The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-05-24

language eHiPioyS" ."
ACQUIRED to the public lands, brlei ex-
plana,ioa of the general system winch
has been long pursued, is necessary.
The title to public lands is IN The O"'''
cd States; and when it is deemed eN pc,
diem, 10 bring any district OF unsettled
country into market, it IS surveyed mo
townships of six miles square, which are
laid OF from a base line which has been
accurately established. These townships
are again subdiyiled into thirIy'six lots
of one mile square, which are uniformly
numbered from one 10 thiriy-six inclusive
and called sections. The sections again
are subdivded into halves, quarters
eiob,bs. and sixteenths. Thus the pubic
domain, before a sale, is always diV'deu
into lots Of Go acres, called sections :;
900 acres, called hali-sections; 100 acres
called qaar,cr-scctions; 80 acres called
balf.auarlef- sections; and 40 acres called
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and purchaser
NAV buy any of the sections or fractions
which are offered for sale. An nsPec'
ton Of the map will show, that the town
ships are readily ascertained by numbers
inscribed upon the base line, at night an
ples herewith. which indicates the range
of the township, and the number OF the
section to be known.
All public lands are first offered tor sale
al auction, but the minimum pHcc' per
acre. established by law, being dollar
AMI quarter. the purchaser must bid
over lllat sum. After district has been
thus offered for sale, whatrcmaIas unsoId'
which is usually much the greater portion,
is then open to entry by any person. An
cn,ry is made, by selecting and paying
Cor the land, at a dollar and quarter per
acre, and having the purchase recorded IN
the books Of the land-oilicc. This, for
all practical purposes, IL esteemed per.
feet title, though patent, under the seal
Of the United States, afterwards issues.
The lands upon the canal were survey
ed, and divided in this manner; and IN
tho partition Of sections, state took the
odd, United States the even numbers.
The latter have conveyed most OF
theirs, while the former still holds 23O,-
900 acres.
In considering the value of the proper
~ proposed to be pledged, we are ncce'-
sarily reminded, tina, these lands consll
tute a material portion Of it; and with
this conviction resting upon us, we have
devoted as much attention 10 this branch
of the subject, as circumstances would al
low. The tract is hundred miles long
and ten wide. II we had attempted to ex-
anime it in detail and to classify its quail
tiles, assigning 10 each It's relative value,
il would have employed US FOR months,
wilhou, leading 10 any results which
would have been an equivalent for the la
Dor and expense.
We, however, did examine not only
these lands, 10 a considerable extent, by
passing over them in our varied excur.
SONS, bu, much Of the ad accent country {;
with a view to acquaint ourselves with
ihe character OF the territory generally,
that We might form some just estimate Of
its value and growing importance.
From the information thus obtained,
we feel ousclses justified in drawing the
following conclusions.
First, Tina, the district Of country
which embraces the canal is filing up
with settlers, and improving as rapidly as
could be reasonably expected, cultivation
having first commenced only about ten
years ago.
Second, That Notwithstanding this
proof Of prosperity, by far the larger por.
lion Of tho soil is unimproved.
Third, That the government. Of the
United States own large trails open to en-
Try at dollar and quarter per acre
which arc no, remote from the lile of III,
canal.
Fourth, That purchasers, having al
eye upon the supposed influence of al
improved navigation upon the value o
real estate, entered, and still hold, larg
tracts Of government lands, which are be
lieyed TO be within the sphere of that in
huence, awaiting the completion of III
work for better market.
Fifth, Tha, lands represented to be {
good quality, favorably situated, and pal
TALLY improved, with buildings, in som
instances, upon them, are advertised f,
sale in tho newspapers 1t iiom two
three dollars per acre.
Sirth, That the quality Of the lane
belonging TO the state is similar, and, al
parentlv, no better, than that Of the adj
cent country.
From these considerations we a
brought. 10 the conclusion, that if the cana