The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-05-09
The Amboy Land Grants.

The Eaton Rapids Journal and the Jack
son Citizen are holding a controversy upon
the question OF the extension Of the Am
BOY land grants. The former paper has
dragged US into the arena, asserting what
il no. true. It says:
o. And the Citizen further calculates:
The Lansing Republican broadly insin-
yates that the engineers OF this movement
for an extension Of this land grant, are not
| the men 10 be trusted-that they are more
Interested in personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT than
the public good
An eye-Opener surely, that the Lansing
Republican, should assert such nonsense
Perhaps our Jackson Contemporary may not
De aware ~ OF tie fact that one, AZ least,
OF the prOprietOrs Of the Republican, a.
well as us editor, as stockholders ia the
Lansing & Jackson K. r., are a rery iuAe
an15y on the subject trifie sore that the
pet scheme has failed 10 change the route
Of the 4. l.. & 7. y. r. K. 50 az 70 make
the road IN which they are peculiarly inter-
ested 4 part oil It's lIne--thereby reaping
rich reward by six sections OF land 10 the
mile Tor the Jackson q Lansing road. Per
laps, further, our cOtempOrary may not be
aware VI the fact that fOur-hiths Of the
business men Oh the city OF Lansing en-
tlrely repudlate the position Of their city
organ, by having signed petitions asking
Congress 10 extend the laud grant 10 the
A. J.. q T. T. K. r.
Last November We announced q war
generally upon the whole system Ol land
grants, a. wrong both in principle and
practice. and We have not receeded from
mat position. We are not a stockholder in
the Jackson & Lansing r. Il. In common
wth other citizens, We subscribed Tor SO
o0O OF the stock, which was taken oil the
hands Of the subscribers by the city loan
and the subscription was made upon that
understanding
NJ. Kerr j. one OF The Directors OF that
road and owns two hundred collars stock
uhIe be has Ten tunes that amount in the
Amboy road We dId state that We were
in favor Of The extension for u short time
OF The AmbOy grant, in view Ol The hard-
ships that would TAI upon the farmers Oh
The line from this point 10 Jouesviile. who
had invested their money in the road, pro-
yided We could have any guaranty that
The road would be- bullt-nOt otherwise
40 The same time expressing our want Of
confidence ID The present directors Of that
road. We said that large amount oi
tie stock o. tie road was now in the hand,
Of tho directors, through an illegal con
tract. aud the assertion cannot be denied
nor has a denial been attempted
A. the Jackson road vas built by private
enterprise We favored ii bat should be ut
terry opposed 20 the transfer Of the Amboy 4
sraut 10 the Jackson road, or 10 aiding 4
any railroad by land grants. We believe 1
,haf Tie public domain should not be- .
squandered for such purpose.
As i0the business men of Lansing many 4
OF them signed the petition for the extern +
sion Of the Amboy grant without under
standing its objects. Tue people OF Lam
sing want road north from Owosso to
saginaw, il they can get it. II the editor
u the Jouraal can gather any hope from
the Jill that has passed tie Senate, which
provides that no lands shall be granted for
a road south Of Lansing, unless CORES
bonding number vi miles are built north oil
,aginaw-we cannot but admire his faith
md courage. Our position, we repeat. has
'een against all land grants tor railroads,
md We shall take no other