Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-03-26

every day growing more valuable
| wish to call the attention of the
House, and ask them to listen TO me
to see how this country is settled
The railroad runs through the coun
ties of Barron, BHrnette, Douglas
Bayfield, and Ashland. Brunette has
seven hundred aud six inhabitants
and forty-six townships. Is that q
well'settled country? Are the in
habitauts of sufficient number to en-
able them of themselves to build this
road ? Barron has five hundred and
thirty eight inhabitants only, as the
census of 1870 shows, and twenty.
five townships, only about twenty
inhabitants TO township. That can
not be called a well-settled country.
Douglas county has twelve hundred
and twenty two inhabitants and 3S
townships. Is that well-settled
country? Bayfield, has three huns
dred and forty-four inhabitants only,
and there are forty-two townships,
less than nineteen to a township
Barron county has five hundred and
thirty-eight inhabitants, and there
are twenty-five townships. Is that
well-settled country ? Ashland has
two hundred and twenty one inbab-
itants and forty>two townships, less
than six inhabitants to every thirty
six square miles. Yet the gentle
man calls that well.settled country,
where the land is worth not less
than ten dollars an acre-about one
hundred and ninety-two townships,
with on y three thousand and thir-
ty-one inhabitants.
But the gentleman says again the
bill infringes the right of the North
ern Pacific railroad, if it should pass.
1t is alleged that the bill as original
ly introduced, or as amended, in.
fringes the right Of the Northern Pa
cific railroad. The gentleman also
alleged that it was very questionable
whether the title of theNorthern Pa
cific does not attach these very lands
by the grant made to that company.
The grant to the Northern Pacific
railroad allowed the company to
start its railroad from any point in
Wisconsin or Minnesota it should
designate. They have not designat-
ed any point in Wisconsin. They
have no rights, therefore, as yet
which attaches under their grant !;
and the commissioner of public lands
so decides.
And the gentleman speaks of, Wis
consin as if it had received immense
grants. As there seems to be very
wrong impression in the House as to
the amount of aid Wisconsin has re-
ceived, desire to state the exact
facts. How much do you suppose
Wisconsin has received in the way of
grants of the public lands for railroad
purposes She has received only
about two thirds of a million of acres.
The gentleman from Illinois nr.
HAY lsaid that she had received more
in value than Illinois had. Now, Hi
nois has received two and half mil
lion and odd acres, and every acre
has been valuable Government land,
while those granted to the State of
Wisconsin, those which she has actu-
ally received, are of little value. The
Northwestern road sold large guam
titles of the land granted in aid of the
building of that road, not averaging
more than forty cents an acre. On
this very line of road there were at
least two hundred thousand acres Of
land sold, and some of it sold for not
more than twenty-five cents an acre.
SO l have been informed by gem
tleman upon this floor who was pri-
Wy to it, officially connected with it,
and knows the fact.
Let us see how much Wisconsin
has received. | ask the Clerk to read
a letter which l have received from
the Commissioner Of the General
Land Office.
The Clerk read as follows:
Department of the Interior,