The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1870-08-06
Public Lands for Railways.

1InIneIlSG nave UeGu InC giants
of public lands, within the past
few years, to railway corporations,
and despite the now almost uni
versal cutlery of the press against
it, we are led to believe that there
is a view OF the subject which, to
a very great extent, destroys the
force of most arguments made use
of by the press at large. We are
no advocate of subsidies in gener
al, believing, on the contrary, with
many others, that, as rule, their
operation enriches individuals at
the expense Of communities. The
whole principle is certainly wrong.
But opposition based upon the
supposed waste of lands can not
have much force.
Few people realize or, in fact,
know at all, the almost unlimited
extent of our unappropriated pub
lie lands; and when we read OF a
new grant of a,few hundred thou
sand acres, naturally feel a little
sympathy for poor wee Uncle Sam,
who has, perhaps not without
some reluctance, been induced to
relinquish his hold upon that
amount of real estate, and is, as
we at once imagine, rapidly be
coming impoverished. But if we
reflect upon the boundless extent
of broad acres possessed by this
sturdy old uncle OF ours, our SYM
pathetic interest becomes of less
lively character.
1t is a fact, that at the same rate
the public lands have been dis
posed of during the past year, it
would take more than two hun
dred years to get rid of our re
naming unappropriated posses
sions, to say nothing of what we
expect to acquire in the meantime,
viz: all North America and the
West Iudia Islands. The records
and reports of the General Land
Office give the following sugges-
tive facts in this connection
j. The area of public lands, ex-
elusive of the Russian purchase,
is 1865, 4GS, 800 acres. The extent
of that purchase is estimated at
1890 square miles, or 800, 529,-
600 acres, making a total of !, 1884,
998, 400 acres.
2. The aggregate of public lands
which have been surveyed is 1885,
311,77S acres, leaving a residue of
1,349, $50, 622 acres yet unsurveyed.
3. The quantity of public lands
disposed of during the last fiscal
year is 7,041 TIA, 80 acres, of which
there were sold for cash 756,619,61
acres; located with military boun-
ty land warrants, 476,760 acres;
taken for homeSteads, under the
acts of 1862, 1864 and 1866, 1, 1885,.
043,49 acres; approved to several
States as swamp Sin place." 1, $780,,
020,22 acres; for idemnity swamp
selections, 36,429,93 acres; titles
vested in certain States under
railway, wagon road and shir
canal grants for 533, 1852 acres
and located with agricultural ant
mechanic college scrip, together
with selections made by States
within their respective limits, 2,
420,072,73 acres.
We will not stop here to emu
merate all the characteristics o
the different tracts comprising thi,
immedse domain, or to speak o.
it's products or value. The portion
now unappropriated is divided
among the States about as follows
California, 106,062, 1892 acres; Min
nesota, 36,776,17O; Oregon, 81,
740,078; Kansas, 43, JAS, $40; Ne
vada, 67,090,38 Nebraska, AZ,
523,627; Washington, 41,627, AGA
New Mexico, 1905, 1872; Utah
81, 139,646; Dacotah, 145, 295, 2S4
Colorado, 62,S70,66 Montana
$1,000, sos; Arizona, 68,S85,954
Idaho, 81, 1863, 344; in all, $4,000,
| go acres.
| Besides this, there are in til,
States of Iowa, Missouri, Arkan
sas and Louisiana, west of th,
Mississippi, 30,0O0,000 acres un
sold, for which no grant has ye
been made. In the States east O
the Mississippi, there remains alst
an equal amount, making, in all
over one thousand millions of un
sold, unappropriated lands.
| In the years 1868 the amoun
given to agricultural colleges wal
| five times that given to railway
and canals. The next larges
| grant was for swamp lands, anG
the next for homesteads. MANY