The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-15

hity, owned by any resident OF the State
and would also exempt from taxation fo
the same time all capital invested in tb,
State IN the manufacture of wooden goods
am well satisfied that the cultivation
OF iiax can be successfully and proftabl,
introduced in our State. 1t is yaluabl,
not only for the seed, but forthe lint which
under new process, is converted into
what is called Flax Cotton, am vel
assured that before the commencement oil
the Rebellion, a remunerative price could
be paid in our State for the fax straw.
which has heretofore been an entire loss
to the farmer, the fibre separated from the
wood, and The tow transported TO Boston
and manufactured into Flax Cotton, which
could fairiy compete in price and useful
ness with the cotton ofthe Southern States,
La order to stimulate our people to exam
inc the question carefully, and if possible.
Introduce among US a new and profitable
branch of Industry, recommend that an
capital invested in the manufacture oflin-
| seed oil or the conversion of fax straw
into lax cotton, beexemptcd from taxation
for FIVE years.
! Ii orr industry were more diversified.
| we would suffer less from fluctuations Of
prices of particular articles, and If as ne.
ccssity requires and opportunity offers, we
become manufacturers as well as produ-
GERS, We will increase our wealth and in
dependence
The report Of the Secretary Of the Az.
rlcultural College shows the action of the
Board Of Trustees since your last Session
l would gladly recommend liberal appro.
pr1atlons for the erection of the necessary
College and other buildings, if the con-
dition Of our finances would allow, but |
cannot now do SO. The farm and build.
ings are in such condition that failure
to make appropriations will not necessarily
work any injury TO them. The only un.
favorable result will be delay, and to that
we must submit Until our national diff
cuities are removed. heartily approve
of the policy adopted by the trustees Of
reserying the lands donated by the State
and BY individuals, and the bonds of Story
County to endow the institution. trusting
to the liberalty of the State and Of indi-
viduals IN more prosperous times for the
erection Of the necessary buildings.
LAND GRANT.
The Report of the Register of the
State Land Office shows the condition Of
the various grants of land made By the
Congress Of the United States to this
State
Very serious and embarrassing questions
have arisen from the conflicting interests
and claims of some of the Land Grant
Rail Road Companies and the Des Moines
Navigation and Railroad Company. There
have been much vacllaton and conflict
OF opinion and action amongthe heads Of
the Department of the Interior in regard
10 the extent of the Des Moines River
Land Grant. That Grant has been held
by one Secretary to extend only to the !
forks OF the RIVER at Des MONIES CITY; by
another 10 extend to the sources Of the I
River IN Minnesota, and By another to ex-
tend only TO the North boundary of our
State. One or more of the Secretaries
certified to the State ms part Of this Grant
large bodies Of land lying above the forks
Of the river within the limits of the State.
and the State subsequently sold and con-
reyed MANY Of these lands to individuals.
Atterward the State contracted with the
Des MONIES Navigation and Rail Road
Company to prosecute The work of Imoro-
wing the Des Moines River, agreeing to
convey to said Company the title of the
State to portions ofthe lands so certified TO
he State for that purpose, as rapidly as
he work progressed Under this arrnge-
nent the title of the State to many Of
hese lands was conveyed to the Des
doines Navigation and Rail Road Com
ANY. Subsequently by settlement with
he Des Moines Navigation and Rail Road
company the State conveyed to said
company the title of the State to the re
nalnder Of TIE lands which had been Ger
lied to the State by the Secretary of the
Interior, and at the same time convened
0 the keokuk, TT. Des Aioines a Mime
ota Rail Road Company its title to all the
ands Of said grant which had not been
ertiiied to the State by the Secretary of
he Interior, except fifty thousand acres :
eseryed for certain purposes. The Des !
ioines Navigation 4 Rail Road Company T
ave conveyed to individuals large bodies !
{ the lands thus conveyed to them 2
be lines of three Of the Land Grant Rail 9
ioads. the Dubuque 4 Skunk the +
'edar Rapids D. Missouri, and the Missis- J
ppi 4 Missouri, cross the Des Moines !
liver above its forks, and hence arises !
onfiict between these companies and the q
and their grantees, and the P
rantees Of the State who hold portions Of q
lose lands as part Of the original Des n
Ioines River Grant. These Rail Road
ompanies claim that the Des Moines o
lyer Grant never really extended above n :
% forks of the River at Des Noues, and q
lat consequently all eenyeyanccs mad, a: