Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-18
LAW REQUIREMENTS

Law REQUIREMENTS
Under the act of juno 90 1874: Amy
officer or agent of the companies. Cen
trail Pacific. Western Pacific, Union Pa
cifc, Kansas city and Denver Pacific.
authorized to construct the aforesaid
roads or of any company engaged In
operating either Of said roads. who shall
refuse to operate and use the road or
telegraph under his control or which no
is engaged In operating for all purposes
OF communication. travel and tranepor-
tation, SO far as the public and the gov
eminent are concerned, as one continu-
Gus line or shall refuse IN such opera
ton and use to afford and secure 10 each
Of said roads equal advantage and facil-
ties as to rates, time and transportation,
without any discrimination of any kind
in favor of, or adverse 70, either Of said
companies Is deemed guilty of mis-
demeanor and punishable by fine not ex-
ceeding $500, and by imprisonment of
not less than six months
THE fact that the Union Pacific ana
Central Pacific companies We're thereaf-
ter separately rcorganizod under the laws
OF Utah and acquired these lines. does
not relieve them from the public organ
izatlons imposed by the act of Congress.
Union Pacific Railroad Company VS.,
Mason City and Fort Dodge Railroad
Company. 100 T. s. 1G9
THE Union Pacific was therefore for
ever guaranteed. without purchase. n
connection with the Cervral Pacific upon
terms as favorable as might be given to
any other connection
PURPOSE OF THESE ROADS.
In the construction of these roads
the people had in view the protection OF
the frontier in time of war. the settle
ment of great wilderness west OF the
Missouri river. and the development Of
ip resources; and to this end 1t was de-
termincd to procure the construction of
a transcontinental line ana to maintain
ii as free, open and continuous line
of communication connecting with all
railroads reaching Council Bluffs on the
east, so that the public should have the
benefit of a continuous line of trauspor-
tation from the East to the Pacific coast
unhampcred by reason of the separate
ownership and control of these lines of
transportation. It IS fact that most
of the lines of railway reaching Council
Bluffs and omaha We're constructed with
with the Union Pacific railroad as the
principal tranScontinental line to and
from the Pacific coast: and the govern
m"nt has perhaps, a peculiar obligation
to maintain tho freedom OF this line.
I'm no other portion OF tho country
Is the federal government cxpending such
large sums for purposes of development
as In this great western region tributary
-.
Pacific, and in no other part of tho
United States Is the commerce of the
country dependent upon so few railways
covering so vast territory and con-
trollcd by So few men; and in no part of
the United states could such control have
such far reaching effect. The body of
| transcontinental and foreign commerce
through Pacific ports has grown to enor-
nous proportions, and It's encouragemcnt
and development is Of vital interest to
the American people.
RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC.
1T is claimed by the Union Pacific
that the principal reason for acquiring
the Southern Pacific was to obtain the
Central Pacific connection from Ogden
to San Francisco It is undoubtedly true
that this is a desirable connection for
| that company but. as We have seen,
| whether purchased or not. the Central
| Pacific Is required to form a through
| line of transportation with the Union
| Pacific and not To discriminate against
| II In the receipt and transportation Of
| freight and through traffic. The public
| is entitled to all the advantages OF this
line as a competitive line of transporta-
| tion with other transcOntinental rail-
ways.
"rhe various lines which now compose
the Southern Pacific from New Orleans
| to California were also built under pa
| tronage OF the federal government by the
| nonatIon of many millions Of acres Of
government land and formed an indepen-
| dent and separate route. While Congress