The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-14
JOHN w. DAVIS
[PuBLJc-No. 691


AN ACT 10 grant a certain quantity Of land to aid
in the improvement Of the Fox and Wisconsin
rivers, and to connect the same by canal, in the
Territory Of Wisconsin.
Be il enacted BY the Senate and House Of Representa-.
tires Of The United States Of america in Congress
,embLsd, That there be, and hereby Is, granted t.
the State Of Wisconsin, on the admission Of such
State into the Union, for the purpose Of improving
the navigation Of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, in
the Territory Of Wisconsin, and Of constructing the
canal unite the said rivers at or near the portage
a quantity Of land, equal to one-haf OF three sec
lions in width, on each side Of the said Fox river
and the lakes through which il passes, from II
mouth TO the point where the portage canal shat
enter the same, and on each side Of the said canal
from TO the other, reservng the alternate
sections the United States, to be selected under
the direction Of the governor of said State and such
selection to be approved by the President OF the
United States. The said rivers, when improved
and the said canal when finished shall be and for
ever remain public highway for the use Of the gov
eminent Of the United States, free from any toll OF
other charge whatever for the transportation Of the
mails, for any property Of the United States, OF
persons in their service passing upon or along the
same: Provided, The said alternate sections, re-
served to the United States shall not be sold at a
less rate than two dollars and fifty cents the acre
PrOpided, also, That no pre-emptive claim to the
lands 80 reserved shall give the occupant or any
other person claiming through under him, RICH
to said lands any price less than the price fixed II
this act at the time Of the settlement said lands.
SEC. 2. find be IL further enacted, That as soor
as the Territory of Wisconsin shall be admitted a.
State into the Unon all the lands granted by this
act shall be and become the property of said Stat
for the purpose contemplated in this act, and M
other: Prouidd That the legislature of said State
shall agree to accept said grant upon the terms spe
Gifted in this act; and shall have power to fix the
price which said lands shall be sold, not less thar
one dollar and twenty-five cents the acre; and Il
adopt such kind and plan of improvement on sale
route as tho said legislature shall from time to tint
determine for the best interest of said State Pro
conveyed disposed ofby said State, except as SAT-
improvements shall progress: that is, the said Stat
may sell so much Of said lands as shall produce thu
sum of twenty thousand dollars, and then the sale
shall cease until the governor of said State shall GER
tify the fact the President of the United States
that one-half of said sum has been expended upor
said improvements, when the said State may sci
and dispose of quantity Of said lands sufficient t
reimburse the amount expended;, and thus the sales
shall progress as the proceeds thereof shall be eX
pended, and the fact of such expenditure certified IL
the manner herein mentioned.
Sec. 3. find be further enacted, That the SAFE
improvement shall be commenced within three year,
after the said State shall be admitted into the Union
and completed within twenty years, or the United
States shall be entitled to receive the amount TO
which any Of said lands may have been sold by
said State: Provided, That the title of purchaser
under the sales made by the State, in pursuance o
this act, shall be valid.
| APPROVED August g. 1886