The Placer herald., 1870-01-22
LANDS IN THE MINING DISTRICTS.


Many propositions have been advanced By
the press. members Of Congress and OF the
Legislature in regard TO the anamulous and
damaging system pertaining to public lands
10 the mining, and what was mining di.
tricts in this State. 1t seems to US that no
proposition has yet been advanced that
solves or would solve the whole ques ion
satisfactorily. Roberts Resolutions are
proper enough as far as they 60. The Grass
Valley Union has advanced and ably dis.
cussed some sensible and appropriate i'm
provemsuts on the old system, and Sargenss
bill, lately introduced 10 Congress also COO
tains some good provisions, but all these
measures combined will not cover and cor
rect ali our wants 10 this section Of The
State. We speak Of the mineral section Of
the State, covered by the grant OF each al.
teruaie section of land to the Central Pa
c,fc Railroad Company. This grant covers
all Of Placer, pearly all Of Nevada and E
Dorado, and large portion Of Sierra couu'
ty, and until something is doae TO remove
this Incubus from this large district Of coun'
try, i, must anguish. This grant imposed
condition Of things upon the people resi-
ding bere and those proposing to settle
among US which is parayziug and disconr-
aging in the extreme, and without the re.
,,,ovoI ,,C ,rhi,h mill cnntp,,o m ocnrass 10
during The lifetime OF the present gensrati on.
When this grant was made to the company
the price OF the even sections, those reserved
aud open to the public was doubled d-raised
from 81 25 to 81 so, per acre which has
had the .tlrc. Of almost entirely preventing
the settlement on and sale of even the even
sections. While the balance Of the govern
,nent domain is open to pre-emplion and
sale at one.half the price asked in this To-
calily it is useless for US or The Government
to expect This portion Of the State to settle
up or the lands TO be sold While it is
probable that these lands could be sold and
improved at 81 25 per acre it is not within
reason that they can be sold or settled upon
at SO so per acre. The Railroad is now
comp eied and i. has not developed single
resource Of the country adjacent to it or
added cne cent 10 the value of the land.
True, some lumber has been manufactured
and some wood chopped and shipped, but
the price OF freight charged has been SO ex-
tortionate as TO leave no profit for the la
borer or contractor, and these pursuits have
been carried on by transient population
who are here to-day and gone 10 morrow,
and even this business has rendered the
land less valuable. The Railroad company
is required to. sell all its lands within three
years from the completion Of the road, but
it avoids this silly condition, imposed by a
crazy Congress by selling it to another
Company composed OF t same men as
those forming the Railroad corporation.
Thus by little whipping of the devil around
The stump We have vast land monopoly in
our midst 10 be continued without limit.
These are questions that the Nevada, El
Dorado, Placer and Sierra county DeIega
| lions in the Leg isature should consider and
| attend TO at once. Congress reserved the
right to alter, amend, or repeal this railroad
franchise, grants and all, even to taking
| possession of the road. having due regard for
| the Interests of the owners, and under this
power of Congress 'hasa crying evils may
be renedied il ou' Legsla will fully and
fairly make the faces known to Congress.
Congress might compensate the company
tor The odd sections within the forty mile
belt and turn the whole OF these lands, odd
and even sections. over b sale and settle
ment at 81 25 per acre. This Congress
can, and It remains to be seen whether 1t
will not do it, if properly memoral!zsd on
the subject.