The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-19

claimed any more Not al all they content with
that, and depend upon H. il they get that amount.
they VIII be able 70 carry forward their roads.
Ia The State OF California. Tor reasons which have been
Indicated by The honorable senator and which have very
ssnsaelaoe ioce he proposes TO give TO that Stale al
iefnate sections forty miles wide each side oil The road
and branches TO the Pacific. s -.
Mr' GWlN. do not like 10 Interrupt the honorable
senator, but ! wish TO give word OF explanation,
VIII stale that the grants OF land 10 which the senator
iefs We're proposed in my bill precisely accordance with
he principles OF the bill prepared By the senator from
limos, Mr. DoUGLAsl and reported by hun from the
Committee on Territories the last session. | have
taken them precisely found them in his bill. and
proposed the grants in the States, in the Terri
torres, and IN California And he is the gentleman who
drew up The Illinois bill to which the senator refers, for
ne was locally interested in that He is interested in
his only as national man and senator Of the Uni
ed Sales The bill OF the Committee on Territories, on
which nne was based, was prepared by his matured
Judgment afer having carried through the other import
ant measures alIeded TO by the senator from Maine
aoS I " am very aI m from TO ne entertaining
senator regard il only earnest of the desire which
The senator has that the road shall be completed. was
gratihed with the emphatic and honorable declaration
which he made in the outset that his great object Was to
secure The road. In this concur with him. | TOO de-
sire TO see that accomplished but my fears that this
bill will accomplish it, Ny fears are as have al
ready said, that tho bill gives more than necessary
the States. and leaves the Territories in such condition
That the road will never be carried through them fear
The effect OF the bill will be 10 only the compile
hon Of The various roads within the States, and that il
will do no more. That is not what the honorable
tor desires, nor what desire. lM###s
Let us see. Mr. President, the quantity of land which
this bill proposes 10 give to the States. California is
to have belt forty miles wide throughout its entire
length, with branches TO harbsrs the Pacific. The
short OF thousand miles There hundred and
forty acres to the square mehe belt forty miles deep
and one thousand miles in length will contain twenty
live million six hundred thousand almost twenty
six millions OF acres Alternate sections six miles wide
on each side of the road would give three million eight
hundred and forty thousand acres. more than twenty
mill Iasa Rnt ttaf ~ hat In ~
think The road could be built through that State for the
small quantity named but think 1t will not require a
belt OF forty miles in width.
Take The State OF Arkansas, and estimate the length
OF road in that State TO be four hundred miles
Mr.. GWlN 1t is only three hundred.
Mr. BRADBURY. The honorable senator from Cali
fona says it is only three hundred miles. Estimating il
at three hundred the quantity of land granted by alter
nate sections twenty miles each side of the road would
be three million eight hundred and forty thousand
The honorable senator from Arkansas representing that
Stale with great fidelity, (Mr. BoRLAND, at the last
sion OF Congress, was fully satisfied with obtaining
giant OF alternate sections six miles wide. This would
give one million one hundred and hfty-two Thousand
acres for three hundred miles, two millions six hun
dred and eighty thousand acres less for the same
distance than is proposed to be granted by this bill
Mr.. BORLAND III the senator will permit me 10 cor
rect him point, will say to him, that, although
we asked for but alternate sections SIX miles wide. we
asked aid for roads enoogh to bring up the amount to
three million acres, and we got that grant through The
Senate
Mr.. BRADBURY am perfectly aware that the hon.
his State by not asking for roads enough. The differ
enee, then between the amounts OF land granted by
strip twenty miles in width, and six miles in width,
OF Two million six hundred and eightyeght thousand
acres for three hundred miles, is what wish saved
much OF II as we can 10 aid carrying the road
The deserts and mountains thai lie between and the
Pacific
MIR BORLAND Will the senator permit me 10 call
his attention 10 this fact Although the grant to Ark an
sas, under this bill, will reach three millions of acres,
that is not more than given by sundry bills which
passed the Senate at The last without dissenting
voice IL Is true, asked for alternate sections only
miles wide bat then got three roads which altogether
make up as much land this bill now proposes give
us so that the deduction OF increase which the
s'or makes ou, ia this case wha, asked for be-
tore IL not iair
Mr.. BRADBURY. Il thus road Identical with either of
the other roads
Mr. BoRLAND 1t runs over a large portion OF the
covered by the grant OF the roads Tor which
land was granted al the last session.
Mr. BRADBURY. The honorable senator informs the
Senate that The bills which have passed this body give
his State quantity OF land equal 10 that which this bill
proposes 10 grant II may be that those bills will pass
the House OF Representatives and then the State will
have this additional quantity.
Again il there any truth in the theory often adj
vaneed here, that BY granting alternate sections Tor roads,
the remaining sections are enhanced IN value TO double
the amount OF their former value, and that thus the
ernmeni as a prudent proprietor could afford 10 make
grants, should lose the benefit of the enhanced
vaiae OF the alternate sections which these other roads
would give 1t a road could be made last year with
grant OF alternate sections OF six miles WIDE am al loss
know why IA now necessary 10 enlarge the grant TO
twenty miles instead OF SIX
Mr.. BORLAND. | answer the senator. We
expected that thegant OF alternate sections six miles
wide would make the road we never expected II would
pay more Than one third onefourth part OF the
pense We expected that the residue would be made up
by subscriptions oil the Siaie individuals, from
other sources than the land We expected that the
grant OF alternate sections OF land six miles wide would
more than begin to make the road.
MIR. BRADBURY. think ii probable that the States
within which II is proposed to carry this road would be
able TO accomplish, with like grant, what the State OF
terprise will be undertaken in Iowa. Arkansas, Louis.
ians and Missouri for find that something is TO be
done for each OF these States and branches TO be
carried wherever road Is necessary, and votes 10 be
had
Mr. RUSK Excep, Texas.
Mr. BRADBURY Except Texas" Bat believe
amendment is TO be proposed ogve Texas So 900 900
with which she will undoubtedly be contented Now, it
has appeared TO that the grants within the States
too large that they take away the Identical only re-
liable fund which Is necessary 10 carry the road through
the poorer region OF the Territories This is my objection
10 the bill. apprehrnd that The result would be, tba,
IL This grant should be made to the States the States fol-
lowing the example OF Illinois, would confer whatever
they received upon railroad corporation, and that
pofaton would 20 and construct and the road
within the States and the land And as further result,
this wide belt OF land through these erne prosperous,
and growing States, would inevitably fall into the hands
oi mammoth railroad corporations strong enough TO
construct the road aud to hold The land and keep
OF the market Just long as il was for their interest to
do SO, allowing il 10 be sold only at enhanced price
TO the settler, that the poor pioneers would not have
those advantages of cheap land enjoyed by them,
which ], is desirable they should have and which have
been oee ably portrayed By the honorable senator from
Iowa, Mr.. Doncr1
Again: il is proposed TO make a donation To the States