Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-01-22


There is no authority either in the
old statutes Or new for filling vacancies
III the office Of the Sheriff by appoint
nlent.
More discretionary power should be
given to courts, upon convictions for
minor offences in furnishing offenders.
The pardoning power is too often re-
sorted to in small cases for relief. In
some cases it becomes a necessity to
avoid manifest oppression.
| The assessment law of the last ses-
sion requires some alteration in it's ma
chinery.
The principle Of the law is correct,
and when thoroughly enforced, will
show vast increase in the value of
real and personal property in the State,
and more efectually equalize the bur-
then of taxation. It needs simplifca-
ton in order to bring about uniformi-
ty Of construction all over the State
The character and objects Of the law
invite great scrutiny and care
Either the time for holding town
meetings must be changed, or the time
for the election Of Judges, so that they
may be both held on the same day.
In the confusion arising from extra
ordinary e2igencies Of the last session,
numerous errors of the kind before
mentioned may have occurred beyond
those suggested.
LAND GRANTS FOR RAILROAD PURPOSES.
! The Lacrosse and Milwaukee, Ra;!=
road Company, which by an act of the
Legislature, approved Oct. II, A. D.
1858, was authorized, upon certain con-
ditions, and under certain restrictions,
to receive the benefits of a portion Of
the lands granted to this State for Rail
road purposes, by an act Of Congress
! approved Jan. Sd, 1856, has failed to
comply with the law, and the subject
of the disposition Of the grant, the
course of the company in regard to it,
and the important interests involved,
make it necessary that your attention
should be particularly called to their
consideration, and that you exercise in
their settlement great elaboration and
care. In the early part Of my official
term ny attention was called to the
subject Of these Railroad grants. Nv
predecessor on the 28th day of Decem-
! Der, 1856, gave to the Railroad a certi-
iicate that 40 miles Of road had been
completed according to the terms of
the act granting land to that company,
for which the company claimed three
hundred and sixty sections, or two
hundred and thirty thousand four hun
dred acres of land. The portion Of
railroad SO certified to have been COM
| pleted is on the line of the Lacrosse
e milwaukee, Railroad, and runs from
Portage City in q north-westerly dlrec-
ton. Ny examination Of the subject
satisfied me that the company was not
complying with the law, and in letter
to the Commissioner Of the Land Office
at W ashington, requested that all &C.
ton by that Department III regard to
the grant be suspended until further in-
formation from the Executive Depart
ment Of this State. Subsequently I
had frequent interviews with the Presi-
dent and Directors of the company and
informed them fully Of my views on
the subjects; and NY construction of
the law, and Of the course | should
pursue to compel q full compliance with
the law, and to protect the interests Of
| the State.
On the 31st day of May last, for
NAL request was made, by resolution of
the Board OF Directors Of the La
Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad Co.,
upon certain proofs furnished, that
another twenty miles Of railroad had
been completed. I was further re-
quested, at the same time, to execute
deeds Of conveyance Of the lands to
which the company claimed it was on
titled, under the certificate which had
been made by my predecessor. [ re-
fused to give any such certificate as
was requested, and also refused to exc
cute any such deeds Of conveyance.
The reasons OF my action were stated
in q letter to the President Of the Rail
road Company, dated June 28th, 1853,
and in letter to the Commissioners of
the Land Office, copies of which will
be furnished to the Legislature.
The company claims to have built
sixty continuous miles Of railroad west
from Portage City, and that it is emit
tied to receive therefor three hundred
and seven thousand two hundred acres
of land, and TO make up this amount it
asks two hundred and forty sections Of
land for the first twenty miles Of road
west Of Portage City. It has encum-
bered the grant to the extent of four
millions of dollars. To meet this in
debtedness, the lands to which the
right is now claimed, must sell at over
thirteen dollars per acre. The grant
was made for the purpose Of increasing