Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-01-30

seventy-fve acres But it appears that this es-
Innate was made from the topography of the
country, as represented by maps from surveys Of
ten, twenty, thirty, and even Of forty years
standing. Much of the land, in lower Louis
lana especially, which is represented by those
surveys as swamp, has, doubtless, changed it's
character, whilst, on the other hand, many town.
ships on each side of the Atchafalaya river, not
| included in the list of swamp lands referred to,
and not SO represented on the maps, are known
to contain large quantities of swamp land quite
easy Of reclamation. From this source the de-
ficiency in the reported quantity of swamp lands
| inspect and list them, as required by the act of
ID of March, ls49, is the question! A careful
examination, few years since, in the General
Land Office, resulted in showing that the cost
Of surveying the public domain, amounted to
one cent and ninety four one hundreths of a cent
per acre, and have the authority of late ad
interim commissioner Of that Office for suggest
ing that the cost Of surveying and listing the
swamp and overdowed lands in this State, will
| not exceed one half of that sum. He is inclined
to believe that it will not exceed one-third Of it.
Assonling, then that the rearpf swamp and
oyerfiowed lands has been correctly reported,
| the cost of inspecting and listing them, cannot
much exceed twenty thousand dollars. Of
course, the amount will vary with the quantity
of land affected by the law. But it has been
contended, in view of the peculiar and unneces-
sary phraseology of the law, that the survey Of
the local subdivisions, or forty acre lots, de-
mands an actual inspection of all the bounda-
ries of each legal subdivision, which, if true,
will increase the cost of surveying every Sec
ton. A strictly textual construction leads to
this conclusion. But this certainly was not
contemplated by the law, and would result in
useless labor, except in some instances, when it
may he necessary to meandcr the line between
the swamp, or oyerfowed, and the high lands, in
order to determine whether certain tracts par
taking of both character are embraced by the
act In those cases, even the survey need not
be as expensive as ordinary and original sur
veys, as you will perceive from the frank and
enlightened view of the present Commissioner
of the General Land Office An objection has
also been raised to the act, that in determining
the line on which those meanders should run,
the stage of water in the river is obliged to be
consulted. If this construction prevails, it will
greatly diminish the value, il not defeat, the
object Of the grant. am happy to assure you
there is no reason for this apprehension, as the
commissioner of the General Land Office has
decided that the reference must be exclusively
to :he stage Of water on the swamp and over
flowed lands. Where there is timber, the wa.
ter marks left by such inundations as render the
land usafe for cultivation, will govern; and
where there ispo timber, and doubts exist as to
the extent Of the overflow, the testimony of
credible witnesses of the neighborhood, will an
swer 1t afferds me pleasure to congratulate
the State upon the unreserved fairness in which
the federal authorities are disposed to treat this
subject in all its bearings. Hence, ] am partic-
ularly pleased to inform you that, as soen as
sufficient appropriation is made, the Federal.
Land Offices in this State will be instructed to
make special returns to the General Land Office
Of the tracts embraced in the grant, which
have been sold by the government since the
passage of the law This retroactive effect is
clearly due 10 just Interpretation ofthe inten-.
ton Of the law. II, therefore, the grant Is
accepted, it will be proper to provide for the re-
ception Of the proceeds Of the lands in the mean
time sold, and to empower the Governor to
make REIMBURSEMENT Of title, if required, to
those who have bought land embraced by the
grant, from the General Government. =.
From this source it is supposed sufficient
sum will accrue to reimburse the State Trea-
sury in whatever advance may be made for SUR
veys and making Of lists: If the grant is accept
ed the Legislature must provide the mode
ofcompensating and contrasting with the depu.
ty surveyors It only remains for me to add my
| unqualified recommendation Of an immediate
acceptance Of the grant; subsequent Legisla-
ture may provide the ways and means for the
realization Of its advantages. or Il may permit
the land to reclaim itself by the effect Of caus-
es which in the last thirty year have poured
thousands Of dollars into the Federal Treasury.