The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-28

..,-s Paul, Friday, yuly IS, 1885.
~>a R.ilroaA Lands Of Hlinnes0ta..
Vsr.t division OF tho &c. Paul and
Pasine....Exsraoraln Induce
msnts % Settlers. .
By the act OF March Sd, 1867, Congress
usnted'to the Territory Of Minnesota q
large body of lands to aid in the oonstruc-
ton of certain railroads within the limits
Of the present State.
The act designates six routes or lines of
railroad, and grants to each road six Sec
tons or $40 acres per mile; by the leg
islstion Of last winter the grant was in
creased to ten sections or 6,400 acres per
mile. These lines of road, endowed by
tho General Government reach nearly
every part Of the State, and the control of
q great body Of lands thus passes into
the hands Of the Companies charged by
the State with the construction of the diff
fsrent railways. The pre- emptions and
homestead laws of the United States do not
affect these lands, nor will they be offered
for sale or become subject to private entry
under the acts of Congress. The manner
in which they are disposed of by Congress-
ional and State legislation, and the policy
which each company may adopt for itself
in the sale and disposal Of them become
matters of great interest not only to those
now resident here, but to all who look to
the healthy climate and rich lands of Min
nesota for a permanent home. We shall
endeavor therefore fun time to time
to give our readers early and ruM ;n-
formation upon these important points, as
they develop themselves in the several Or
carnations.
The First Division of the St. Paul and
Pacific Railroad Company, is corporation
created under and by virtue Of the laws Of
the Territory and State of Minnesota, and
is charged with the construction OF road
from St. Paul by way of st. Anthony to q
point between the foot Of Big Stone Lake
and the mouth of Sioux Wood River; this
il known as the "Main Line" It ex-
tends from St. Paul ola st. Anthony and
Minneapolis, almost due West across the
entire State, and is about two hundred
miles long; its land grant extends through
the counties Of Hennepin, Carver, Wright,
Mcleod, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Monongalis
and Pierce. oo7 !. a'&!'. 1880 81
The road is furnished and the cars are
running upon this line between St. Paul
and St. Anthony, distance Of ten miles,
and the company has completed large
part Of the grading between Minneapolis
and Wayzata on Lake Minnetonka some
fourteen miles further on. r.. =,
Section of the act of Congress March
Sd, 1857, gave the State right to sell
100 sections Of land in advance of con-
struction.) u.s.. taa
The State Legislature in making the
grant to the company changed this pro-
vision so that the company could receive
its first l2O sections only on the compile
ton of the road between st. Paul and st.
Anthony 80 that regular trains of cars
were running thereon, and not before.
(Act approved March 10, 1862, sec. 6.
Under these provisions of law, the COM
pany received from the Governor of the
State of Minnesota, its first deed Of lands
along the main line on the 18th day of
September, 1854. The deed describes the
lands according to government sub-di-
visions and surveys, and conveys by these
descriptions, rs, 235 63-100 acres of land.
By act of Congress approved August
I'd, 1854, it was provided that the certif-
cate of the General Land Office in WASH
ington should vest the title in the State in
fec to the lands so certified 50 far as en-
braced within the grant.
The General Land Office has certified
to the State 1885, $3.50 l4-1O0 acres for this
line under the act of 1867. The addi-
tional grant under the act of March, 1866,
has not yet Leen adjusted. On the com.
pletion Of ten miles of this line from St.
Anthony, making in all twenty continuous
miles from St. Paul, the Company will be
entitled to another deed of 100 sections.
This same Company is also charged
with the construction of another line of
road, known as the "br anch line," ex-
tending from St. Anthony, where it con-
meets with the "msin line. /" in northern
direction along the east bank of the Mis-.