Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-01-18

given to the State Treasurer TO nav off
any bonds outstanding against the State,
before maturing. whenever they are pre-
sensed, and the surplus of the State Treas
ury Will warrant him in so doing
The five per cent due the State from
the General Government. on sales of Gov
ernment lands within this State, has long
been withheld, for the reason thatan un-
settled claim existed against the State on
account of money received by the Terrific
ry OF Wisconsin, from sales Of land grant
ed to aid in the construction of the Mil
waukee and Rock Ri err Canal Congress
at Its last session passed a resolution re-
terrlng the whole question to the Secretary
OF the Interior for adjustment The
amount due the State ha sing reached sew
| eral hundred thousand dol ars, and It being
important to the interests Of the State that
this money should be obtained as soon rs
po'sib'e, in order that the interest thereon
might he saved to the fund TO which it be-
longs, | directed the Attorney General to
prepare full statement of the case on the
part of the State, and proceed to- Washing
| ton Immediately and lay it before the said
Secretary, and if possible procure final
adjus tment Of this question | am happy
to inform you that from information re-
ceived there is Il strong probability that
the State Treasurer the five per cent due
the State on sales of Government lands
within its limits, before :he close of the.
present session.
/ Several years since the General Govern
ment by act of Congress. granted to the
State Of Wisconsin large quantity of
land, known as swamp and Ovcrllowed
lands. Subsequent TO the grant con-
siderable portion OF the land thus granted
was sold by the General Governments 2
The money arising therefr,m has not as
yet been paid over to the State | have
not the date ut hand to ascertain the
amount due the State from this source /:
but from the examination | have been
able to give the subject am satisfied it will
not fall short Of fifty thousand dollars |
have presented the claim Of the State to
the Commissioner of the General Land
Office, and hope soon to be able TO place
the amount justly due the State from this
source. also, in the hands of the State
Treasurer
The able report Of our worthy Bank
Comptroller, herewith submitted, contains
many valuable and important suggestions
and recommendations concerning the
banking interests Of the State, to all which
| invite your attention.
The whole number Of banks doing bus
iness under the State banking system at
the close of tie last fiscal year was sixty
four (64)
The whole amount Of outstanding circu.
latlon of the State banks Mt the closa OF
the last fiscal year was 81 500, ,6I30e
The pub ic printer having refused TO
perform the work under his contract. and
1t being important to the interests of tho
State that another printer should be en-
played to do this work at m early day, |
would recommend that .he contract be-
tween the State and the present public
printer be annu led, the Commissioners
OF Public Printing be authorized to adror-
tIse Tor proposals and re-let the contrac.
for the unexpircd term without advertising
Tor SIX weeks as now provided by law
and that the Secretary OF State be directed
to procure all printing he may deem nee-
essarv for the interest Of the State to be,
} done from day TO day. unit q new con-
tract shall be made for the unexpired
term.
The duty Of disposing Of several iIupor-
tant grants Of land made by the General
Government to aid in the construction, Of
RAJ roads, Will devolve upon this Lcrisla-
ture. Many important questions present
themselves in connection with this sub
lect, but the limits Of this paper will only
Lands heretofore granted for like-pur-
poses have, in some instances, reBained
in the hands Of the companie, to which
they were gwen for great length of time
without being brought into market, or
have been held at so high price that no
one would buy them, thes deprising the
State OF taxes which would otherwise Dc
paid upon them, making ii ailhcnlt for in
habitants living near them to support
schools, and preventing the deveiopcment
of the country. instead Of aiding x rs they
were intended to do In other instances,
} the roads intended to be benefited by the
grants, haze never been built, and people
who purchased lands with the expectation
and promise OF Il road have never enjoyed
its benefits nor the State received tho
revenues to which it should be entitled
therefrom. Proper limits should be pre-
scribed, and guarantees taken to prevent
these abuses in the future.
On the 9th day Of May last, Pursuant
to chapter 345 of the general laws Of 1864,
/ a contract for continuing the work On tho
State Capitol was entered into by the
Building Commissioners with William
Goodnow, who is now engaged in the per
formance Of the work under his contract
Section four of the act above referred to,
provides, that the entire cost Of said,
work, whether included IN the spccifca-
tlons OF the architect or not, shall not eI-
ceed the sum Of sixty thousand dollars,'
and appropriates a sum sufficient TO defray
the cost Of the work authorized and pro-
vIed for in the first section of this act
Section nine of the same act provides that
the Commissioners shall not let the con-
tract for larger sum than. thirtv-fye
thousand dollars The Commissioners in
their action have necessari Y been gov
erned by the last named section and CON
sequently no contracts have been made
which call for the paymer. of a sum of
money larger than that last named. II
the Legislature desire the Building Com
missioners to continue the work further
as seems to be contemplated by said SEQ
ton four IL will be necessary 20 80 amend
the act as to take off the restrictions con-
tanned in said section nine.
The attention of the Legislature has
frequently been called to the militia laws
of the State. To insure q faithful execu>
ton Of the laws an eficien. military force
Il l. Al