New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-30
RAILWAY INTERESTS.
STATUS OF LAND GRANT ROADS.
. REPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF THE GEN
FRAL LAND OFFICE

ERAL LAND OFFICE
WASHINGTON, March 29.-The Speaker laid
before the House this afternoon communication from
the Secretary Of the Interior In response to resolution
introduced In House by Representative Cobb calling
for information relative those State and railroad cor
70 which grants OF public lands have been made
To aid I'm the construction Of railroads which have not
been completed within the time required by law. Tine
secretarys letter is accOmpanedb by report from the
Commissioner Of the General Land ONCE, covering $50
pages OF foolscap and ten large tabular statements
The report names ten states-Mississlpp, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida Arkansas, Missouri Michigan, Iowa,
Wisconsin and Minnesota-to which grants OF public
lands been made in the construction OF railroads
within their limits. 1t also names eight corporations.
namely Northern Pacific, the California and Oregon
NOW the Oregon branch Of the Central Pacc the Ore
gon Central now the Oregon and California Railroad
Company the Atlantic and Pacific the Northern Paoihc
Railroad Company of California tmain lne) the Oregon
Central Railroad Company. the Texas Pacific NOW the
Texas and Pacific Railroad Company, the New-Oreans'
Baton Rouge and vicksburg now the NewOrleans
Pacific Railroad Company, TO which grants OF pnbic
lands made direct 70 aid in the completion ~ u r
several roads.
Tho following is synopsis OF the status of these
porations:
Northern PaccThe granting act Of JAY 2, 1864 re-
qured the completion Of tile entire road on or before
July t. 1876. On May T. 1866 joint resolution of Con-
gress extended the time for the beginning and FOR the
completion OF the road two years. On July l, 1858,
joint resolution extended the time for the beginning OF
the work years and required the completion OF the
entire road before July 1877 On March l. 1862
Joint resolution OF Congress consented 10 the issue OF
bonds. On April TO- 1869 joint resolution authorized
the extension of branch line from Portland. Oregon 70
Puget Sound; May 81. 1870, authorizing the issye
OF mortgage bonds and extending the indemnify.
limits July 49, 1870, proviso requiring the company
pay the Of surveying selecting and conveying the
lands granted before the Issue OF patents 10 the company
Under of June H. 1879 the Secretary OF the lnte
ror schurz held that the effect OF the resolution OF July
l. 1868, extend the time for the completion OF tho
road TO July 1879 The report shows that the entire
length of the proposed OF road Is 2270 miles that
53l miles had built before the expiration OF the
time at which the entire line required to be omt
and I739 were uncompleted at that time that 40
miles have been completed since that time July ls1O
and that 1.264 now uncompleted
The aggregate grant 10 the company was 4s'2l5oiO
acres, which amount $4,000 acres nave pech PAT
ented 70 the company.
Atlantic and Pdcifc-The granting act OF July ~
1866 required the completion of the main line Oh or
before July A. 1873. The act o. April 90 1871. a1thor
lied the company TO mortgage its road, land etc
Length of proposed road 2426 miles or which 10 miles
were completed the time fixed fOrcompeton of the en-
tire line 200 completed since, and 2lO1
miles remain 10 be completed. In the land grant
40 500 acres embraced Of which 526,992 acres
have been patented to the company.
Southern Pacifc-The granting act Of July 90 1866,
required the company to complete the entire
road OH or before July 4, 1873. The act Of
July 5. 1865, allowed the company until July
l. 1870, for the construction OF the first
so miles OF the road Joint resolution Of June 2s 1870
authorized the issue OF patents for lands lying along each
section constructed Length OF route, 5l2 miles OF Whch
232 miles completed at the time required FOR the
completion OF the entire Ine 900 miles were uncom-
pleted and none have been completed since. Amount
which
acres have been patented 10 the company.
California and OregOn-The granting act or July 20,
1866 required completion of the entire line or be-
fore July l, 1873 The act OF June o. 1865 extended
the time July l. 1850. The act OF
Aprl 10 1869 provided that the lands
granted to the company sold actual sctere
only in quantities not greater than quarter section
=" any o 1rnGth of proposed line go miles OF which
l52 were completed at the time required Tor the com
pleton Of the entire line and l2s uncompleted and
hone completed since. OF grant 2,i26527 acres
OF which 1887 919 have been patented to the com
Oregon Central Of Saleu-The granting act Of July 25
1866 required the completion Of The entire line on or be
time for completion to July l. 1850 The of April
aa5 s0 shonIa be sold only to actual settlers
In quantities not greater than one quarter section
TO any purchaser at price not exceeding " % per
acre. Length Of proposed line 30 miles OF which l9I
were completed at the time required Tor he competition OF
the entire line and IL uncOmpleted and none nave been
completed since. Amount Of grant j. lol 700 acres OF
which 322,062 acres have been patented TO the com
OREGON Central Railrond Comprny-The granting act
May 1, 1870 required the completion OF the entire
within six of the dave o. me act LenGtn OF
proposed road Al miles, OF which AZ miles we're com
pleed at the time required for he completion OF the en-
tire line and 81 uncOmplctcd and none completed since
Amount Of grant, ll3O,sSO acres No lands yet pat
entcd TO the company
qured the completion OF the entire road within ten years
Of The passage OF the act dhe act o. N az Z
construction bonds and provided Tor the CONSTRUCTION
and operation of n road from the eastern terminus at
Mars baII tO Shreveport,
the entire line should be completed ten years from the
date of this act The act Of June 22, 1874, authorized
the issue OF mortgages. and provided That
the Southern Pacific and Southern iransc0ntlnental
Company, heretofore consolidated with this COMPANY
under the laws of Texas shall be deemed and taken az
part Of road for all purposes Length OF proposed
road, 483 miles, OF which Isl miles nave Deen com.
pleted and 1902 miles are uncOmplcted Amount OF
land grant l43O9760 acres none Of which have been
The reports SAYS II is understood this compa-
ny constructed and Is now operating IT, road to the
boundary OF Texas but no proof OF cons trucon
west Of tine Isl miles has been flied In this Office Proof
MARSHALL to the eastern boundary Of Texas distance Of
twenty miles, has been fled rhe company has also led
srcted or acquired under authority Of the act Of 1874"
The granting act Of March 8 ISL required The com
STopo tSS road Satf SIS miles, nome Of Which
have been completed Amount OF land grants, 903.3l9
acres which have been patented 10 the company
The add nroa Of fG e nao e S nsa
road Of which sixty were constructed by the New
office has been advised OF the acceptance OF any por
ton thereof"
The aggregate number OF miles OF railroad proposed to
bs built by these corporations to which grants OF land
were made direct, was 7.74s OF which l,4G5 had been
constructed at the time required for the completion OF
the entire lines The aggregate amount OF lands granted
to these corporations ll65s90OS acres. OF which
1871 39l have been patented 10 the several com
paue5. a. -,
The railroad companies receiving the benefit OF the
lands granted to the ten states mentioned
before are as follows: Gull and Ship Island; Tusca-
loosa and Mobile; Mobile aud NewOrleaDsi Memphis
and Charleston; Mobile and Girard Selma, Rome and
Dalton; savannah and Albany Coosa and Tennessee
Eyton and Boards Bluff: Atlantic Gulf and West India
Transit Company; Pensacola and Georgia iron Lake
IL PnIl-acnla. EluL EnrilA AtlAmlc md ltmli