The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-04-03

report in reference 10 giant Of land t. complete
the C,nual aud Northern cross rail- road, in this
state. from the Gacnt J,l r,ouian, which saves
ustbe trouble Of preparing similar cp.'ome Of it,
a, We had iuicrjed:
We have looked over the repor, of the
Hon. Sidney Breesc, a. chairman of the
committee on Public Lands, upon the
'hiIl to grant to the state Of Illinois GER.
tain alternate sections Of the public lands.
10 aid in the construction of the Northern
Cross and Cen,ral railroads, in said state.
The report is most able one, and we
very much regret our inability 10 lay it
entire before our readers. As at present
circumstancfd, a brief epitome is the most
tina, we can give.
A considerable portion Of the Report
is taken up to prove the conslitullonalily
Of the proposed grant, and the objects Tor
which they were coded to the general
government by the several states. In ac-
ceptng the trust, an obligation rested up.
on congress to adopt such measures as
would confer the greatest amount of good
and render the fund most productive. \
narrow policy has greatly retarded the
prosperity of the western country.
\ glance is taken at The many appro-
prialons made by congress for similar
objects in other states. Ohio has had
l,20i,97S acres. with an area of 80, 627
square miles; Indiana ,60S,i04 acres,
with an area of 36,5S0 square miles :;
while Illinois, with an area of 55.0j5
square miles, has received only 100000
acres. The bill under consideration pro-
poses 10 grant to her 2,ll4,4O0 acres !;
namely, for the Central railroad ,464,-
coo, and for the Northern Cross, Co.,
400 acres.
The Central railroad extends from the
junction of the Ohio and Mississippi NV
ers, pursuing nearly the line Of the third
principal meridian north, to the termina-
lion of the Illinois and Michigan canal ;
thence northwest to Galena. the centre
of an inexhaustibe lead region, 457
miles. The cost of its construction was
estimated by competent engineers at S3,-
500, l45, or Ss,326 per mile, and there
has been expended upon it, sl,Ol6,9 O4-
So
The Northern Cross road extends from
Quincy, on the Mississippi, VIA Spring
field, 10 tie eastern line Of the state. Pa
miles. at a cost of 81, 916,335, or IS. 400
per mile. The state has expended ST.
3j4,2l2 50 upon this work, and 81 miles
are already completed, from Springfield
west TO the Illinois river. The most ex.
pensive portion Of the work has been
completed on both routes, and with slight
aid from the general government, it is
confidently believed tina! they eau be COM
ple,ed within few years. These are
the main arteries in the projected system
Of internal Improvements within the state.
and they pass through country IN which
railroads can only be used.
The quantity of public lands remaining
unsold IN the states Of Ohio, Indiana, and
Illinois, is as follows:
Ohio, S85,767 acres.
Indiana 3,729,s59 d"
Illinois, l5,S30,3is
These lands have all been in the mar.
ket five years and over--lhe largest nor.
ton more than twenty. In addition TO
this, large body has not even vet been
brought into market. Most of those in
Illinois, from their position, the scarcity
of timber. and other causes, must inevi,a-
bly, remain unsold for great length of
time, unless government, by wise lib
eraliy, shall enable such public works to
be constructed, as will stimulate emigran,s
TO purchase them.
! In view Of the facts presented, the
committee strongly urge upon congress
the propriety OF making liberal grants out
of the grea, residuum, as dictated by en-
larged views-sound policy, and Impair
tial justice. 1t is of vital importance to
the interests Of the s,ate-it will furnish
purchasers for the remaining lands, has
the precedent of repeated grants for SINH.
lar objects to other slales-and nationally
considered, as opening grea. highway
to the fertile wastes beyond the Mississ-
ippi, It's benefits cannot be over estimated.
IT is queer fact, tina, amidst all the
misery and degradation and hopeIessness
in Ireland we never hear of a case of sui
eide, |, is a very rare case to hear of an