Kansas weekly herald., 1854-11-10

.Nonday, the It'll day Of august, 1854.
CnAP. LXXiI.-An Act to aid the Territory of
Minnesota in the Construction OF Railroad
therein.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America In Congress assembled, That there
be, and is, hereby granted to the Territory
of Minnesota for the purpose of aiding in
the construction of railroad from the south
ern line OF said Territory, commencing at
point between township ranges nine and
seventeen, thence by the way of St. Paul,
by the most practicable route to the eastern
line of said Territory in the direction of
Lake Superior, every alternate section Of
land designated by odd numbers for SIX sec
tions in width ON each side Of said road
within said Territory, but in case it shall
appear that the United States have, when
the line of said road is definitely fixed by
the authority aforesaid, sold any section or
any part thereof granted as aforesaid; or
that 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
ernor OF said Territory, subject to the ap-
proval of the Secretary of the Interior, to
select from the lands Of the United States
nearest TO the tier of sections above speci-
fled, SO much land in alternate sections OF
parts of sections, as shall be equal to such
lands as the United States have sold, or to
which the right of pre-emption has attached
as aforesaid, which lands (thus selected in
lieu of those sold, and to which pre-emption
has attached as aforesaid, together with the
sections or parts of sections designated by
odd numbers as aforesaid, and appropriated
asaforesaid, shall be held by the Terrific
ry of Minnesota for the use and purpose
aforesaid: Prouided, That the lands to be
SO located 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 said road: ProUided further, That the
lands hereby granted shall be exclusively
applied In the construction Of that road for
which it was granted and selected, and shall
be disposed of only as the work progresses,
and the same shall be applied to no other
purpose whatever; find pfoUided further,
That any and all lands heretofore reserved
toAhe United States by any act Of Congress,
OF IN any other manner by competent au-
thority, for the purpose Of aiding in any
object of internal improvement, OF for any
other purpose whatsoever, be, and the same
are hereby reserved to the United States
from the operation of this act, except SO far
as it may be found necessary to locate the
route of said railroad through suchreseryed
lands, In which case the right of way only
shall be granted, subject to the approval Of
the President of the United States. -
- Sec. g And be it further enacted, That
the sections and parts of sections Of land,
which by such grants 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.
SEC. B. And be it further enacted, That
the said lands hereby granted to the said
Territory shall be subject to the. disposal of
any Legislature thereof, for the purpose a.
foresaid and no other, nor shall they enure
to the benefit of any company heretofore
constituted and organized, and the said
railroad 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
troops ofthe United States, nor shall any
OF said lands become subject to private en-
try until the same shall have been first offer
ed at public sale at the increased price
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
the lands hereby granted to said Territory
shall be disposed Df by said Territory only
IN manner following, that is to say, no title
shall vest in the said Territory of Mime
sofa, nor shall any patent issue for any part
OF the lands hereinbefore mentioned, until
a continuous length Of twenty miles of said