Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-03

II aisO Ddsseu TIC hnseLhO'. ~ " "S
way. -s -.
MEMORIAL.
To Congress for the re-grantins OF
the land b eretofore granted to aid in the
construction of railroads from Lake St.
Croix to Su; erior and Bayfield,.
To the Honorable the Senate and House
of Representatives. of the United
States now IA Congress assembled:
The memorial of the people of Wis
consiu represented in The Senate and AS
sembiy respectfully showeth:4 3o4oG-
That in the year 1855 a grant of pub
lie lands was made by Congress to the
SLATE of Wisconsin to aid in the construc
ton of railroad from the St. Croix riv.
err or'hke between townships twenty
FIVE and thirty one. and from there to
the west end of lake Superior and Bay
field 10 said State.
That said Grant embraced the odd
numbered sections Of six miles in width
-on each side Of the lire of said road,
and the time for the completion of said
road was limited to ten years from the
date of said grant.
That in 1864, by an act If Congress
the time for the completion of said rail
road was extended four years, ard also
an additional grant of land consisting Of
the odd numbered sections in four other
miles of territory on each side Of the line
of said railroad was made to aid in its
construction.
That the State Of Wisconsin has here
tofore chartered two several railroad
companies successfully, and conferred
upon them thu said grant of land, upon
condition of the completion of the said
railroad. by them respectively, within
the time fixed in the act of Congress
but the said companies have each in turn
failed to comply in any great degree
with the terms of their said charters, and
with the acts comforting upon them the
said grants of lands, and that such delay
and failure of the said companies, have
rendered the State of Wisconsin iucapa-
bic of securing the completion of the said
railroad within tho time fixed by act OF
Congress.
That the State of Wisconsin did, in
February 1869, grant another charter to
a number of able and respectable CAPT
talisrs. under the name and style of the
"Northern Wisconsin railway Com
pany," who by their charter agreed to
complete and equip twenty miles of said
railroad each and every Sear until Bald
railroad was completed.
That the State Of Wisconsin did also,
at the same session Of the Legislature,
in March 1869. grant another charter to
a number of able and responsible CAPT
taIisis, under the name and style of tile
BAYFIELD, and st. Croix railroad company,
VINO agreed by their charter to complete
and equip twenty miles CT said railroad
in each aud every year from the accept
ance of said charter.
That in the opinion of your memorial.
lists. all the wise reasons of public policy
that existed for making the origina
grant, and for its subsequent extension,
now exist in greater force fol the further
extension of the time for building the
said road, and for continuance of the
grant of land in aid thereof.
Your memorialists therefore pray for
such action on the part Of your honora-
BILE body. to re-graut the land heretofore
granted to aid in the construction os a
railroad from lake st. Croix between
sections 25 and 80 and the west end Of
lake Superior, and also from ST. Croiz
river TO Bayfield,. That said grant be
made for such reasonable period of not
less than Ave years, to the State of Wis
consin, for the Northern Wisconsin rail.
way company, and the Bayfield, and St.
Croix railway company.