Washington telegraph., 1853-03-02
Arkansa Rail Road Bill.
4 BILL

4 BILL,
Granting the right Of acay anil making
d grant Of land TO the States Of Arkan-
sas and Missouri, TO aid IN the con-
Struction Of Railroad from point
ON the Mississippi, opposite the mouth
Of the Ohio rtrer, Uia Little Rock TO
tie TEXAS 6ouulury, near Fulton, IN
Arkansas acith branches TO Fort Smith
and the Mississippi rirer
Be ii enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States
of america IN Congress assembled, That
the right of way through the public lands
be, and the same is hereby granted to the
States of Arkansas and Missouri, for the
construction of a railroad from a point on
the Mississippi river, opposite the mouth of
the Ohio, in the State of Missouri, via Lit
tie Rock, to the Texas boundary line near
Fulton, in Arkansas, with branches from
Little Rock, in Arkansas to the Mississippi
river and to Fort Smith, in said State, with
the right to take necessary materials of
earth, stone, timber, etc, for the construc-
ton thereof: Proyidcd. That the right
of way shall not exceed one hundred feet on
each side of the length thereof and copy
of the survey of said road, made under the
direction of the legislature of the said States,
shall be forwarded to the proper local land
officers respectively and to the General Land
Office at Washington city, within ninety
days after the completion of the same
Sec. 2 And be it further enacted, That
there be, and is hereby granted to the State
of Arkansas and Missouri, respectively, for
the purpose of aiding in making the railroad
and branches aforesaid, within their respec-
tive limits, every alternate section of land
designated by even numbers, for six sections
in width on each side of said'road and branch
es; but in case it shall appear that the Z.
States have, when the line or route of said
road is definitely fixed by the authority
aforesaid, sold any part of any section here
by granted, or that the right of pre-emption
has attached to the same, then it shall be
lawful for any agent or agents, to be ap-
pointed by the Governor of said States. to
select, subject to the approval aforesaid, from
the lands of the United States most contig-
uous to the tier of sections above specified
so much land in alternate sections, or parts
of sections, as shall be equal to such land as
the United States have sold or to which the
right of pre-emption has attached as afore-
said, which lends being equal in quantity to
one half of six sections in width on each
side of said road the States of Arkansas and
Missouri shall have and hold TO and for the
use and purpose aforesaid: Provided, That
the lands to be located shall in no case be
further than fifteen miles from the line of
the road And 1roridcd further, That the
lands hereby granted shall be disposed of
only as the work progresses. and shall be ap-
Piled to no other purpose whatsoever: And
prorided further, That any and all lands
reserved to the United States by any act of
Congress, for the purpose of aiding in any
object of internal improvement, or in any
manner for any purpose whatsoever be, and
the same are hereby reserved to the United
States frem the operation of this act, except
so far as it may be found necessary to locate
the routes of the said railroad and branches
through such reserved lands
SEC. 3. And be it 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 said road, shall not be sold for less
than double the minimum price of public
lands when sold
Sec. f. And be it further enacted, That
the said lands hereby granted to the said
States shall be subject to the disposal of the
legislatures thereof, for the purposes afore-
said and no other; and the said railroad and
branches shall be and remain public high
way for the use Of the government of the
United States, free from toll or other charge
upon the transportation of any property or
troo Of the United States
Sec. s. Ard be it further enacted, That
the lands hereby granted to said States shall
be disposed of by said States only in man.
ner following; that is to say quantity of
land not exceeding one hundred and twenty
sections, and included with continuous
length of twenty miles OF said road, may be
sold, and when the Governors of said State
or States shall certify to the Secretary of the
Interior that twenty continuous miles of
said road is completed, then another quanti-
ty of laud hereby granted may be sold; aud
so from time to time, unsi said road is COM
pleted and if said road is not completed
within ten years, no further sales shall be
made, and the land unsold shall revert to
the United States.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted That
the United States mails shall at all time be
transported on the said road and branches,
under the direction of the Post Office De-
partment at such price as Congress may
by law direct.
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