Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-04-09
I'M ESOTA, SATURDAY MORNING. Pr &C. q a,ozo

mile, by appropriating lands outside of tn,
six mile limits, but within fiften miles
on each side. These indemnity sections
las they are called must be selected
from the lands nearest to the six mile limits
until the deficiency caused by previous sales
or vested rights of pre-emptors within si1
miles on each side of the roads, is supplied
The Government has decided that the right o
Kapsaad' Company, to which the State has
transferred the grant oflands, is vested when
ever the Engineer has driven his stakes, de.
finitely fixing any portion of the route. The
date OF such field-work, on every portion of a
route, is therefore carefully noted, and is un-
derstood to have the full force in favor of a
Company ofa prior settlement by an indiyidu-
al pre-emptor. Of course, the Company,
like "a pre-emptor, must 60 forward and com,
plete the title as prescribed by law but there
can be no interfering claim. ,,,,..-.. 20 .-.rs.
1t has been decided by the Attorney Gen
eral of the United States, that the language
employed in these railroad land grants ''that
there be and is hereby granted" &c-vests
the title of the Government without any ne
cessity for future patents from the Executive.
The State, or Company receiving the grant
of lands from State, may maintain an action
of trespass like any other owner and posses
sor of property. While this is so, yet the
Act restraints the right to sell except as pre-
scribed in Section 4 (Which will be fully con,
sidered hereafter) and adds this important
condition. I" that if any of said roads or
branches is not completed within ten years
from March 3, 1857 of coursel no further
sale shall be made, and the lands unsold
shall reuert to the United States."
., III.
THE LAND GRANT RAILROAD ROUTES AND THE
ACTION OF THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE
IN RELATION THERETO. ..
With this preliminary statement of the gen.
eral nature Of the grant, Iproceed to a sketch
of the roads and branches to the construction
of which, severally, the act directs the lands
to be exclusively applied. .... "
Routes l AND 2.-"From Saltwater, by
way of Saint Paul and Saint Anthony, to
point between the foot of Big Stone Lake and
the mouth of Sioux Wood River this point
fixed by the Legislature Of Minnesota at
Breckenridge with branch via Saint Cloud
and Crow Wing, to the navigable waters of
the Red River of the North at such point as
the Legislature of said Territory many deter
mine" (and whichhas been fixed at Saint Vir-
cent on the international boundary in lat. 49, }
The Legislature on the 22d of May, 1857
organized the Minnesota and Pacific Railroad
Company, and vested the lands granted in be-
half of the foregoing Main and branch lines in
said Company. The Charter'inade Saint
Anthony the point Of junction between the
Main and branch lines and included Anoka
as point on the route of the branch line.
Routes 8 AND 4.-"From Saint Paul and
Saint Anthony, via Minneapolis, to conve-
nient point of junction West of the Mississip-
pi to the Southern boundary of the Terrific
ry in the direction of the Big Sioux river,
with branch via Faribault, to the North line
Of the State of Iowa, West Of range sixteen"
The grant for the Main line above describ-
ed was vested in the Southern Minnesota
Railroad Company Gas now styled,) with
route "from Saint Paul and Saint Anthony,
via Minneapolis, to point of junction at Sha-
kopee City,'in the County Of Scott, and thence
via Belle Plaine, Clarksville, LIE Seur, Ira
vers de Sioux, Saint Peter, Kasota, Mankato
and South Bend to the Southern boundary of
the Territory of Minnesota in the direction of
the mouth of the Big Sioux river" Another
disposition was made of the foregoing grant
Of lands for branch line. By section chap
ter of the legislative act the Minneapolis and
Cedar Valley Railroad Company was "a. tho
rized to survey, locate, construct, complete
md perpetually to have, use and maintain and
operate with one or more tracks railroad
rom Minneapolis, in the direction of Fari-
oault to point Of junction with the afore-
said railroad from Saint Paul to the Southern
of the Territory of Minnesota in
Ilc uUcCttOll VI tllS VI tAC SlOuA
liver, said point of junction to be in the Coun-
~ of Dakota, from one to six miles from
Mendoza in Southerly direction, thence
rom said junction or crossing of the said road
rom Saint Paul via Faribault to the south line
If the Territory of Minnesota, west Of range
sixteen, and for that purpose shall have, pos
Jess and enjoy and exercise the same rights,
privileges, franchises and immunities with re-
erence to the said route or any railroad to be
constructed thereon, as it possesses or enjoys
n reference to the road described in the Act
If Incorporation of said Company" and trans
erring to the Company, the Congressional
land grant "applicable to the said road or
QUITE" . 3d.. f..-.
ROUTE g." From Winona, via Saint Pc
er, to point on the Big Sioux river, south of
he forty fifth parallel of north latitude"
This grant was transferred to the Transit
Railroad Company, without other conditions
han those expressed in the act of Congress-
is corporate powers were also specifically ex-
OScI IllC IOutC dS dUONC uCSClloCu.
ROUTE 6.-"From La Crescent, via Tar
Jet Lake, up the valley of the Root river to a
,oint of junction with the last mentioned road
Transit by territorial legislationl east of
ange seventeen
This grant was transferred to the Southern |
Minnesota Railroad Company with cores
'onding extension of its corporate authority
% build and operate the. line eeI .a4.i .s
Thus it will be seen that the Minnesota
md Pacific has the two Northern lines the |
Southern Minnesota has the Minnesota VAL
ey route and also the line from La Crescent
o the junction with the Transit, fixed by the |!
legislature at Rochester the Minneapolis and
Cedar Valley has the branch line, from the |
Vt - Il ~