The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-01-27
The Land Grant.

speaks OCT in as bold, stra ghttorwaTd,
truthful and an able manner the views and
opinions we entertain aud have heretofore
attempted 70 express to our readers, and
we trust the present Legislature will not
adjourn without adopting by proper en-
actment the suggestions therein contained
1t is due to the people CT the State, that
their representatives at the Capitol "do
these things" aid by the passage of the
most stringent laws, declare to the world
that Railroad s1indIers can no longer
| flourish in Wisconsin, and that the days
| Of Railroad directors and officers becoming
rich by SHINING innocent stockholders
are at an end:
Whatever may be the opinion in the alb
stract In regard to land grants for purposes
Of internal improvement, there can be no
question as to the fact that the lands
granted to Wisconsin have proved an IN
nitigated curse. 1t is true that there may
have been no necessity of so managing
these trusts as to render them curses rath-
er than blessings; but such has been the
result, and such appears to be the usual
end OF all such grants. Like fortunes, left
to thriftess or inconsideiate youth. thew
have entailed untold damage upon our ma
terial as well AS moral welfare, and wears
of purdent eXertion will be required to re-
p.ieve the injury and restore the credit Of
the State.
The first grant was for the construction
Of the Milwaukee and Rock River Canal. a
work which was never prosecuted, and %
years have hardly obliteratei the bal of
fects Of the encouragement of the trust
Our readers are all familiar with the
excitement and spirited competition al
tending the acceptance and disposition of
the stupenious grants for two lines Of
Railroad to Lake Superior. The grants
were mariticent, and there is no question
but if they had been disposed of with a
view only to the construction Of the roads
contemplated, the work would now have
been in such a state of forwardness as would
have guaranteed their completion within
the time fixed by Congress. With 10 pur-
pose to reflect upon the conduct of any in
| dividual or company, we wish to consider
| the present situation of the matter, and if
possible, to find means to retrieve tie State
from further embarrassment or damage in
the promises.
THE NORTH WESTERN GRANT.
Was disposed Of to the La Crosse Com
pauy upon certain conditions. Those con
ditions have not been complied with and
not a mile Of road has been built on lie
line Of the proposed land grant road. which
would not have been constructed without
the grant Millions Of bonds have been
issued and The grant has been used TO fer
Their the speculations of individuals and
! the people of the State have been led into
| irretFievasle embarrassment, in the cXpec-
talon of an early completion Of The road.
It may lie true that the road from the
! Lumcnweir valley TO Ia Crosse, would not
have been constructed if the Ia Crosse
Company had not secured the grant
How ever this NAV be ;hey had no right to
divert the grant or delay the const. uctiou
of the road or pervent this to trust to fur
| Their other projects or TO secure private
purposes. SO far as the grant Las feen
used for the purpose for which it was made
it oughtto be binding AMI no farther.
So far then AZ the action of tie Comnqnr
exercising the control Of his trust is con
cernel. the grant is il cumberel with mil
lions Of bonds, while not one Of the pro
visions of the law have been complied with
and the only hope of the proper appropri
alton Of tie proceeds Of the bonds is in leg
5lative action, which will compel the
| Company to proceed immelliateIv to the
construction of the road, or to yield the
grant to others.
The NoRTH-EASTERN GRANT
Was PIT into the hands of a COMPANY
created by the Legislature; a Company
which shamefnIly and disgracefuliy aban-
doned the trust and transferred it to a for
elgn Company, to whom it had been deni-
ed 10y the Legislature. By bribery and
corruption this last Company obtained the
grant and their first act was 10 charge the
grant with the amount which had been
pal't IN such corruption and issue stock or
bonds to the amount Of about quarter Of
million thus claimed to have been ex.
pended.
Having secured the grant, the Chicago
q Fond du Lac Co, proceeded at once to
use the credit Of it to extricate its Board
OF Directors or officers from the emharrass-
mcnts IN which they had been placed in
constructing roads out Of Chicago anil in
other more private speculations. Here,
again the grant was encumbered- far as
this company had power to cucumber it
Tor other purposes than the construction of
the road tor which it was expressly given,
TO the amount we are crediby informed,
of over five millions of dollars. and not
blow struck on the road or dollar spent
IN tur;herance Of the object for which the
lands were given, viz: the opening Of a
road from Fond .du Lac to Lake Superior.
Sixteen miles of road have been built BY
this company, it is true, but that was in
pursuance Of existing Obligations assumed
before obtaining the transfer of the grant
from the trustees of the State. They OBJ
tained 100000 in bonds from the cities
OF Fond du Lac and Oshkosh in considera-
ton OF constructing the road to the latter
city which finally after three years ofdelay
they have completed and for which they
| claim title to horton of the 1anJs Of tho