The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-04-28
GIANTS on PUBLIC LANDS 10 IHE STATE "
NINNxUTA.

No state has ever entered into the Un-
ion so magnifcently endowed by the bounty
Of Congress IA Minnesota.
by the terms Of the Get which paced
Congress, 10 1857, authorizing the people Of
Minnesota To form q State Constitution,
preparatory TO entering the Union "A sov-
eIeign State, the following grants OF pubic
lands we're made TO the State:
F1rsf, That section. numbered sixteen and
THIRTY. six In every township Of public lands In
said State, and where either Of said Sections or
any part thereof. has been sold or otherwise
disposed Of other lands, equivalent thereto and
az Contiguous a. may be. shall be granted 10
sail state for the use Of Schools.
Steond. That seventytw sections Of land
shall be set apart and reserved for the use and
support Of State University, 10 be selected
By he Governor Of said state. subject 10 the
approval Of tho Commissioner 1t tbs General
Land ONCE, and ~ 10 appropriated and sp'
piled In such manner ~ the Legislature Of sAid
btAts may prescribe for the purpose Aforesaid,
but for no other purpose.
Third That ten entire Sections oil land, 10
be selected by the Governor Of said state, IN
legal subdiviaiens, shall be granted TO ,sid
state for the purpose OF completing The psbuc
buildings, or Tor the erection Of others ut the
seat Of Government, under the direction Of tho
Legislature thereof
Fourth, Thst oil salt springs within said
stst1. not exceeding twelve In number. with
six sections Of land adjoining, or ~ eontigaoas
40 may DO TO each, shall be granted TO said
STATE for its use the same 10 DO selected BY
tho Governor thereof, within one year after The
admission Of said State, AID when 40 selected,
10 be used or disposed Of on such terms, condi
lions aud regulations a. the Legislature shall
direct P,oeided, That no salt spring or land,
the right whereof Ia now vested In any indiyid
uaI or individuals. or which may be hereafter
confirmed or adjudgcd TO any individual or In
divduals, sbali, by this article, be granted 10
said State.
by the act Of the ID Of March 1857
Congress granted to the future State OF
Minnesota, 70 aid In the construction Of
certain lines of railroad described therein,
every alternate section Of land designated by
odd numbers for six sections In width on
each side Of aid railroad lines, amounting In
all, the railroad Surveys AMI locations hay
isg been made, TO 44sl $50 acres, TO be ap.
pied 10 the construction Of ll67 miles Of
Railroad. let US take them in their order
mAGSricENr SCHOOL FUND.
In no State have the foundations been
laid 40 deeply and broadly for that first OBJ
iect Of u free governmental free oduca-
ton Of the children Of the State. ~ In Min.
n,Sota, by the Organic Act OF the Territory
and confirmed IN the Enabling Act OF tho
State.
by the munidcencc Of Congress two Sec
tions out Of every township OF surveyed
4. l.. La lat hat Ia IN anu
eighteenth OF the entire landed area OF the
State. or about 1900 900 acres in all are
donated TO TIE people Of Minnesota and their
children's children forever, for the support
Of Schools. II has been found necessary 70
pass several stringent laws Tor the proven
lion Of dcprcdations upon the School Lands
but beyond this nothing has as yet been
done by the State for tho efficient admins
,ration of this splendid educational domain
A school Law was passed by the last legisla'
turc but 40 defective In some " it's provis
Ions N to receive the veto Of the Governor
The careful husbandry Of this immense 90
tate for the purposes Of the grant such
vigilant guardianship as We may be sure the
intelligent people Of this State will exercise
In the administration OF this important
trust will secure for education in Minneso-
Ia q fund more splendid than the combined
cpdowments Of all the corporate institutions
of learning In the Eastern and Middle
States. Already fourth part OF this land
Is worth from Ave 10 ten dollars per acre
In twenty years from ths time, IL will, in
the ordinary progress Of things, be- worth
throughout an average Of ten dollars pcr
acre, that Is to say. an aggregate oil
S2s 900, 900.
AUNrriCssr PROVISION ron A STATE UNI
vkRsITy.
The seventy-two sections Of land sci
apart by Congress, in the organ ration o
the Territory. for the use anl support OF u
State University, have long ago been 81,
lec,cl for the benefit OF the University, IL
the most desirable situations, and embrace d
considerable quantity Of valuable pine lands
10 the Sc. Cfoui Lard District with very
judcious selections Of farming lands in Ric,
and other interior counties,
The Territorial Legislature Of Miunesotu
in 1881. passed An Act to Incorporate
the University OF Minnesota, at the Falls o
ST. Anthony" and providing that the pro
ocls Of the Congressional Land Grant shall
remain perpetual fund Tor It's support, am
vcs,ing the administration Of the fund al,
,rustcsship OF the Institution in board .
twelve regents elected by the Legislature
The site selected for the Institution is 4
very charming one, overlooking the plctur'
wque scenery OF the Falls o, St. Anthony
and embrsc,s handsome square purchass
OF Franklin Sterile. capable Of effective EN-
bellishment One Of the first steps Of tn
Board Of Regents was the establishment .
preparatory department, in frame build
ing, opened November Is. 1851, by Prof
f.. W merrill
In 1856 this preparatory institution wa
replaced by large and handsome elItce o
stone. designed 10 form ono wing Of tho fuiur
University. To build this structure, which
has cost about $4,000, We believe tn
Board Of Regents were allowed 10 issue thell
Bonds, secured by mortgage upon the land
in question. The Institution is not yet IL
operation. and We are not aware that any
steps have brn taken to put il in operat ion