Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-12-31

Gy- Rumors from Washington state that
Minnesota will take the iniatory steps for adj
mission into the Union, as a State, at the
present session Of Congress, through her Del
egate Mr.. RICE. Probably only the south
ern portion of the Territory will be embraced
In the new State The present population is
stated at 100000. .~ss-'ssgsa' .FHss. s-s'.s'
Egs- The Flint Citizen states that Messrs.
PRATT & Mills, contractors, are, taking yig-
orous measures to prosecute the work on The
Port Huron aud Milwaukee Railroad.
Eg- All interested in the, Improvement
OF their minds are requested to meet at the
New School House, on Saturday evening, at
o'clock, for the purpose of reviving the
Grand Haven Lyceum, and taking measures
that shall prove effectual for its continuance.
11f LA-------------- 81
PACIFIC RAlLRoAD.--We ARE gratified to
see prominent members of Congress turning
their attention to great National enterprises,
chief and foremost among which is the Pacif-
&c Railroad and Telegraph, The following
is a synopsis OLA bill which runor says lis
about to I've submitted to the consideration of
our sage Legislators h ' 31g'h
"iG Washington, Dec. II.
It is understood that another Pacific rail
road bill is about to be introduced in the
House. 1t is on magnificent SCALE and is
entitled, "A bill to provide for the construc-
ton of railroads and telegraph communities
tions from the Mississippi river and Lake SUI
perior to the Pacific Ocean"
Three main roads are projected, viz: One
from a point on the Mississippi river, south
lat. AS deg, to San Francisco, with a branch
to San Dirgo-another from some point on
the Missouri river, north lat. 40 deg, and
south of lat. 43 deg, to San Francisco with
branch to Marysyile, Sacramento, Stoc
ton aud San ,Jocs-and the the third from
some point on Lake Superior to Puget'S
Sound with branch to the mouth Of the
Willamette river.
70 each of these routes, the bill proposes
TO grant thirty sectionsof land for each mile
of railrcal, the land to be selected by the
altics named in the bill from the nearest
unal p,opriated vacant lands of the United
States, Which shall be withdrawn from sale
or entry, or prescriptions; aud if required
shall be surveyed under the direction of the
Secretary of the Interior; provided that the
paltics named in the bill, shall not be com
PEELED to take any waste land and shall pay
TO the United States twenty-five cents Up
acre; pro,i led also that no title shall vest in
them, any faster than the roads are extend
ed to completion.
Further, they shall deposit with the Sec
rotary of the interior, within six months af-
TER the passage Of this act, 100000 in good
United States or State securities as guaran-
tee.
One hundred miles of each road must be
competed within eighteen months from the
When said hundred miles are ready for the
track, the Secretary of the Interior shall al
low the parties named the use of said $780,
600 to purchase iron therefor, and in lieu
thereof take first mortgage bond on the
road for that amount to be held until the en-
tire line is completed.
Under the bill the United States agree to
pay $500 % mile for the transportation Of
the mails until the completion Of the road,
and for ten years thereafter.
SWAMP LANDs.-As the final disposition
of the Swamp Lands will doubtless occupy
the attention of our State Legislature, at its
forthcoming session, we present the following
statement of the location and quantities o
such lands as reported in a hate issue of the
Grand Rapids Herald'
"The chief part Of the body of unsold
Swamp Lands, in this Peninsula, lie in th'
Land DiStiirts Of Genesce, and of Ionia, an
these lands are supposed 70 be the most val
uablc. There is about an equal amount in
each of the two last named Land Districts.
Taking the demand as test, those in the
Ionia district are probably the most valuable.
The applications to the Land Office, to pur-
chase these lands, are almost of daily occur
renee. The following are the amounts by
acres i'm each district: ,