, 1874-02-28
STATE LEGISLATURES.
The St. Croix Land Grant Matter at
Last Settled.
The Railroad Bills in the Wisconsin
Legislature.

Special D1spatch to The Chicago Tribune.
MADISON, Wis, Feb. 27.-After occupying the
attention Of the Legislature more or less for
years, the st. Cro1x laud-grant question is IN a
fair way Of satisfactory settlement. The Aseem-
bly, devoted last evening to considering the bills
disposing OF tho grant in Committee ofthe
Whole. To the Senate bill comforting the grant
on tho North Wisconsin and the Chicago Il North
Pacific AIRLINE Companies, On amendment ,, was
offered and rejected to compel the West Wlscon-
sin Railway Company to relay Its t1acE
to Tomah, An amendment Was offered
providing that actuni settlers on any
railroad lands who had entered prior to
1870, on sections not exceeding lou acres, shal!
be allowed to retain the land By the payment OF
$3 per acre. It WAS opposed by Representatives,
Of the St. Croi1 region as unnecessary, and only
designed to delay, and was finally amended,
changing the date to 1871, and adoptec--E9 to 90.
Unable to engraft any moro amendments, Nr.
West offered
confering the grant on the Wisconsin Railway.
Company and moved that it be printed and
made special order for II q. m to-day. A.
that hour consideration OF the first specla
order. the Railway Commissioner bill, was inter-
rupted by call for the Iand-eraut special order,
which Mr. Martin, temporarily IN the Chalf, de-
cded in order, and motion to take 1T up WAS
carried-52 to Al.
hIr. West removed his motion to substitute the
road Company. and advocated 1t on the ground
tint it provided for the building of laud-grant
road in five years, and for building roads in tho
Chippewa Valley and Southwestern Wisconsin:
MIR, CnsWell moved the previous question, md
after the call of the House, the main question
Was crlered-59 to 38.
Mr.. Vests substitute Was rejected py vote
OF sc to 81.
The senate bill, with the amendment in regard
to actual settlers, which car1es 1t back TO tnat
body. was
ORDERED TO THIRD READING
6G to 80.
Mr. Bingham moved to reconsider, and took
that occasion to make quite speech nga4use
the bill favored by the majority and Tor the re-
| iected one. The motion to reconsider Was
! tabled
| 4 motion to suspend the rules and pass tne
| bill faied-46 to 3G,-not two-thirds.
| Tho most active advocates OF the Dill "ele
| Messrs. Fifield, Casweu, Bowman. and Nlnans.
Its opponents wero Messre. bingham ana Mest'
| The Assembly this morning, alter considerable
| debate, referred to the judiciary COMMITTEE the
Senate resolutions given yesterday, asking tho
Secretary Of tue interior to withhold patents on
tho lands to the Wisconsin central ha1uoaa
Company.
| Consideration of the bill for the appointment
| of Board Of Itai1Ioad Commissioners was cut
| short by the land-grant special order: After an
| amendment had been aaopted requiring tno ~
| poiptment within thirty days, JOINT resolution
| was adopted dl1ectlng tue ocnooi Aanu ooiuuua y
| Biouers to have the Sturgeon Bay canal hnds
classified by the Commissioners appointed by
| them.
| SENATE BILLS
| were concurred in dividing Marathon County,
and creating the County OF Lincoln; proVidne
for the eafe keeping OF the report OF the aeo.
logical Survey; relating to embczzlement by
carriers.
The Assembly bill passed in relation to bnllo'
| ing town halls jointly by tax anu snosciiptlou,