The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-22

proper for the unloading, receiving
and discharging freight and passengers
from sea-going, lightering and coast
ing vessels" and
WHEREAS, Said Gulf & Ship Is
land Railroad Company has construc-
ted line of railroad from the city
of Gulfport, in the County of Harrison,
to the city of Jackson, in the County
of Hinnds, in the State of Mississippi,
a distance of about 100 miles: and
WHEREAS, Said Gulf & Ship Is
land Railroad Company has built, con-
structed, and maintained a pier from
the mainland to point where said
line of railroad intersects the waters
of Mississippi Sound, for distance of
about one and one-fourth miles in a
southerly direction; and
WHEREAS, 1t is only about five
and one-half miles from said pier to
the deep water channel leading to the
main Ship Island Harbor; and
WHEREAS, Said Gulf & Ship Is
land Railroad Company has had made
and dug channel connecting said pier
with the deep water leading to Ship
Island Harbor; and has had construc-
ted deep water basin near said pier;
and
WHEREAS, The city of Gulfport
now has population of about ten
thousand people; and
WHEREAS, There are four other
railroad companies, as follows, to-wit:
Memphis, Indianola and Gulf, which
will extend from Memphis to Gulfport;
the Natchez and Gulf Railroad Com
pany, which extends from Natchez to
Gulfport; Fernwood and Gulf Railroad
Company, which will extend from Fern
wood to Gulfport; the Vicksburg and
Gulf Railroad Company, which will ex-
tend from Vicksburg to Gulfport, chart
cred and projected to enter said city
of Gulfport; and
WHEREAS, 1t is impossible for
said railroads to have access and en-
trance to said deep water leading to
Ship Island Harbor by reason of the
monopoly enjoyed by the said Gulf &
Ship Island Railroad Company of the
privileges granted by said Act of 1882
for one mile along the shore land,
and six miles toward Ship Island Har-
Dor; and
WHEREAS, Said railroads are
thereby hindered, delayed and dis
suaded from entering said city of Gulf
port; and
WHEREAS, 1t is the policy of the
Government Of the United States as
far as may be possible, to prevent
monopolies; and
WHEREAS, the building of said
pier, basin, and channel, connecting
with the deep water leading to Ship
Island Harbor have been constructed
by said Gulf & Ship Island Railroad
Company at cost of several thousand
dollars; therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this Legislature that the monopoly
granted to said Gulf & Ship Island
Railroad Company by Section II, chap.
ter 542, Acts of 1882, should be declar-
ed null and void by the Congress of
the United States, and the Congress of
the United States is hereby memoir
ialized and requested to declare said
grant null and void; and be it further
Resolved, That the Congress of the
United States be, and is further me-
morialized and requested to appro-
rate a sufficient sum to reimburse
the said Gulf & Ship Island Railroad
Company for the amount that has been
expended in the improvements therein
named, and shall pay the said sum to
said Gulf & Ship Island Railroad Com
pany; and be it further
Resolved, That upon the reimburse
ment of said Gulf & Ship Island Rail-
road Company, in the sum appropriate
ed, the Federal Government shall take
charge of said pier, basin and channel,
and throw same open for the use OF
all railroads desiring to use the same;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Congress of the
United States be, and is hereby me
morialized to appropriate sufficient
sum to complete the deep water chan
mel leading to Ship Island Harbor
and the basin at the South end of sale
pier; and be it further
Resolved. That copy of these
resolutions be forwarded by the Sec
rotary of State, to each Senator ant
each Representative from Mississippi
in the Congress of the United States.