Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 24.djvu/523

 490 FORTY-NIN TH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 345. 1887. when such salary or compensation amounts to five thousand dollars or more per annum, and the names of the persons now rece1ving or who have heretofore received such salaries or compensation, and all bonuse or donations which may have been given or paid to any such person; and all payments made under the head of legal expenses,  whom made, and the amount paid to each, and for what specific services such payments were made. _ Relationstoeom- Said eommission shall also inquire into and report upon the relations ¤¤¤i*i°°· of said railroads to the interests of the communities through vrhich they pass; to all questions concerning the payment of taxes, espemally upon lands granted by Congress, and the delay of said companies in taking _ out patents for such lands; the rates of fare and freight charged,_d_1s- criminations, diferentials, pools, and other devices, and the iacihties and accommodations furnished to the patrons of such roads; and their report shall embrace a consideration of the interests and rights of said communities as ailected by whatever plan of settlement or payment of the existing debt may be proposed. Obligations of Said commissioners shall also consider and report whether the inter- 2: G°:;!;_:’;°° *° ests of the United States require any extension of the time for perform- °“°' ance of the obligations to the United States of said companies, or any of them, and the facts and circumstances upon which said opinion is based, including the security held by the United States for the performance of such obligations, and the value thereof, and the value of the property of such companies, and either of them, not included in such security, and what further security it is expedient that said companies shall berequired to give; and if, in theiropinion, such extension shall be required by the interests of theUnited Statels), they shall submit a scheme for such extension, which shall secureto the nited Statestnll paymentof all debts due them hom said companies, with a reason able rate of in terest, in such timeas tliecommissioners shall propose, having due regard to the financial ability of said companies andthe proper conduct of their business in such manner as shall aiord ehcient service to the public. R¢1¤>¤=~ And the said commission shall report in full in regard to all such ` matters aforesaid, and in regard to any other matters which may he ascertained or come to their knowledge in regard to said companies respectively, on or before December iirst, eighteen hundred and eighty- · seven, to the President of the United States, who shall forward said report to Congress, with such recommendations or comments as he may see tit to make in the premises. · ’ ‘ of Government transportation in the region now traversed by the Pacific railroads between the year eighteen hundred and fifty and the completion of said roads, and also the average cost per annum since such completion, and what additional facilities have been furnished to the Government and the people by said roads; also to enquire what discount the Pacino Railroad and its several branches were forced to make, in disposing of the bonds guaranteed by the Government, to obtain the gold coin which was the currency of the country through which the greater part of said roads pass; also to ascertain the comparative cost of construction of said roads as compared with what they would have cost with the prices of labor and commodities prevailing live years preceding or five years sub- covemmeau. the Pacino Railroad was completed in less time than was allowed by law, and, if so, how much less time, and if the United States was benciitted thereby; also to enquire if either of the Pacific railroad companies have been embarrassed and their earning capacity impaired by antagonistic local or State legislation; also to enquire if the United States, since the Union and Central Pacific Railroad Companies accepted the terms proposed by Congress for the construction of the P aeiiic Railroad, has granted aid in lands for building competing parallel railroads to said Pacific railroads, and, if so, how many such roads, and to what extent such competing lines have impaired the earning capacity of the Pacino rail-
 * 82*;* ‘;*;:’*°°P°" The commissioners shall also ascertain the average cost per annum
 * ,;,,;,,,,, to ,;,6 sequent to the completion of said roads; also to enquire whether or not