pa
cific,g They desired an estimate from
which they could prove 10 the people
that II would be able 10 pay the inter-
est upon the first mortgage bonds, and
after calling to my aid all the people
who had knowledge OF the capabilities
of the country west Of the Missouri
river. as wen az those Of china and
Japan. and In fact Of al Asia, the best
could do was TO report 20 them gross
earnings within ten years OF $4,000 per
mlle-and, II remember rightly, IN less
than Ave years the road earned SlO, 900
per mile. 70 you see how little those
who had the best knowledge OF this
country appreciated what lts develop
rnent would bring about, The earnings
OF the Union Pacific made il safe for
any other road TO enter the territory
and 10 the Ames, the billions, Goulds,
Scott, Huntington and Stanford In the
early day, and TO Perkins. Miller Ca
BILE. Hughltt. Willard and many others
OF later day, this country should give
great honor and no abuse. never
dreamed that the Union Pacific railroad
would control the Southern Pacific You
must not SIT stlll and pass by what
there Is for you here In this great con-
troll Your business men must get near
20 the throne and use your energies as
Miller and Saunders and Mllatd and
many others ala IN an earlier day. You
need not be afraid Of the great combin-
atoms Just completed IN the Northwest.
Tho men at the head Of that gigantic
enterprise are br0adminded They
have behind them such an immense
capital that when you so to them with
any project they are able 10 adopt u
and carry II out The country west Of
here has hardly been scratched and
with the trains Of the country pushing
forward It's development with steam
and electricity, who can prophesy what
fifty years viii develop between here
and the Pacific ocean,
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT,
In the early days the conservative
efen OF the East would have no part
IN the Union Pacific entefprlse--the risk
was too great They believed II would
be well 10 connect California with the
rest OF the nation, but much Of the
country TO be crossed was considered
worthless and profits could not be flg-
ured on.
"Mormons" fleeing from religious per-
secuti0n could cross trackless wastes
and endure hardshlps to build up new
homes IN distant country the story
Of gold discoveries could take the adj
venturous TO California, but the inter-
mountain districts were too little known
or appreciated TO attract the attention
OF any except the few brave men, who
believed IN and rlslcd their al 10 push
the Union Pacific railroad TO compile
tion President Lincoln looked well IN
TO the future, Congress voted bonds
and lands ans In 1862 in Utah the loco
motives from the West and The East
met; bands Of steel connected the dis
tant parts Of the nation and trans
continental traffic became q reality; the
n,lR a.
ment was made possible and the lOun-
datjonl were laid for the new inter-
mountain states the great mineral
store houses OF the West were opened
and Billions OF new wealth added to The
nation.
EXTENT OF THE GRANT.
Surely II can be truly said OF the
founders OF the Union and Ceraral Pa
clfc ronds that they "smote the rock
OF Western resources and abundant
streams OF revenue burst FORTH
The original land grant TO the Union
Pacific, the alternate odd-numbered
sections In forty-mile strip, extending
from omaha TO Ogden, was approx
mately;
Acres.
In Nebraska .,,.".',"t",,..''.'a,s b'VVu
IN Colorado ,..,...,.,.,.,,,"', BlsVVu
In Wyoming ..,....',.,,.,u...' b'OiVVVV
In Utah ,.,,.,.'.,,..,'',','"''' Szo'Vuo
------------
Total ....................1i,SSi,O0o
The Kansas Pacific grant. from Kan
saa City TO Denver, was;
Acres.
In Kansas .".,",',,.,.,.,.,,s. S,y5iVuV
in Colorado ..,,.,r.,,.,.,,,.,.,,2,S 8AOOO
Total. :. =. :. 6,27SO0o
The Denver Pacific grant, oil In Colo
RADIO. extending from Denver to the
Wyoming line. was $4,000 acres. The
three grants IN an, In the states Of
Nebraska Kansas, Colorado, wyoming
and Utah. aggregated lS,5OO000 acres.
Prior to 1887 the Union Pacific lands
were not taxable Purchasers Of rail-
road lands were placed upon the same
footing regarding taxes as the settlers
who took up public lands within the
grant under the homestead or other
laws, and II was the practice not 20
make the lands taxable until after they
had been sold and about three-fifths OF
the purchase money paid upon them
by act Of Congress, approved July 10 !
1856, all railroad granted lands were |
made taxable.
The taxes paid by the Union Pacific !
company upon its granted lands begin
ming with the year 1887, have beeu'
For the Ave years 1887 70 lS9l,S S7O900 |
For the five years 1892 10 1896. 100000 !
For the five years 1897 to 1901, $4,000 |
--
Total .,..... ....... ..... 81, $40 900 |
REMAINING LANDS.
There are public lands now remaining |
In Colorado 8g,O00,O00 acres Wyoming |
$4,000 900 acres, Utah 1900 600 acres,
II even one half OF such public lands
had durlnp the mast fifteen vaars been /