The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-02-18
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Correspondence Of the Advertiser.

FnOm THE CIAFITALs
Correspondence Of the AAvert!se,
Dxs 1oISEs, February 18th, 1854
The question Of resuming the lands
granted by the State to tho r. Il. COM
panies, is assuming considerable magni.
tude. The representatives Of the differ.
ent roads have arrived. and will, Of course,
attempt to exercise M influence over leg
islation, by the use of their usual argu-
ments and appliances: They alledge
poverty, to excuse themselves for the
uon performance Of the conditions of their
grant; while for the purpose Of gaining
favor they make profuse promises for the
immediate construction of Rsilroads in
various parts Of the State. They have
held several caucuses and have promised
TO release all contested claims along the
lines, except claims in counties on or near
tie Des Moines River. BY making
such promises, BY missta.iDg the object
Of those who are in favor Of resumption,
and by portrsyiog tho great benefits to
be derived from Railroads they have sue.
ceeded 10 changing the minds of some Of
tho members. '
The reasons for resumption are not
thoroughly understood on the part Of
some, and are grossly misrepresented BY
others. Those who are in favor Of resum.
Jog the lands granted to the Railroads
do not wish to cripple the roads, or dis
courage their construction; but merely
design to compel them to do justice to
the State and large class Of private To-
dividusls who derive their title mediate
" or Immediately from the State. Their
reasons for resumption may be gathered
from the following
In 1916 the United States granted to
the State Of Iowa, for the improvement Of
the navigation of the Des Moines River,
all govssoment lands within a certain
distance Of the river. For short time
the State claimed land on each side ofihe
river to it's source; but the department at
, Washington finally construed the grant
to extend to the northern boundary Of
the State. The extent Of the Des Moines
River Grant was settled and we'll cstab.
lished between the State Of Iowa aud the
United States, prior to the grant to the
, Railroad companies. In 1916 Congress
, passed an act, approved in March of said
year, granting to the State of Iowa, to
aid in the construction of Railroads,
every alternate section Of land for six
sections in width on each side Of four
seperatc Railroad lines, to be located
across the State as follows: One from
Burlington to the Missouri river near the
mouth of the Platte, one from Davenport
via Iowa City and Des Moines to Couu-
Gil Bluffs, one from Lyons to Maquoketa
and thence near the forty.second paral-
lei across to the Missouri River, and the
fourth from the city Of Dubuque to the
Missouri River near Sioux City.
| These grants, it will be seen at once,
crossed the Des Moines River grant. 1t
was stipulated in said act of Congress
that if after said Railroad lines we're
established, it should appear that the
United States had sold, or individuals
had preempted, lands included in the
Railroad grants, that the State might
select lands in lieu thereof within fifteen
miles of the said lines. 1t was alsc
further stipulated In the act of Congress
alluded to, "That any and all lands here
tofore reserved to the United States BY
any act of Congress, or in any Other
manner by competent authority, for the
r purpose of aiding in any objects Of utter
nal improvements, or for any other Iur-
pose whatsoever, be and the same are
, hereby reserved from the operations Of
= this act, except so far as it may be foune
= necessary to locate the routes of sal,
9 Railroads through such reserved lands
;. in which case the right Of ,cay only shall
q DO granted, subject to the approval Of tn
!. President Of the United States.
n Thus it was understood that the Rail.
o road grant did not in any portion of tn
}. pes Moines River grant except the RICH
is Of way across the latter as above provided
9 Meanwhile the State had Through it
I. own agents or by contract} been improy
&c ing, or rather endeavorine to improy
the navigation Of the Des Moines, an
= had disposed of portion of the live
b grant for that purpose; and in 1858 tn
II State settled with the Des Moines Nav
h CATION and Railroad Company, and 10 tn
" settlement disposed of large portion q
If the grant above the Race; on Fork. Tn
70 remainder of the grant which had nc
If previously been disposed of to privst
De individuals was granted to the Keokul
of Fort Des Moines and Minnesota r. r
ds Company on certain conditions.
IN Thus all parsies,-the Stat, of low;
D. the United States and the Railroad con
% panies, all acted upon the agreement an
ed understanding that the river grant wer
,al to the boundary Of the Stste, and th,
re the Railroads only had the right of wa
across said grant. This was the uode,
,al standing until 1859, when the Supren
A. Court decided that the River grant di
&C. not extend above the Raccoon Fork.
IN 1860 or 81 Congress passed an act
at confirm the river grant to the northc,
n boundary for the purpose of couuterac
:, inc the decision of the Surname ro,