Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1888 — KNOCKING OUT GOULD. [ARTICLE]

KNOCKING OUT GOULD.

The Pacific Railway Telegraph Bill Passes the House with a Rush. With extraordinary unanimity the House oi Representatives, on the 3d inst., voted to attack the Western Union Telegraph Company at its most vulnerable point. Out of a total vote of SWI on the Pacific Railroad Telegraph bill there were 197 yeas and i nays. The effect ol this bill is to nullify the existing contracts between the Union and Central Pacific railroads and tho Western Union whereby the latter enjoys a monopoly of the wires along the line of the P&cifio roads. It 1b claimed that these contracts are in violation of the law of Congress authorizing and extending Government aid in the construction of the Pacific railroads, and are therefore void. Tne Pacific roads are obligated to construct a telegraph line as well as to lay railroad tracks, and had no power to either sell or lease the telegraph part of the plant. t