Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-08-24
The Land Grant and La Crosse R. R. Co
LETTER FROM cov.RAxpA1I roruEu.S.Layp,

LETTER FROM GOV. RANDALL To ruE u.-. LAND OFFICE.
The Commissioner Of the General Land
Office. recently addressed a letter To Gov.
Randall, enclosing one received ~ the
department from n. T. Stanton, Prcsi-
dent of the Milwaukee & La Crosse road
in which letter Mr. Stanton asks the de-
parlment TO confirm TO the company The
ude 10 3O7 200 acres, for which il has
Gov. Bashford's certificate, which Gov.
Randall refuses TO do. Mr.. Stanton adds:
" The course Of the Governor is incxplic-
able, and says: In many personal in
terrieWs / have had with him (Goy. r. }
during the past few months, he has fur
nie.led, | may say, no reason for it
On these statements Of the letter Of
Mr.. Stanton, Commissioner Hendricks
requests that the Governor viii make
known at length to the department, his
objections to proceeding with the ad-
justmeut Of the Grant"
The Governors reply, which we find
in the Milwaukee Free Democrat Of last
evening, Is as follows:
EXECUTIVE OrrIcE, Madison. Wis.
August ,, 1888.
SIR:-Y our letter of July 23d. encIo-
sing the copy of a communication from n d.
Z. Stanton, ESQ, President Of the La
Crosse & Milwaukee r. r.. Co. IS re-
ceived la my letter of the 9TH of Feb
ruary, to your department, / did not give
at length the reasons for my reques, that
further action be suspended hy the Land
Department uu,ii fuI her information from
the Executive Department Of this State
have given them very frequently since
tha. time to Mr. Stanton, and 10 the d.
reCtoTs Of the La Crosse and Miiwauke
r. r., and Mr.. Stanton knows Them full
well. and that the same views were en-
terlained by the entire Legislature of this
State during the last winter. Mr.. Stan
ton and the entire Board Of Directors, Of
the La Crosse & Milwaukee r. r. Co,
have known these objections for six
months, and have done nothing, in my
iudgmy mt, towards compliance with tbe
law, Tut on the contrary have been using
a large amount of Land Grant securities,
at a most inezcusablc sacrifice, 20 build a
piece Of Raj Road from Tomah TO the
City of La Crosse. entirely of the line of
road for the building of which the grant
was made by Congress, and which II is
10, pretended by the Company thar they
We're authorized TO build with funds de-
rived from the sale Of land belonging to
/ that grant, or ly the sale Of securities
based upon that grant.
Tie act of Congress approved June 3D.,
1856, o. granting land 10 the State Of Wis
consin 10 aid IN the construction of Rail
Roads ii said State" provided IN the first
section. " that there be and is hereby
granted TO the State of Wisconsin for lhe
/ purpose of aiding IN tie construction of a
Rail Road from Madison or Columbus by
wav Of Portage City TO the ST. Crox Riv-
er or Lake between townships twenty-five
aud lhirtv-oue, and from thence TO the
west end of Lake Superior aud 10 Bay
field and also from Fond du Lac on Lake
Nmnebago northeriy to the State line,
every alternate section OF land dceiEua-
ted 10y odd numbers, for six sections in
width on each side Of said Roads reSpcc-
lively" Sc The second provision of sec
ton one reads, That the lands hereby
granted shall be exclusively applied IN the
construction Of The road for which it was
granted and selected, and shall be dispo-
sed Of only as the work progress, and the
same shall be applied 10 10 other purpose
Whatever"
Section reads: And be it furlhur
enacted that the lands hereby granted ID
said State shall be subject 10 the disposal
If the Legislature thereof, for tb Pur-
poses aforesaid, and 40 other" sc.
The Legislature Of tbs State, by an
act approved Oct l1th, lSj6 authorized
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