Year: 1872




Of April oath, 1872.


WHEREAS, The Central Pacific rail-
road, the western link in the chain of
railroads connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, is now complete To Oak
land, opposite to San Francisco, and it is
important that the western terminus of
said railroad should be AS near as posi-
bic to San Francisco, and should have
sufficient accommodations for the travel
and commerce passing over said road /;
! Therefore,


|, Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives OF the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That
the use of half of the island OF Yerba
Buena, or Goat Island, in the Bay OF
San Francisco, California, is hereby
granted IT, the Central Pacific Railroad
Company, its successors and assigns, for
a terminus for its railroad, to be used ex-
clusively for railroad purposes and this
grant shall continue 50 long as said prem
ises shall be used by said company, its
successors and assigns, for the pu pose
above named, aud no longer; aud said
premises shall be ubject to taxation as is
other like property under the laws OF the
State Of California Provided, That
within one month from the passage OF
this act, the President OF the United
shall appoint three commissioners, who
Shall be authorized at the expense of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company to ex-
anime said island, to hear allegations and
proofs, and to take into account as well
rs any benefits or any injury which may
accrue to the Government OF the United
States from the execution Of this act and
within three months from their appoint
ment, said commissioners, or a majority
OF them, shall award such IA sum lor the
use Of said half OF said island, rs granted
by this act, as in their judgment, or in
the judgme t of IA majority OF them, shall
be deemed just and eQultabl, which
amount shall be paid by said Central Pa
citc Railroad Company, before it shall
avail itself of this grant: PROVIDED FUR
TIER, That SAID one half OF said island
shall be selected and designated within
six months from the passage OF this act,
by or under the authority OF the Presi-
dent of the United States AND BE IT
FURTHER PROVIDED, That this giant Is
upon the express condition that the Gov
eminent OF the United States hereby re-
serves the free use Of the whole OF said
island for military purposes in time OF
war, or in anticipation Of war, when
deemed necessary by the President OF the
United States.


SEC. 2. That nothing herein contained
shall destroy or impair any lawful or
equitable rights and claims OF prvates
parties, if such exist, to the said island, or
any part thereof; and the said Central
Pacific Railroad Company is hereby au
thorized to locate and constu uct its rail
road and telegraph line from its present
terminus at Oak land to said island, and
there establish the western terminus OF
said railroad and Telegraph line: Pro
VIDED, That this extension shall be sub
ject to the charter, laws and conditions
which now govern the construction and
existence Of the Central Pacific Railroad; /;
but no subsidy OF any nature whatsoever
is hereby intended to be or is given to the
said Central Pacific Railroad PRO-
VIDED FURTHER, That said railroad shall
reach said island with its track, and ocu-
pY its designated portion thereof, within
three years from the time said company
shall be in undisputed possession, lIee
from adverse claimants AND BE IT
FURTHER PROVIDED, That the super
structure upon which the track shall be
placed shall be built upon piers, with
spans of not less than thtee7hundred Ieet,
which piers shall be reduced to mini
mum, and also to the least possible width
consistent with safety, and SO placed and
shaped with reference to the enamel and
direction Of tides as to offer to them as
little obstruction as possible.


SEC. 3. That if ut any time the wants
of commerce or naval communication
shall require it, upon the direction OF the
President OF the United States, the said
Central Pacific Railroad Company shall
eject dnwbridge over such portion OF
the channel rs the engineer department
Of The United States shall direct.


SEC. 4. That any and all railroad COM
panies shall have the right to lun their
cars from the mainland over the track of
the Central Pacific Railroad Company to
said island and thereupon have reasonable
facilities and Accommodations for doing
business, under such rules aud regua-
tlOns as shall be prescribed by the said
Central Pacific Railroad Company; but
each company avaiing itself of this
privilege shall first pay to the Central
Pacific RaiIrOad Company just piopor-
tlon Of the cost OF the Improvements on
said island, and the expenses incurred in
reaching the same from the mainland
such proportion to be measured and de-
termined by the benefits which said rail
road company maydelive from the use
of said main track and island ; and in
case of any disagreement between any
such railroad company and the Central
Pacific Railroad Company, as to the
amounts to be paid, and AS to the use and
occupancy Of said track and island, the
same shall be determined by the Secre-
tary Of War, subject to the approval of
the President OF the United States: Pro
vIDED, That the said Central Pacific
RpilfAu1 ('.n,n.ptr md -;
road company aValling itself of the priv
ilegrs OF this act, shall receive and deliv-
er freight and passengers which shall
pass over their lines OF road, or any part
thereof, without extra charge, at one or
more points convenient for business and
travel on the western shore OF said bay,
and within the corporate limits of the
city ot San Francisco PROVIDED FUR
THEIR, That the said Central Pacific Rail-
road Company shall make no charge for
wharfage for freight or passengers which
have passed or are to pass over their line
OF road or any part thereof: AND BE 1T
FURTHER PROVIDED, That Congress re-
serves full power, whenever in its judg-
ment 1t may seem proper SO to do, to au-
thorize by law any other railroad compu-
ny or companies To construct and main
tain its or their own independent connec-
tlons with and use OI that part of the ISL
and of Yerba Buena, the use OF which is
by this act granted, that shall not be act
ually occupied for Legitimate purposes
under law of Congress at the time said
subsequent egisl slation may be had


And Congress may, at any time after,
amend or repeal this act, having duo re-
gard to the rights and interests of the
railroad companies which may have avail
ed themselves OF the privileges hereby
granted.


A LUCKY DREAM.-A diAident youth