Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-01-23

1.-THE State. 1t never could be paid, and
would have led, as a last resort, to repudi-
alton and public disgrace. | recommend
that every act of the Legislature author
/ ling towns, counties and villages to loan
their credit to private corporations, where
their bonds have not already been issued,
be at once repealed, and that the cities be
restrained from any further loans Of a sim
liar character.
FIVE PER CENTUM.
The General Government continues to
Withhold from this State the five per cent
um of the proceeds eff sales of he tiovern-
ment lands lying in this State. Whether
insufficient efforts have been made by the
agents of the State to obtain the amount
due, which is at the present time is esti-
mated at about $4,000 or whether the
payment is delayed on account of a pre-
tended though unfounded claim against
this State; growing out of its connection
with the Milwaukee and RockRiyer Canal
Grant, or whether tits the settled purpose
OF the Government, for causes beyond our
control, to withhold the amount due the
State, cannot with any satisfaction be de-
termined. The attention of our Senators
and Representatives should be called par
ticularly to do justice by payment of the
amount due the State. 1t should be as
|certained without delay whether the five
per centum is to be permanently withheld,
L., xrhot1o~ vra n a. ,,IfivDafaIu tn raoix
ize any benefit from the claim Of theState,
and if so, how soon. In this time of finan-
tcial embarrassment, while the ST ate is en-
gagged in the erection of necessary and ex-
penslve public buildings,its paym,n mt would
be a great relief to the people.
FOX RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
| have no definite informa ton upon
which to base any recommendation in re-
gard to the Fox and Wisconsin river i'm
%prove,nent. It's an enterprise Of great
Importance to the northern part of the
State, and should be treated justly, with
out regard to any local jeslousies. No
portion of the State can prosper too much
and the substantial prosperity of one por-
ton should not be looked upon with jeal-
ousy by any other. 1t is the business,
however, of the Legislature to look after
the manner in which the work upon it is
conducted, and to take care that the terms
of the grant of land made in its aid are
fully complied with. The State mast pro-
t ct itself from being involved in any liza
bility on account of a misrepresentation of
the land granted, or a transportation Of
the funds realize upon a sale of those
lands. 1t would be we'll to have a com
mittee appointed to examine and report
10 the Legislature. whether the terms of
the grant have been, so far complied with
in prosecuting the Improvement.
MILITIA AND STATE ARMS.
More adequate provision should be
made for the organic .tion of the militia
system of the State. If the proper steps
are taken and exhibits made, the State
will be entitled to receive during the pre-
sent year,arms t. The value of twenty four
thousand dollars. Some safe and conmo-
,lious place ought to be provided for de-
posting and preserving them. The vol
%unteer companies already organized are an
honor to themselves AMI to the State, AMI
arc entitled to favorable public con.ilera-
Ition.
PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The necessity of a ~!horoughfare BY
wagon Or Railroad. Or by bo,h, in our own
latitude, to the Pacific, for the convenience
of trade and navigation, is so apparent
;hat suggest that The next Legislature
join in the Efforts now being made for that
purpose, and memorialize Congress on the
subject. From the head of Lake Superb
or to Puget Sound, the distance in a di-
rect line is about fourteen hundred miles.
and by the railrord route lately explored
by Gov. Stevens about eighteen hundred
miles. The explorations and surveys Of
the several routes-northern, middle, and
southern-have resulted in establishing
the fact that the northern route possesses
advantages over all the others yet explor-
ed, in these particulars: 1t requires, by
connecting with present roads, less railroad
to be built, to make a complete Railroad
communication between the Atlantic and
Pacific, by several hundred miles. 1t is
through a better district of country-one
capable of sustaining an agricultural pop
%ulatlon nearly the entire way. The grad
tents are less and the general altitude
much lower. 1t furnishes "a greater sup
ply, with more general distribution of wood,
timber, coal, water and building stone, and
facilities for supplying work'nen aud ma
lerial in the progress Of the work. Be-
tween the navigable waters of the Nilsson
ri at Fort Benton, and the navigable wa
tiers of the Columbia at the mouth of the
Peluse river, fifty miles above Fort Wul-
luh- Wullah, the distance is 450 miles,
With these and other facilities for furnish
ing supplies, the work of constructing this
railroad can be simultaneously commenced
and carried forward, at Lake superior, Pu-
get Sound, Fort Benton anil Fort Wullah-
Wullah, thus requiring less time for its
completion, than other routes, where the
work must necessarily be continuous from