The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-03-31
THE IOWA LAND BILL AS IT PASSED THE SEN.

ATE.
The following is the Iowa Land Bill as it
passed the Senate on the 18th inst, by the dcci.
give vote Of 80 to 10.
A BILL
Granting the right Of way, and making grant
r Of land 10 tho State OF Iowa, in aid Of the
5 construction Of certain Railroads in said
State.
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives Of the United States of A,neri-
ca in Congress assembled.
That the right Of way through the public
lands be, and The same is hereby granted to the
State of Iowa for the construction OF railroads
from The city Of Dubuque to Keokuk and from
Davenport on the mississippi river in said State,
to sucl, point on the Missouri river as may be
designated on the authority Of said STATE, which
authority shall ais, fix and determine the rights
of each Of said railroads and shall have The
rig mt also to take necessary materials Of earth,
stones, and timber, for the construction thereof
from The public lands Of the United States adj
jaccnt /, said railroads Proridcd. That local
ing the Railroads aforsad, and assigning the
limits TO the easement, no more land shall be
taken from the United States than is necessary
fora convenient construction and use of said
road, or public ways for transportation. includ
ing stations, with the usual buildings of all
kinds, turn outs and such other appurtenanccs
as arc usually enjoyed by Railroad companies
and copy Of the location Of sad roads, made
under the direction Of the Legislature, shall be
forwarded to the proper local land officers re-
spectively, and to the General Land Office at
Washin gtan City, within ninety days after the
completion Of the same to be recorded.
SEC. 2. find be 1t further enacted, That
ft,arx, h., a,,A tol
Iowa, for the purpose of aiding in making the
railroads af rcsaid, every alternate section oil
land designated by even numbers, for six sac,
tons in width on each side of s1id roads but
in case 1t shall appear that the United States
have, when the lines or routes Of SAID roads
are definitely fixed by the authority aforesaid
sold any section or any part thereof granted as
aforesaid, mat the right Of pre- emption has
attached to the same, then it shall be lawful for
any agent or agents to be appointed by the Gov.
ernar Of said State, to select, subjec. to the ap.
prevail Of the Secretary of the Interior, from
the lands Of the United States most contiguous
to the tier of sections above specified, so much
land IN alternate sections or parts of see ions
as shall be equal to such lands as the United
States have sold, or to which the right Of pre-.
emptifn has attached as aforesaid, which lands
(thns selected IN lieu of those sold, and to which
pre-cinption rights have attached as aforesaid
together with the sections and parts of sections
Designated by even numbers as aforesaid and
appropriate as aforesaid, shall be held bv the
State Of Iowa) for the use ard purp' afore-
said; Provided, That the lands to be 10
Gated. shall in no case be further than fifteen
miles from the line Of the road in each case and
selected for and on account of each of said
roads; Provided further, That the lands hereby
granted shall be exclusively applied in the con.
struction Of that road for which it vas granted
and selected, and shall be disposed IF only as
the work progresses, and the s,me shall be ap.
piled To no other purpose whatsoever; And
provided further, That any and all lands hereto.
fore reserved to the United States by any act Of
Congress, or in any other manner by competcn,
authority, for the purpose Of aiding in any oh
ject of internal improvement, or for any other
purpose whatsoever, be and the same are here
by reserved To the United States from the ope.
ration Of this act, except so far as it may be
found necessary to locate the routes Of the said
railroads through such reserved lands, in which
case the right Of way only shall be granted. 4
SEC. B., find be 1t further enacted, That the
sections and parts of sections of land which, by
such grant, shall remain to the United States
within six miles on each side of each Of said
roads shall not be sold for less than double the
minimum price Of the public lands when sold
WHICH iduuSs suhli iIouI I'D titHe Ue nUeTeO
at public sale 10 the highest bidder under the
direction Of the Secretary of the Interior, and
shall not be subject to enter until they shall
have been 81 offered at public sale.
SEC. 4. find be 1t further enacted, That the
said lands hereby granted to the said State shall
be subject to the disposal OF the Legislature
thereofior the purposes aforesaid and no other
and the said railroads shall be and remain a
public highway, for the use of the Government
of the United States, free from toll or other
charge, upon the transportation Of any property
or troops Of the United States.
SEC. 5. find be it further enacted, That if the
said railroads shall not be completed within ten
years, the said State of Iowa shall be bound to
pay to the United States the amount which may
be received upon the sale Of any part of said
lands by said State, the title to the purchasers
under said State remaining valid and the title
10 the residue of sold lands sh all reinvest in the
United States, to have and hold the same in
the same manner as if this act had not been
passed.
SEC. 6. .4ad be it further enacted, That the
United States mail shall, at all times, be trans
ported on said railroads under the direction of
the Post Office Department at such price as the
Congress may by law direct.