Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-01
THE RAILROAD SwINDLE-A FEW WORDS
TO CLAIMANTS.

TO CLAIMANTS.
As matters connected with the Wall street rail-
road company progress, new developments are
continually coming to light, not the least impor-
tant of which by any means, is the withdrawal of
the sale of the lands on the contemplated route
of the road. At the first glance there appears to
be nothing very startling in this action on the
part of the President, but little investigation
will soon convince any one that there is &C mig
ger in the wood-pile ~ and that he is busily at
work preparing to cut the throats of honest men.
Let us sec if there's any ground for surmises.
Conceding the fact for the time being, to arrive
at the necessary conclusions, that the lands recent
ly given to Minnesota inure to the Wall street
railroad company, and that the charter passed at
the last session Of our Legislature, is perfectly
valid and is also in the hands of said company,-
cOncedng this fact, let us see what course this
company will probably pursue relative to these
lands. 1t will be observed, by reference to the
act, that the grant of land gives to Minnesota
every alternate section of six sections in width, Of
land from Lake Superior to the Iowa Line, which
sections embrace six miles on each side of the
road, or twelve miles in all, beside the right of
way. All lands to which the right of pre-emp-
ton attaches, and the odd sections, exempt,
but the company can go beyond these pre- -cmpted
lands distance not to exceed fifteen miles, and
there lay claim. Now we will suppose the route
of the railroad is directly opposite St. Paul, on
the West side Of the Mississippi River. Granting
that the land on either side of the route is pre-
empted (as is probably the case for six miles, }
and that the company have no right to it, what
then? Why all land lying beyond that which is
pre-empted, for the distance of six miles. inclu-
ding the Military Reserve, except township 2o,
which is a small portion Of the whole, becomes
the property of the company. "But," says one,
"we will make the company pay for our claims
and the improvements we have made on them.'
How so? You are on Government land as tres
passers, and what right have you to ask Of a
company to indemnify you for taking possession
of that which is not yours? Well, then, we
will 60 to the General Government and see if we
can get any redress there?" You need not do
that, for the General Government will fine you
81 900 for going on its lands without its permis
sion, so you had better keep away. "Well, one
thing is certain, we can appeal to the Legislature,
lIldt UOuy Cuu ICuluHOldIO uo 1OA Jul VAOuuAN
No sir; there you are at fault. The company
claim the old charter which was passed by the
Legislature last year, and the Legislature now has
no jurisdiction that charter, and that charter
makes no provision for your case, how then are
you to be remunerated for money you have ex-
pended on your claim, while waiting anxiously
for the land to come into market? "Well, we
don't see but what they have got us. l can't see
any redress.'' You can't? We can. Go to
work and elect men who will pass new charter
which will make provisions for your case, and
then you can say to the company, g the Legisla-
ture of Minnesota says you shall make good my
loss by giving up some of the very best land in
the Territory to your purposes, and if you don't
do it, you forfeit your charter" In such case
you can have basis to act upon, but now, if all
the land included within the Military Reserve, is
withheld from sale, as it probably will be, except
the township we have mentioned, it will most as
suredy fall into the hands of Wall street specu-
lators, acho need not pay one single dollar for any
improvements rhich has been, made NJ
This is matter of considerable Importance to
persons who have claims on the Military Reserve.
And here is the secret why the lands are to be
withheld for sale. Is there not &c a niger in the
wood pile 20