The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1875-09-25

met with questions such as: "W hat
about tLiq railroad land, these odd sec
tons" & Gan the Northern Pacific
Railroad give me 4 title" "Why
don they build the road" and "Won't
the land soon revert to the Govern
mcnt" "lias not their grant already,
expired by iimitation;" etc, etc. For
the purpose ct answering such inquiries
and furnishing other informaton in re.
ga'l 10 the railroad, we have prepared.
this article.
IVA. original act 81 Congress entitled
".\n a,t granting lands to aid in the
Construction of q railroad and telegraph
line from lake Superior to Puget
1odNl, on the Pacific Coast, by the
Northern -'utc," was approved by the
President and became 4 law on the end
dry OF !ul.5 1851. The principal fca-
tyres 81 hi, act arc rs follows
list. The .r@nt of tie public lands, as
provided in section 5, embracing ''cvcry
alternate section ofpublic land, not min
crl, designated by odd numbers to the
AN 1ur uf 20 alternate sections per
mily az cacn side Of The railroad line,
through IA, rcrlitolic, of the United
Statc>, aAl ten alternate sections per
Liic Oh each side of sad road when
Ger il passes through any State" to
which the United States shall have full
tfe, nct otherwise appropriated,
<,ro ai the time the line of
sAii r.al i, definitely fixed, and
a pIat thereof fled with the Com
missioner Of the General Land
Office; and that prior to the filing of
this plat, Il any such ODD, sections should
hc occupied by homestead or prc-cmp-
ton settlers, or otherwise appropriated,
the company may select other odd sec
tioAs in icu thereof, not more than t II
miles beyond the limits prescribed
Aho'r. This Section reserves all min
cral lands, and provides that the com
panl may select agricultural lands in
lieu of sH,h mineral lands; aud further
provide, that the word mineral" shall
not he held to include iron or coal.
end. Makes provision for the survey
Of the lana for 10 miles ON 10th sides of
said road, atcl the line shall hc definite
iy located establishes the right of home
stead and presumption on Ali even num-
IefOd sections within the line of the
grant, and fxc. the minimum price of
such even sections at not less than
:, s. per acre.
sd. That the grant shall ~ subject
to tho condition that the company shall
commence. the work on the road within
two year from the date Of the appro-
val OF The act, towit, July I'd, 1864 and
complete not less than 50 miles per
year after the second year, and shall
complete the whole road by July 4th,
1915.
After ,hc passage of this act no fur
thcr Congressional Legislation in regard
to The road WAS had until May 7, 1866,
when the time for commencing and
completing the road, and all its several
4 al rs
two wears.
Again on July /, 1858, the following
to the original act was APP
proved:
"Thc grant shall bc subject to the
condition that the company shall com
meme, The work on the road within two
wear, rom July end, 1903, and shall
complete not les than 100 miles per
year after the second year thereafter,
aid shall complete the whole road 10y
July th, IS77
Tho next Congressional legislation
pro, idcl .or thccorstruction ota branch !
inc o. the road from int 1T or ncal |
Portland, Oregon, to .omc Suitable
Point Oh Puget sound to- he deter
lnnod hy the company, and To connect
he same with its main line west of the
-,ascalc Mountains" This branch to
,. subject to all the provisions and con
litions OF, and amendments to, the or
ginal grant or act of Congress, pro
-idcd that the company shall not be en-
tiled to any SUBSIDY in mpncl, bonds,
!, additional lands of the United States
or SAID branch line, except such lands
s may uc included in the right Of way
II such hraA,h line and plovi,lcl that
I lea, .,rcniy five miles of said branch
ne snail he constituted before all; Ed,
s7I, and forty miles per wear thcrcaf-
y, until the whole of the branch shall