, 1865-08-03
SECRETARY HARLAN TO LIEUT., COL,
SIMPSON.

WASHINGTON, D. C.. June ., 1865. E..
61R-The War Department having detailed
you tor special duty, under the directions Of
of fhs oD see N Ro'd %
Company for an amended location Of por-
tIon OF The route Of their road between
Omaha City and the crossing Of the E1khoru,
tncloEe foryour Information certain reports,
a map and copies Of eundry letters as follows:
the Union Pacific Ralroad Company, under
date Of May 18th, 1885; requesting the sp-
proJal By the President Of The amended Or
new location, together with "exttucta from
the minutes Of the Executive Committee and
Board of Directors Of the Company"
ior 10 The President OF til. Unlted States, IN
relation to the approval Of said new location,
and Recommending that q competent officer
Of the Engineer Corps be detailed to make
examination and report in relation to the
relative advantages OF the approved and the
proposed location, and dated the 18th Of
5. Letter Of secretary Of the Interior 10
Hon. John L. Dix, under date Of 10th Nag,
and tnquiring whether the Company adheses
10 their request for the approval Of the new:
location, and inclouzlnE copy lof preceding
lettar.
4sh. Reply Of hon. John A. Dix, May ga,
1865, stating that 1.-THE Company adhere TO
thelr request for new location OF their road
west Of Omaha" 49,
to detail competent Engineer in accordance
with the Recommendation OF the Secretary;
" st6. t5. Litter from the Secretary Of Var to
Secretary Of the Interior, dated Juno Sd,
| 1885. stating that Lieut. Col. James b. simp-
'eon had beea detailed to make the proposed
| examination.
7lh. Order Of the Secretary Of War, 31st
May, directing Lieut.. Col Simpson to report
in person to the Secretary Of the Interior
"for duty IN connection With the e1amlna-
ton Of The lines Of the Union Pacific Rail-
ssh. Letter Of Secretary Of the Interior,
urdes da'c Of 5th iuEtant, to Hon. John a.
| DIx, requesting maps and diagrams showing
the actual loca uon Of the approved line aud
Of the proposed line, and such othar fnforma.
| -tion IS may be useful Ia preparing tnstruc-
tious for Lieut.. Col. Simpson.
9th. Letter Of Thomas G. .Durant, Vice Preai-
dent Union Pacific Railroad Company, June
7th, in reply to the above, incloees map
showing the approved and proposed location,
together With Iepost Of Consulting Engineer,
dated December 91st, 1861; and letter OF
location between Omaha City and Platte
4 part ofthe 14th section Of the act enti-
il lied s' An Act to aid III the construction OF q
4 Railroad and Telegraph Line fF3m the Mis-
souIi River to the Pacific Ocean, and to se-
cure to the Government the use Of the same
tor Postal. Military, and other purposes" "
approved July 1st, 1862, is transcribed in the
letter Of Gen. Di1, Of the date Of the 18th
/ 1ipy, and your attention is invited to its
!; phiaseo1oeF. The terms referred to ara set
forth in the preceding sections Of the act
The Company Is entitled to every alternate
section OF public land Except mine1al} desis'
mated By odd numbers, to the amount Of five
alternate sections per mile, On each side o.
i The road and On the line thereof, and Tlthin
Il The limits Of ten miles on each side Of tat
road, not sold, reserved Of otherTlae disposed
i Of BIZ the United States, and 10 ~hfc1
homestead Or p1e-emptton clatm may no,
\ have attached at the time The iane Of saio
read is definitely fixed, and When forty con
/ secuti7e miles Of the railroad arg Telegraph
are completed and equipped In the m anne'
Il required by the act, and accepted by ta'
!; Prtsl5ent, patents aIe to be issued for th'
i ssid lands, ard the Company shall recely
j: certain boLds of the United States, to tht
i AMOUNT Of SIC 100 per mns for each com
II paeted section offosty miles.
The inc1osed papers will sufficiently tnd1
!! cate the nature Of the duty which you are +
N discharge. It'll hardly necessary for me t
il add Ant you are to ascertain, by thorons
ne1sonal examination, whether the new q
, the exietjpg locatIou--both Of which at
4 djstsuct1Y DESIGNATED on the accom- panyln
; man--nNyrga q more "dIrect and psacticah!
routs,' between tho points marked on th
u eaid map ~ a and B. It Will not, perhRp
d ! be tndispeusably necessary TO re.survey th
r lines Of these loca tons, Is you will have fri
o Access TO the maps, p1odles, surveys and e.