PACIFIC RAILWAY ACT JULY 1862 PACIFIC RAILWAY ACT U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE TRANSPORTATION WEST U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN JULY 1862 CONGRESS PASSED THE PACIFIC RAILWAY ACT WHICH AUTHORIZED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD THE ACT GAVE TWO COMPANIES A 400 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY THROUGH PUBLIC LAND AND GRANTS OF 10 ALTERNATE SECTIONS OF LAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RAILROAD FOR EACH MILE OF TRACK AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILROAD THE COMPANIES WOULD BE FREE TO DISPOSE OF THE SURPLUS LAND AS THEY WISHED THE RAILROAD COMPANIES ALSO RECEIVED MONEY FROM FEDERAL BONDS THE LOANS WERE TO BE REPAID IN 30 YEARS THE UNION PACIFIC RAILWAY RECEIVED THE RIGHT TO BUILD WESTWARD FROM OMAHA NEBRASKA WHILE THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILWAY BUILT EASTWARD FROM SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA A SECOND PACIFIC RAILWAY ACT IN 1864 INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE LAND GRANTS AND ALLOWED THE RAILROAD COMPANIES TO SELL THEIR OWN BONDS TO HELP FUND COMPLETION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD THE TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE WAS COMPLETED IN MAY 1869 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LATER DISCOVERED SOME ABUSES OF THE RAILWAY ACTS FOR PRIVATE PROFITS
