Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-10-10
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
PUBLISHED BIZ AUTHORITY.
PUBLISHED BY AUTHOk1Tfs
PUBLIC ACTS
Passed during the first sessions Of The Thirty, first
C0ngress.

C0ngress.
TPUBLrc-No. 80
AN ACT granting the right of way, and mnk
ing grant OF land to the States Of itlinois
Mississippi and Alabama, in aid Of the con
structiun of a railroad from Chicago to Mo
bile.
Be il enacied By The Senate and House of Rep.
resentatires Of The United Sfafes Of .4merica IL.
Congress assembled, That the right of way
through the public lands be, and The same j.
hereby, granted To the State of Illinois for the
construction of a railroad from the southern ter.
minus oil the Illinois aud Michigan canal to a
point ut or near the Junction Of the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers, will! branch Vi the. same
to Chicago on Lake si,chigan. cod another vim
thetown Of Galena, ~ ~-id state. to Dubuque,
in the state Of Iowa, With the right also to tlke
necessary materials Of earth, stones. timber. &C.,
for the construction thereof: A'roridsd, Tha, the
right Of way shall not exceed one hundred feet
on each side of the length thereof; and copy
of the survey of sld road and branches made
under The direction OF the Legislature, shall be
forwarded 20 the proper local land Offices rcspec-
lively, and TO the general l. nd Office at WASH
ington city, within ninety days alter the compile
ton of The same.
SEC. g find be II further enacted, That there
be and hereby is granted TO the State of Illinois
for the purpose OF aiding in making the railroad
and branches aioresad-.very alternate seciinn
of land designated by even numbers, tor SIX Sec
tions in width on each side OF said road and
branches; but in case it shall appear that the
United States have when the line or route If SAID
road and branches is definitely liked by The au.
thorty aforesaid, sold any part Of any seciion
hereby granted, or that The right of prr-emption
mas attached 10 the same then il shall be Law full
for any agent or agents to be appointed by the
Governor OF said State, to select, subject 10 tie
approval aforesaid. from the lands o. the United
States most Contiguous to the tier of sections
above specified, ',tlch land In alternate Sec
tons parts of ctIon-, shall lie equal TO such
lands as the United States have sold, ur to winch
the right of pre-enp ion his attached as aiore-
said, which land. being equal IN quantity to one
half of six sections in width on each side of .sai
road and branches. the STATE OF Illinois shall
have and hold TO and for the use and purp a..
aforesaid: Prorided, That the lands To be ST. TO-
Gated shall 10 no case be further Than fifteen
miles from the Hue o. the roa; .1Hd further prori-
del, The construction of said road shall be com
menced at Its Southern terminus, at ar near the
junction OF the Ohi, ami Mississippi rivers. and
It's northern terminus upun the Illinois and N,cb
lgan Canal simultaneously, and Conf inued from,
each of said points until Completed, when sid
branch roads sRal be constiuc ed, according 10
the survey aad location ther'0: PTorided Jur-
ther, That the lands he eby gra ted snail be ap-
pie IN the const uct O. of sad roa aud bran.
ches respectively, IN quiit,ties Cores ,o.iding
with the grant tor each. and sanll be disposed Of
Only as he work progresses, and smut De upp-
il 10 TO Ol,er Durp,-e ~ha,soever. find pro-
rided further, IhAi any and all lands r served 10
,he Uuited s ;,tss BY line act sni,ie.s9sAn act
10 giant a quaitliy q! land to the 5 areof Iiinus
Tor ,h- purpose oil aiding IN opening causl to
Co meet ,ue waters If the III. rIver WITH IuOse
Ut Lake Micnigan. approved March second,
eighteen lundr-d ami twenty-s,y.n" be and
the same are hereby reserved t. tie United
States ifum the operations of his aci.
SEc. 3 lind be further enacted, That the
sect, rs nd parts Of sections of land which, b.,
such 9 ant snail remain to the Untea States
within six niles on each slide Of SAID road and
D.ant hes, shall not BE- sold for less than double
tue minimum price of the pubic lands when
sod.
SEC. 4. .lnd be IL further cnacied That the
sa,d lands HEREBY granIec 10 the State s.iaii
be subject t., the nlspasal OF the Legs a. use
Thereof, for the purposes sfor.siid AID no ulhtr
and the said raiiro ID and branch shalt be anu
remain public highway, for the Use o.. The gov
ernneni of the United States, Tree fom loi or
other charge, upon the transportation OF any
property or troops of the U,i'ed States.
SEC. 5. find be II further endcied, That if the
said railroad shall 20 be- o,ple ed within ten
wears, The said State o; | lnois sil ali be bound
to pay TO the Uriied 5 ates the amount winch
may be receive upon the sale Of any part Of
said lands by sai State, the title 10 The pnrcna-
se,s under said State remaining valid; and the
tllle 10 the residue Of said lands shall relnvest
IN the United States, to have and bold the sane
III the same manner as if this act had not been
pissed.
SEC. 6. find be Il further enocted, That the
United States Mail shall at all times be trans
ported on the sad railroad under The direction OF
tie Post Office Department, at such price as
the Congress may ny law direct.
SEC. 2. lind be IL further enacted, That in or.
der 10 aid IN the continuation OF SAID Cenlrai
Railroad from the mouth OF the Ohio river to the
cty OF Mobile, all The rights, privileges, and liza
bilit:es hereinbefJre cont' rreG Oh the State ul
limos, shall be granted to the States OF Aaba.
ma and Mississippi respec lively, tor tile pur
pose of aiding in Inc Construction Of a railroad
from said city Of Mobile to point near the
mouth of the Ohio river, and that the pubic
lands of the United States TO the same extent IN
proportion to the length OF the road on the same
terms limitations, and restrictions IN every re-
spect shall be, and is hereby. granted to said
States of Alabama and Mississippi respectively
Approved September 20. 1850.
PuBLIC-NO. 80
AN ACT giving the assent Of the United States
TO an Actof the General Assembly of Mary
land DasSed Mt the December session. Ell