The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-03-21

The Minnesota Land Grant.
AN ACT making a grant of land to the Territory of
Minnesota, in alternate sections to aid In the
structon Of certain Railroads in said Territory, and
granting public lands in alternate sections to the
State Of Alabama to aid in the construction Of
tain Railroad in said State.
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 railroads, from Stillwa-
ter, by way of Saint Paul and Saint Antho-
ny, to point between the foot of Big Stone
Lake and the mouth of Sioux Wood river.
with branch via Saint Cloud and Grow
Wing, to the navigable waters of the Red
river of the North, at such point as the
Legislature of said Territory may deter
mine from Saint Paul and from Saint An
thony, via Minneapolis, to convenient point
of junction west Of the Mississippi, to the
southern boundary of the Territory in the
direction Of the mouth of the Big Sioux
river, with branch via Faribault, to the
north line Of the State of Iowa, west of
range sixteen; from Winona, via Saint Pc
ter, to point on the Big Sioux river, south
of the forty-fifth parallel of north latitude;
also from La Crescent, via Target Lake up
the valley of Root river, to point of juno
ton with the last mentioned road, east of
range seventeen, every alternf tie section of
land, designated by odd numbers, for six
sections in width on each side of each of
said roads and branches; but in case it shall
appear that the United States have, when
the lines or routes of said roads and braches
are definitely fixed, sold any sections, or
any parts thereof, granted as aforesaid, or
that the right of presumption 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 or future State to Sc
lect, subject to the approval of the Secretary
OF the Interior, from the lands of the United
States nearest to the tiers of sections above
specified, so much land in alternate sections
II parts of sections, as shall be equal to such
PAnds as the United States have sold, or 9TH
erwise appropriated, or to which the rights
OF presumption have attached as aforesaid;
which lands (thus selected in lieu of those
sold, and to which presumption rights have
attached as aforesaid, together with the sec,
tons, and parts Of sections, designated by
odd numbers as aforesaid, and appropriated
as aforesaid) shall be held by the Territory
or future State of Minnesota, for the use
and purpose aforesaid; provided, That the
land to be so located shall, in no case, be
further than fifteen miles from the lines of
said roads or branches, and selected for and
on account of each of said roads or branch
es: Provided further, That the lands here
by granted for and on account of said roads
and branches, severally, shall be exclusively
applied in the construction of that road for
and on account of which such lands are here
by granted, and shall be disposed of only as
the work progresses, and the same shall be
applied to no other purpose whatsoever
And provided, further, That any and all
lands heretofore reserved to the United
States, by any act of Congress, or in any
other manner by competent authority, for
the purpose of aiding in any object of inter-
nal improvement, or for any other purpose
whatsoever, be-, and the same are hereby re-
served to the United States from the opera
ton of this act, except so far as it may be
found necessary to locate the routes of said
railroads and branches through such re-
served lands, in which case the right of way
only shall be granted, subject to the appro-
val of the President of the United States.
| Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
which by such grant shall remain to the
United States, within six miles on each side
of said roads and branches, shall not be sol !
for less than double the minimum price of the
public lands when sold; nor shall any of
said lands become subject to private entry
until the same shall have been first offered
at public sale at the increased price.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted That
the said land hereby granted to the said
Territory or future State shall be subject to
the future disposal of the Legislature thereof
for the purposes herein expressed, and no
other; and the said railroads and branches
shall be and remain public highways for the
use of the Government Of the United States,
free from toll or other charge upon the
transportation of any property or troops of
the United States.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
the land hereby granted to said Territory or
future State, shall be disposed of by said Ter
ritory or future State only in the manner
following, that is to say: That a quantity OF
land not exceeding one hundred and twenty
sections for each of said roads and branches,
and included within a continuous length of
twenty miles of each of said roads and
branches, may be sold and when the Gov
ernor of said Territory or future State, shall
certify to the Secretary Of the Interior that
any twenty continuous miles of any of said
roads or branches is completed, then another
quantity of land hereby granted, not to ex-
coed one hundred and twenty sections for
each of said roads and branches having
twenty continuous miles completed, as afore-
said, and included within a continuous
length of twenty miles of each of such roads
or branches, may be sold; and so, from time
to time, until said roads and branches are
completed; and if any of said roads or
branches is not completed within ten years,
no further sale shall be made, and the lands
unsold shall revert to the United States.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That
the United States Mail shall be transported
over said roads and branches, under the d.
rection of the Post Office Department, at
such price as Congress may by law direct
Provided, That until such price ia fixed by
law the Postmaster General shall have the
power to determine the same.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That
in case any lands on the line of said roads
or branches are within any Indian Territory
no title to the same shall accrue, nor shall
the same be entered upon the authority of
said Territory or State until the Indian title
to the same shall have been extinguished.
SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That
there be, and is hereby granted to the State
of Alabama, for the purpose of aiding in the