New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-24
TPUBLIC-No. 43.7

AN ACT granting lands to aid in the con-
struction of railroad and telegraph
line from Portland to Astoria and Nc
Minville, in the State 0: Oregon.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That for
the purpose of aiding in the construction
of railroad and telegraph line from Port
land to Astoria, and from suitable point
of junction near Forest Grove to the Yam
kill river, near McMinville in the State of
Oregon, there is hereby granted 10 the
Oregon Central Railroad Company, now
engaged in constructing the said road, and
to their successors and assigns, the right
of way through the public lands of the
width of one hundred feet on each side of
said road, and the right to take from the
adjacent public lands materials for con-
structing said road, and also the necessary
lands for depots. stations, side tracks,
and other needful uses in operating the
road, not exceeding forty acres at any
one place; and, also, each alternate sec
ton of the public lands, not mineral, ex-
cepting coal or iron lands, designated by
odd numbers nearest to said road, to
the amount of ten such alternate sections
per mile, on each side thereof, not other
wise DISPOSED of or reserved or held by
valid pre-emption or homestead right at
the time of the passage of this act. And
in case the quantity of ten full sections
per mile can not be found on each side of
said road, within the said limits of twenty
miles, other lands designated as aforesaid
shall be selected, under the direction of
the Secretary of the Interior, on either
side of any part of said road nearest to
the track of said road to make up such de-
ficiency.
SEC 2. And be 1t further enacted, That
the Commissioner OF the General Land
once shall cause the lands along the line
OF the said railroad to be surveyed with
all convenient speed. And whenever and
as often as the said company shall file
with the Secretary of the Interior maps of
the survey and location of twenty or more
miles of said road, the said Secretary shall
cause the said granted lands adjacent TO
and coterminous with such located Sec
tions of road to be segregated from the
public lands; and thereafter the remain.
ing public lands, subject to sale within
the limits of the said grant, shall be dis
posed of only to actual settlers at double
the minimum price of such lands. And
provided also, That settlers under the
provisions of the homestead act who
comply with the terms and requirements
of said act, shall be entitled, within the
said limits Of twenty miles, to patents
for an amount not exceeding eighty acres
each Of the said ungranted lands, any
thing in this act to the contrary notwith-
standing.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That
whenever and as often as the said com.
pany shall complete and equip twenty or
more consecutive miles of the said railroad |
and telegraph, the Secretary of the Interior |
shall cause the same to be examined, at |
The expense of the company, by three
commissioners appointed by him; and if
hey shall report that such completed Sec
ion is first-class railroad and telegraph,
properly equipped and ready for use, he
hall cause patents to be issued to the
company for so much of the said granted
ands shall no ediora,,t 70 end enfar.