Demoine courier., 1856-05-22
Iowa Railroad Grant.

- - ~ -
SYafe of Jono, in alternate secfions.
TO aid in the consf, ucfi0n Of railroads
in said STATE.
BE 1t enacfed By the Senate and House
OF Rep, esenfativfs Of the United STATES
Of .Ameriedtn Congress assembied.-
1'hs. there be, and 10 hereby g.anted to
the State Of Iowa, for the purpose oil
aiding construction of railroads from Bur.
ling,on on tho Missisappiriyer. 10 a point
on the Missouri river near the mouth oil
lhe Platte river; from the city Of Daven.
port, via Iowa City and F. Des Moines,
70 Council Bluffs; from Lyons Guy,
nor,hwesterly. TO a point Of intersection
with the main line of the Iowa Central
AR Line R.ilroad. neW Maquoke,a;
thence on said main line, runhins al near
a. practicable 10 the forty second parallel,
across the said State TO the Missouri riv-
er; from the city Of Dubuque 10 a poin,
on the Missouri river, near Sioux City.
every alternate section OF land, Gesigna.
ted by odd numbers. for elk sections in
width on each side Of each Of said roads.
Bot in case i. shall appear tina, the U 8
have, whec the lines or rouses OF said
roads are definitely fixed, cold any sec.
tons, or any parts thereof, granted as a.
foresaid. or ,ha, the right Of presumption
has attached to the same. then it sball be
lawful for any agen, or agen.s 10 be APP
pointed by The Governor Of said STATE to
select, subject 10 the approval OF the
Secretary OF the Interior, IRON the lands
oil The United States nearest TO The Sec
lions above specified, SO much land in
alternate sections, as shall DE equal 10
such lands as The United States have
sold, or Otherwise appropriated. or to
which the rights Of presumption have at
iached as aforesaid; which lands (thns
selected iii lieu Of Mose sold and Ia which
pre- eulp,ion rights have attached as afore
said. together with the secnous and parts
of sections designated bv odd numbers,
as aforesaid, and appropriated as afore-
said) shall be held by The State Of lnwa,
for the use and purpose aforesaid; Pro
viied. That the land to be SO iocs,ed
shall in no case be further Than fifteen
miles from the lines Of said rpads: Pro
rided further, i'ha, the lands he,eby
granted for and on account pf SAID roads.
severailv, shall be exclusively applied ~
the construction of that road iur and on
account Of which such lands are hereby
granted. and shall be disposed Of only
as the work progresses, and the same
shall be applied 10 no other purpose
whatsoever; .And provided Further,
That any and all lands heretofore reseIv
ed 20 the u. States by any act of Con-
gress, or in any other manner by cor
pe,ent authority, for The purpose oi aid.
ing in any object Of Internal improve
men,. or for any other purpose whaiso-
ever, be. and the same are hereby. re
served To the United States from the op
Grafton Of lhi. act. exceptso far as il may
be found necessary TO hca,e the routes
Of said raileOads through ruch reserved
iande; and IN winch case the right of way
only shall be granted, auhjeci tn the APP
prevail Of the President OF the United
States. dJ 5fF asa ~
SIC. 2. And ilbs further enacfed,
That the sections and paris Of sections oil
lard which, by such grant shall remain
10 The United S,a.es wi,h,r six miles on
each side OF said roads. shall no, be sold
for less than double iiIs minimum price
Of the public lands when sold; nor shall
any Of said lands become subject 10 pri
3. e entry until The same have been frs,
offs. I'd q, public sale at the increased
price.
SEC 3. find be IL farther enacted.
That the said lanes hereby granted to
the said SNts shall be subjec. 10 the dis.
posal of the Legislature thereof for she
purposes ~aioresa.d. aod 40 other; and
the said railroads shalt be rnJ remain
public highways for We Use Of the gov
ernmert OF the Unlied StA.es. free from
toll OF other charge upon the ira: ssporta
lion Of any properly or troops Of the
Uni,ed States.
Sgc.4. .Hnd be it further edactta.
That the land hereby granted 10 said
State ehall be disposed of by said State
ouiy il nsnner following: that is to say,
tina, a quantity OF land. not exceeding a
haadred and twenty sections for each
of said roads, and included within q cOn-
,innous length Of twenty miles OF each
Of said roads, may be sold. and when
the Governor Of ssic State shali certify
to the Secretary OF the Interior that any
twenty continuous uilos Of any Of said
roads is completed. then another quan,i.
~ OF land hereby granted. not 10 exceed
one hundred and twenty sections for
esoh O: said roads having twenty con-
iinuoue mlss completed as Aforesaid. and
included within a continuous length Of
twenty miles Of each Of said roads, may
be sold; and 90, II ON time 10 time. until
said roads are completed; and il any OF
said raods is not completed within ten
years, no further sale shall be made, and
The lands unsold shall revert 10 the Uni
ted Slaies. 3s4
SEC. S. Andbe IL further snacfed.
That she United States mail shall be
transported over said roads. uOder she
direction Of ihe Post Office Department
at euch pride a. Congress may . by law
direct: PROVIDED. That until ouch price
is Fixed by law, ihs Pos:mas.sr Gsnaral
shall have the power 10 determine the