Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-12-21
Land and It's Uses.
From the New York Tribune.

OAA |
Congress has granted to three several
companies large tracts of the t~reeiess
plains which stretch from the nelghbor.
hood of the Missouri up to the base OF
the Rocky Mountains in aid of the con-
struction of railroads. Two of those
railroads were completed and in opera
ton several years since, yet the lands
attract few buyers and settlers; not
that they are sterile, as was formerly
supposed, but because of the absence or
exceeding scarcity of wood and OF
water. Hereupon, the railroad COM
panies are impelled to dig Arteslan
wells in some places, to resort to wind
mills and kindred devices for raising
water to the surface at others, and to
planting belts of timber, nurseries of
forest trees, &C., &c in order not only
to supply the primary wants of the first
settlers, but to show to others how
easily the discouragements which at
first blush seem insuperable may be
overcome.
Every vuch plantation, at first so in
significant, will in a few years become
an oasis in the great buffalo pasture and
the nucleus of a thriving village.
Stores, shops, &C., will gradually gather
around it, each ministering to the wants
of a wide circuit of cattle and sheep
| u0rO0TS WaOSc hdOlGdIlOnS Vi luEI VI oOu
are scarcely distinguishable from the
vast plain which they scarcely dot but
q few years will find them rich in stock
and ready to build and furnish stately
houses. Thus the plains will be grad
ually checkered with thrifty settle
ments, which, in the absence of rail
roads, they could never have invited
Private enterprise, unaided, would nevel
have belted such vast expanse of desc
lation with railroads while, in the alb
sence of railroads, occupation by civil
} lied men was impossible.
We welcome every proof that tn
owners and managers of these land
grant railroads comprehend the fac
that the lands were granted them il
!, order that they might be s~ettled--tha
they are not to lie waste until civiliza
ton shall slowly and gradually approach
and oyerspread them. A compan,
which should simply hold on to it
lands until they shall be desired an
purchased for occupation, would no
fulfill its compact with the nation Il
the liberal spirit which dictated tn
grant. Hence, we learn with pleasur
that the Northern Pacific Company at
recent meeting,
RESOLVED, That the Chairman of tn
v Committee on Lands is hereby author
lied to proceed in his discretion to Of
ganize a system of nurseries of fores
x and other trees OIL the line of the roac
and to take the necessary steps in th
Is employment of persons and otherwis
to put the system into operation.
% Ia the same spirit, the Directors
this road, at a recent meeting,
Resolved, That land exploration ticl
cts over the Northern Pacific railroa
be sold at full fare, and hat person
who take such tickets and, within ski
days thereafter, purchase lands OF tt
company to the extent of forty or mo-
acres shall be credited with the fare c
such purchase, and be entitled to fir,
tickets for themselves and famili
when going to settle upon the lands
purchased.
!, This may be fairly deemed liberia
yet it is no more han good busiue
management. The railroad needs tt
j settlers as much as they need the "a
!, road, and it should deal generously
) order to attract them. And, should
} seek to enrich itself at their expens
!, they will simply avoid its lands al
II settle on the alternate sections still /
"a longing to the Government, so that Il
) railroad will sell no lands at all.