The Empire County argus., 1854-08-12
Public, No 81.
AN ACT to aid the Territory of Minnesota in the consruc-
tiOn Of arailrOad thercin.

fNt Va "i'iiO''
BE ii enacted 6y tile Ne4ete dn9 Hoa$e T RepreSentdt[res
Of lie UHitel Sfatls cf a0jca IN C0ngi1Ss a&scmJle8
Minnesota for the purpose Of aiding in the construction Of
railroad from the southern line Of said Territory COM
mencng at point between township ranges nine and sew
eneen thence By the way of St Paul by the most pract-
cable the line of said Territory in The di-
recon of Lake Superior every alternate section Of land
designated by odd numbers for six sections in width on
each side Of said road within said Territory, but in
it shall appear that the United States have, when the line
of said road is definitely fixed by the authority aforesaid
sold any section any part thereof granted as aforesaid
that the right OF preemptOn has attached TO the same
then it shall be lawful for agent agents to be ap-
pointed by the governor OF said Territory subject to the
approval Of the Secretary Of the Interior to select from the
lands of the United States nearest to the tier OF sections
above specified much land in alternate sections parts
OF sections, shall be equal to such lands the United
States have od or to which the right of preempon has
attached aforesaid which lands thus selected in lieu Of
those sold and to which reempton has attached aore-
said together with the sections or parts of sections desg
mated by odd numbers aforesaid and appropriated
atoresaid) shall be held by the Territory of MINES
for the and purpose aforesaid: Pr0udea. That
the lands to be so located shall i'll be further
than fifteen miles from the line Of the road in each
and selected for aud on account Of said road roo
ded tuJer That the lands hereby granted shall be
csvey applied in the construction of that road for which
it granted and selected, and shall be disposed OF only
the work progresses and the shall be applied TO
no other purpose whatever Aa8 ProcdeI tu1ther, That
any and all lands heretofore reserved to tho United States
by anv Of Congress, in any other manner by
peent authority for the purpose OF aiding IN any object
Of internal Improvement for other purpose whatso
be, the nereDf reserved 10 tne OIeu
States from the operation Of this act except so far as it
may be found necessary to locate the route OF said rail
road hrought such reserved lands in which case the right
of way only shall be granted subject to the approval OF
the President of the United States.
SEC 9 Aa6 be t5thr enacted, That the sections and
parts of sections of land which by such grants shall
main TO the United States within six miles each side Of
said road shall not be sold for less than double the mini
mum price.
SEC g. And be It ftiyther enactea That the said lands
hereby granted the said Territory shall be subject to
the disposal of any legislature thereof, for the purpose
aforesaid and other shall they enure to the benefit
of any company heretofore constituted and organized and
the said railroad shall be and remain public highway for
the Of the government Of the United States free from
toll other charge upon the transportation OF any prop
erty troops of the United States, shall any OF sad
lands become private entry until the same shall
have been first offered at public sale at the increased
price.
SEC. 4. Aad he 1t 1hey enactcd That the lands hereby
granted to said Territory shall be disposed OF by said
Territory only in manner following that IS to say no ttle
shall vest i'll the said Territory of Minnesota nor snail any
patent issue for any part of the lands herenbeiore men
toned, until continuous length of twenty miles OF sald
road shall be completed through the lands hereby granted
and when the Secretary OF the Interior shall be satisfied
that any twenty miles of said road completed then
patent shall issue for quantity of land not exceeding one
hundred and twenty sections, and included within conn-
length of twenty miles of said road and so from time
to time, patents shall be issued in like manner upon the
completion of each additional twenty miles of SAID road
until it shall be completed and if said road is not compile
ted within ten years, further sale shall be made, and
the land unsold shall revert TO the United States.
SEC. D. Aad he ii FURTHER enacted, That the United
States mail shall be transported at all times on said railroad
under the direction of the Post Office Department at such
price Congress may by law direct PToc58ef That nm
l such price fixed by law the Postmaster General shall
have the power TO determine the same.
Approved 29th June, 1854.