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Railroad Prospects

Railroad Prospects image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
June
Year
1870
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

We aro pleaeed lo ay b ifoie ur readers this week t!e followiiig article It furuishea the proof po.-itive that unies? oor eitiz3ii. wiiiit the long talked of North miei Soulh Railrnad üeed uot be burieo in the grave, along witli the uuiDberles Other projectB thereto coosigncd hy ib recent decisión of the Supremo Court. üly tiecessmy for on and all tu work tügfthur to secure tliu immedt. ale conslruclion of ih road Mr. CoNANT ia ;.n experieuced railroad man, repraSL'uts largo capitalista whoae busimsd is railroading, and knows what lie is about. We underatand tiiat bis eugineer, Mr Serokant, will be bere in a few dsys, aiid that tlie surveys and CH'ümateH will be made ut onco, and uo'.hiug bat a hanging back nu the part t our eiti.'iis will prevent the vork being pu&hed But to tiiy article : Frora tlio Toledo BLirle, June S. OrgnuIZAtlOQ er the Ohio and ."itliigsn Tidiand liaüway l'ompany. The arrangements reoently cousnmmated between tlie Trastees of tlie Toledo Rail rond Pund uid Mr. J. Edwin' 1,'o.nant, of New JTork, for the constrootlon of n Kailroad from Toledo to Lexington conti mplated, and was made in view of llie couipleüDii of tlie project for the Northern Michigan road, whirh, wlth man; otber railway ets in Michigan, recelfed lts qoletua rom tlie late decisión of the Buprerne Uourt of tbat State reuderLug Invalld the stock voted by towus and countles to rallwaj corporations. We gavetoour read era yeterday the actlon of tbe direct tbe Northern ruad, looking toward tl solutlon of tbat eoropany, and oJ course the en tiro glving up i the enterpr had in charge. We liad hoped and expected that tbis fate would have been averted, Bat, after looktng over tbe whole grouiHi, tliis Mti -iiii-i ! tlie mu proper to be .taken. Consequeutly. it became necessary for those bavtqg onr rallway interest In charge to maké new arrangements witliihe view o!' steurlng the railway connections vital to tbe future progresa and contimied commercial prosperlty of the city. Mr. J. Edwin Conant, wlth whom our Trustees lmd contracted, on behalf of the city, has been In this city for scveral davs, in conference wlth the Board and wlth leadlüg ï'ailroad men from Michigan. All the uecessities, dlfficaltles, and posolbllltlea of the sltuatlon were carefully and patiently canvMssrl. Afl 1 1 rcsult of these deliberatlonB, uftcr taking the best legal ad vicc, the Trastees have conelnded an agreement wltb Mr. Conant whlch embraeefi the (ollowlng pai'liculais 1. Mr. Coiütüi s tobnlld for the city of Toledo the road to WoodvtUe, and I gtructtheconnectlng road .Vocn Woodvllle to Lexlugton, uu the Lak e Erle división ol the Baltlmore and Uhio Eatlroad, md to exteud the sanie to the northern line of thts city to connect wlth a road to be built Iroin Toledo to Ann Arbor. Mr. Conant is a'so to construct a road from Toledo to Aun Arbor to beoperated Uiconaectlon wlth the Toledo and Lexlugtoo rond. 2 Thé city of Toledo is to Increase its a'ul for tlie bnlldlng of I rallway from tl] 325,000 as speclfied in theprevious arrangement, to 435,000, lor whlch it will be allowed b dividend oi the profita of the som of $400,000. This will obvíale an objection urged many to the foriner arrangement that the city woiild Liitially glve awayto the Inoorporatiou all tuT interest iu the road. Novv uhe will recelye her proportion ot the proüts as tliougii fiie were a Btockholler to the es,tent. o!1 400,00a. 'ó. The people of Michigan, between Aan Arbor and the .State liue, are lo a se $250,000 stock iu aid oi thia euterp 4 Mr. Conánt also aerees to continue the line of road to Owossó, and from thenee lo th mouth of the Manlstee iivc;' as soou as toe population and resoarces of the country will jnstiiy t!ie enterptise. 5. Tiii.s line is also to be extended as rapidly as possible from Lexlngtou southward ne point on the Ohio river, passing througU the heart of the coal and mineral región of this State, the whole line operated by tl Oompnuy to be eutitled "The Oiiio and .Mi'jUig;;u Midiaud Haili'oad Coia panj." By tbis arrangement the city of Toledo escapes the jeoparüy In whlch her essen Mal rallway projects, In both dlrectlona, were placed by the clccislou of the Michigan tíupreme Court, as the fallure oí' tin; Northern road wouid have dealt a fatal blow lo tht easternroad. VTe thus secure the co tions so long feit to be necessary to tlie growUi and development of each and every interest of our city. Michigan Dtatt tlud t he way to the cast, south and west througb Toledo íor her lumber, s'ain, produce, and iron and coppcr ores. We mast, therefcre, do onr part in arraiiïiüg tlie faeiiities lor tho trauslt of her eommerce. Thla want is met most perfect 1 y by this arrangement. We have space, this afternoon, only to say that the people along the line of this new and njaeulficeut rallway must notbe baekward iu making thelr offers and a.-surauees of material aid. Tlie pledgcs have been rte have no doubt tliej wül be faithfully rcdeemed by the people along the line oi the road. Kow let the men o! meaus come forward prolnptly and by the figures they make opposite their names put llie succes of this important road beyoud all pera dv ei:: Wecoiisider tliat Messrs. Mor.GAN) SaOTH, and Mace, to vrhom grost credit is due for tbe present position of affuirs, wero warranted ia promisiúg 250,000 in stock between Ano Arbor and the State line, and that tbeir prouiise tbould be made good. $89,000 Lave aíroady been subscribcd ou tbis portion of the line, tiid five per oent. paid i:i. doder tbe general ruiiroad law tLïa uiay b-j all called in and uaed. BesiJej, Üierj bas been voted at Ann A:b;;r and Süiitb over $1200,000, and it id not tuo mftob tosay that every lown ougbt to taita cbo same asuount oí stock tir.it t votcd id, and every toten can [f il uil1.. !,;, re, the invariable exeuso for uot sabscribiug stock was, that aid must bo relied u;iu and that oae could not take stoek anti tben t)e tax:d. Tl;e tus is uo longer u bug-bcar, so lot every citizcu of Aun Arl-or, and tvery resident, espeoially if a laud-owuer, between tbis and Ihu Statu Ifnc préparé for aotion. Eaougb for this weok. eral railroad aid luw pnssed tho lleude hy a vote oi' b to '28, tberu being fiiiten To put a ietolu'.iou amflndalory ol the Coostitution tlirougb wüi require atwo-tbiriis vote of all tho members el-et, üT votes in all. - Caii the 07 votiug for tbe bil! be countcd in, and tie uècessary teu proeured from tbo aJ)aeatoo8Ï In vi-jw of tbe ri-Jdliu the prineip'o as weil n:. (be polioy received at the liaiid nf t!ic 8'npreine Court, we ti.iuk not. We approliend that the ate oí Michigan aro uot yet wiiliug to bo soldout to the ra!road peeula'oi'H, uiid municipal taxiitiou for heir benefit i. oi!v a tuildef name for Tiiat jiestiíerous Kiidical, Major Bow' s, i 1' Wauliington, Las come to grí 1. 'bis s bow it happeued. lío uaisted ' D unotlier tu:n at t!i erib, uud foreed Opon the ticket. Tbo "coiiser:itivo Republicana" - wbitc black .i-du- e e it, and pitted E MER Y ' gninst hini. Tha Demoerata mude no a oüiinatidi', and in a vt-ry tull vote u 'mkit ia lebtod by 8,214 majority. j longroM ■vili iiow bo called upou to rei onít.un íVattóngtbn; , Tiib Tnbun$ of Friday last put TnxoDoaa Sbdqwiok on ihe etai.d to jjioTe t li ti t tlv Supremo Court had no jurisdicción - not poiatiag out the special constituüoaal provinion vicilated- and wrongfully dtcided t!ie railroad cuse, quo;ing front bis wort on "Statutory. and Constitutioud Law." Ndw tbo Stipreme Court liid Dtft hzrx: thoir dcoUion on the1 bigber lavv " alone, uneered at ly tbo old atiyooxtei of over ri'iing constitutions and lawg at the de- of coñac euce, but on tbe ground that muBÍcipalilieH, uuder tne Constitution, cos: 1. 1 l:iy do taxe.s for anvthing but local purposes that as tliu mere agenta of the Statu it could lay no taxos the Sute was out authorizod to lsy ; and that the Stato was no where aulborized to l'iy t. taje apon one man to ivo t0 another under ony pretenso wliatever. VV h j did not tho Tribune quota the same ThBO&OBI SjBBGWIOK upou this poiüt ? Tbat "justly eminent authority," disou?sDg tfais vcry qaesiion of municipal tixmiou iu aid of railroads, "in his very able work " soys : " I coiïfcss Itappearsto niet, noiwlthstandng the weight of authorKy on tliis head, tliat adeleg&tton of the power to the maní clpal corporations to tax tbelr cltlzens lor works ol sucli large and general ntlllty as railroads, cannot be fairty . norjtutijtedon thaigr 404. ]f tben tbe rigbt to so tax is prohibited to the State directly, i.s bo-kies without t!:e domain of taxatinn, i'.nd is not for a local purpose, how dil the Supreine Court arrógate to ilself authoriiy nut giveu it? The ques'.ion being ruised by parlies in court, and a decidí n buing deiiuiudcd cm the cons!itntio:ial quesiion, it could not ignore t, and would have stultifiod i'.self by p)eading no juriedictioo, The United States tg 73 membere. A quorum is 88, and a majority of a quorujn, or 30, are constltatlonally ;omp tent to pass a bilí. Thu House, bi members; quorum, 115; meiabers con lionally competent to pass a bl 11, 58. lint. the Senate Ims 28 surreptitious membera and tin.: fo;u ■".:), si t hal il Is ein.irely ])OS Bible tor a litw of tüe United States to bo made wliliout the eoncurrence of one single Senator or Representativo haring n iHwful constttuency at his back.- JV'. Y. We have often called attention to this feature iu our national leielatioo : absent and d,odgiog Congreesmeo, uid bilis passeü into lows by a büro majurity ol tlie barest quorum. The only rmiody is in a congtitutiooal nujcndiaent - the vromen aro set down for the lGth, aud the childien for tiie 17th - ?ay the 18th, ini'orporating ihe followÍDg provisión frorn the Michigan OoDStitution, or one of similar impo: t : '■ ,'o bill or joint rcsolution shall become a iaw without ihe concurrejice Ou tbe final passage of -all bilis tbe votes shall be by ayes and nays, and enter::.! uu louroal." If tbere is a singlo Radical member in ei; her House who vm uot immortalized himself by pmpoping a constitutional ïui'-uduieiit uow is his time. In tbe Fret Pftu of VS'ednosday, Hon C I. Walkxr, oí Detroit, one of Ct,ief Juetice 1. . ] judes, renews tliu attaok upon t'ae decisión of the Supreiiif Court. Propostng to disouss tho question : "la taxatiou to aid in the construülioa uf railrnads, tus atiuii for a public or private pur)ose?" lic goes over the üeld uf ' eminent domain," - and thut'u all. Now ftripping thU üubjuct oí' uil Terbiage, Jet us ask Judge Walker : AVlio owna the railroad l'ur wbioh it i pro-posed lo levy tbe tax ? tbe tovnV the city 'i the eonnty ? the State ? oi[the etockholders ? Who expanda, the proceeils of the lux? the cfiioers of theSta'e? or the officers.fi tlic Corporation? Whoao are tl.e profits of the bufciuess ? Sot iisido all tecbnicaüties, ntid auswer tl.esa interrosato, rics, tnd tho eoüuüdrum will bo proi pounded. liuiln-üj.-; ate o gruut iuIjüc C'jnvfctiieüce, it may be a public ucoessity, but si long as owned and operuted by Vardeobílt, James Fisk, James F, i 3o, ;r aísociatcs, (or their own exclusive bjnefit, o (ar s proceeds and profiu are conceroed, they ere a private eiitiü'r;.sü nud nothiüg tlso, and to tas the public to v'dt mouey in the producís of tbeir onncr, s but a epcie8 of rul bury. fSuch iü u bajnmu's opiuion, in-.d such uro tho toacbings of cemmoD . set:,L-. Il iï ú Bot-iceublc i;ir-Ét tbat tho Dtmccratic p'rcss of the 8tate ia ncurly a unit in npproving tlio recent decisión oí the Supremo Couit giiiiict luuuieipal ai J lo railroads, the excoptiocs uot boiog inore t!ia:i two or ttrreer. Tbis unaniciity uiay be accounted fur iu two ways : föt. Hecause tha Democratia party iia al ways taiif.'ht obedionce to tho CimstitütliJii a::d la xn of the lat:d as expiDunded by the judioiary, ad especiully by the óourls of lust resort, both Uilited s and State. i}d. Because the de cisioü iii question oosforais to the Dcoiocratio tbeory, and esleods to a ruinoriIj' piu . tL .! .■■. iiiinale i.i.d gi;' n,p; power ot :i legislati jority, u ni:.jirity fast oosuiog to kuon tío i irt but its own will'. It is, ulco, a noticeablc fact tbat tho Ling Democratie oarnals do fo i.t deuuuoiation, wliila tbe ciutrges - i' uaurpation, oorroption, etc., como froai Ki'p-.blicau jotr.nalists and puliticiáns. The public woúld do well to bear this in tüinJ. I. TUR House, o:i l'rid;.y last, nu nmeiidiiicnt to tho iiutrüal reveuue 1 il'. offered bj Jlr. Ortx, reducing the iuco-me tnx fi'oua 5 lo 3 [ier cent., was adoptcd, by yeas, 114; üays, 77; thu ificbigao inunibers, except Fkbkï not voting, v:)ting üo. Au amendment by ..i.::, inureatiiug lbo cxeuipliou i .üO'o to í2,U0Ü, was ulso udopted. A uaii.üüai) coijvoii'.ion is to be hc!d t Jack8!n on tiio 22d inst., to tl üieasure to compel Uov.Uai dwin to cali ui extra session of the Legisla ture. If ua:;a'cd by Gko. Y. VixE, EüO :, and a fow olher sucb shining ights, it wiü tiiüceed - iu uiaking the troject ridiculouB. ' Wiiii-k the interna! tus bilí ws ai cotuiderattoo a tho House, on Friday last, Mr. I?eck moved o:i amoiiclmcnt fur taxrng the iitrií, on al; ]'-.■ Stalen boodo, vbicb was lost, yes,78; nayg, 110 Of oourso the entire MicúiL'-iii delegatioo voiod sn, imdin favor of ooDtlnuing ihu bondbolders as a priv.'j.r''l olaxs - qoartered opon tbc peopie. Carpet-baqgkr and oadetsbip selling WniTTKMiiiii: lus b'On re-electe 1 tn Co - gress, wlüoh tlio 2'ribum pronouncca ;' a matter of serious regret.' - Tlie private school Tumi just spportloned In ImliaiiH, for 1S09, was át the rate of f2.01 per scholar, and aggrcgattd 1,561. - The last montlily report of the Department of Agriculture favora :x goverumont tax on doga. One sane projiositiou. Let it be a big one. - The editor of the Oitü Serrke Journal saj-s that in 1858 he had hls fortune told by Miss Tenneasee Olatlin, a travelln clajr. voyant, " a handBome vonng gflr!, small ol stature, of Intense nervous oigani.;ition very rapld In speech, Bhrewd, and lutelli gent." Tiiís is the Tennie C. Clafiin, tin New York brokeress. l)id she teil it " for true," Frcd ?

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Old News
Michigan Argus