Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-11

of the session. in which the Senate had not time 10
concur, II failed to become law. The selections
certified for common schools during the fiscal year
and for seminaries, $50 acres The selections GER
lifed for agricultural colleges amounted to H.
1851. The locations Of Agricultural college scrip
issued reported during the year cover an area Of
6eS, 64i. Since my last annual report, sgricul-
tural college scrip representing "a 900 acres has
been issued to the States of Arkansas and Florida
This exhausts the amount which Congress author
iSed.
The records OF the office show an aggregate con-
ows In 81 soaS % m as
Iowa, so miles; Minnesota, re miles; Missouri, 81
miles; Kansas, AGA miles; Arkansas, 40 miles;
California, 40 miles; Colorado, 2ae milesN Indian
Territory, 165 miles. Total, as above, 927S miles,
Portions OF the roads included In the foregoing re-
port OF construction were actually compiler ed prior
to the commencement OF the last fiscal year. This
report will be understood a. referring more partic
ulary to the official record OF construction and to
the acceptance by the proper authorities the evi-
dence Of which has been received at this office
since my last annual report, and consequently was
not included therein. During the previous year
the reports show a constructed length Of 1,743
miles Of road, a difference in favor OF the latter
year OF 535 miles. The policy Of extending aid to
railroad enterprise by national Legislation having
been restricted by the caution of Congress during
the last few years, the aggregate OF definite loca
ton OF new roads lie not great az In former years
The reports show the definite location Of 1923 miles
during the fiscal year, of which 800 miles are of
the Northern Pacific Railroad, In the Territory Of
Dakota.
The following act OF Congress was approved
Feb. IL, 1873 III Stat, 465):
AN Aor in relation to Mineral Lands
BE " enacted By The Senate and House of Repre-
senfdttpes y the United States of A0sericd In Con-
gress assembled That within the States hereinafter
named deposits or mines of iron or coal be- and
they are hereby, excluded from the operations of
An act entitled "An act to promote the develop
ment OF the mining resources Of the United
States" approved May 10, 1874 and said act shall
not apply 10 the mineral lands situate and being
within the States Of Michigan, Wisconsin and Min,
nesota, and that said lands hereby declared free
and open to exploration and purchase according
to the legal subdivisions thereof, as before the
passage Of said act [; and that any bona tide en-
tries OF such lands, within said States, since the
passage thereof, may be patented without refer
ence to the provisions OF said act.
Previous to the date OF said Mining act
OF 1871, lands containing deposits of iron
ore were disposed Of for cash at private
entry, the same as agricultural lands The
language OF the Mining act, however, 10 80 COM
prehensive as to justify the belief that IL was the
intention OF Congress to include iron ore among
the mineral deposits to be disposed OF under its
provisions, Congress, by subsequent legislation,
appears to have placed this construction upon the
act.