The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-09-05

1t IS well that the people should under
stand the history and condition of this
Fund, and the nature of and necessity for
the sale to Mr.. Disston, and we undertake
the task of putting the facts in such shape
that the ordinary reader may, with the
exercise of little care, fully appreciate
them +"
THE LAND GRANTS.
The Fund consists of lands granted to
the State of Florida by the United States.
There are two grants. The first was
made by an act of Congress of September
4, lS4l. This grant took effect upon the
admission of the State into the Union
March 3, l845. 1t was granted for pur-
poses of internal improvements" and
consisted OF 900 acres. These lands
are usually spoken of as "the Internal
Ia prevement Lands proper" The second
er'nt was by an act of Congress Of Sep
t uber IS, 1850. 1t granted the whole of
ia. swamp and overflOwed lands in the
; ate on that day belonging to the United
ates, and made unfit thereby for cul-
l.ration." BY the terms of the act these
nds, which are commonly spoken of as
tie S,cdnp LdItds," were, after being Sc
ctel and patented, to be subject to the
isposal of the Legislature of the State,
rith the proviso, however, that the pro-
-eeds of said lands, whether from sale or
y direct appropriation in kind, should
'e applied exclusively, as far as reces-
0'y, to the purpose of reclaiming said
.ands by means of levees and drains.
There was no such proviso, however, as
to the internal Improvement lands proper.
There have been patented to the State
1896, SO acres of swamp lands"
The amount of swamp lands reported
unsold January l, 1881, by the Land
Commissioner, Mr.. /Corley, was 1885,
73s.3S acres The total amount disposed
of up to that date was ,684 ,729.42 acres.
In the total amount patented are included
254, 400. 10 acres patented during the
ear lseI This added to the amount un-
old as reported by Mr.. Corley, makes
3,0I2, 2,l4l.4s acres Deducting the 4,O00,
90 acres sold to Disston, we have left on
iand, less the subsequent ordinary sales
md the subsequent conveyances. of alter
late sections to new railroads, 9,Ol2, l4l.-
IS acres.
The amount of " Internal Improvement
lands proper" estimated unsold June ],
So, was 1880 acres.
TIE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT LAW.
The Convention which met at St. JOS
ph in December, 1888, and framed the
constitution which was the organic law
# the State from its admission into the
Union until secession in 1861, provided as
part of such Constitution that A." a liberal
system of internal improvements being
.ssential to the development of the re-
sources of the country shall be encouraged
by the government of this State, and it
>hall be the duty of the General Assem-
bly,, a. soon as practicable, to ascertain
by law proper objects of improvement
relation TO roads, canals and navigable
streams, and to provide for suitable ap-
plicatiOn of such funds as may be appro-
priated for such improvements"
Prior to 1855 such objects of improve
ment had not been provided for or de-
clared by the General Assembly, nor had
provision been made for such (" suitable
tppication." 1t is a fact that different
schemes had been suggested. Among
others was one that the lands should be
divided, upon some equitable basis,
among the different counties, and by them
applied to local public improvements.
'lhe Legislature which assembled in No
vember, 1854, during its session, extend
| ing into 1853, addressed itself to carrying
mt the above constitutional direction,
nd the act commonly known as the " In
rnal Improvement Act" was passed,
ld it was approved January 8, 1855.
This act vested the "internal improvement
inds proper" then remaining unsold and
ne proceeds of such of said lands as had
zen sold and remained on hand unappro-
rated, and all the "swamp lands" to-
.ether with all the proceeds that had ac-
crued, or might thereafter accrue, to the
state from the sale thereof, in the Cover
nor, Comptroller, Treasurer, Register of
state Lands and Attorney General, and
their successors in office, as Trustees, as
Fund to be called the Internal Improve
ment Fund of the State of Florida, to be
strictly applied according to the provis-
ions of said act The act designated as
proper improvements to be aided from
said Fund the following lines of railroad
and canal, viz: A line of railroad from
the st. Johns river, at Jacksonville, to
the waters of Pensacola bay, with an ex-
tension from suitable points on said line
to the st. Marks river or Crooked river
at White Bluff, on Apalachicola bay, in
Middle Florida, and st. Andrews bay, in
West Florida, and line from Amelia
island, on the Atlantic, to the waters of
Tampa bay, in South Florida, with an ex-
tension to Cedar Keys, in East Florida;
also a canal from the waters of st. Johns
river, on Lake Harney, to the waters of
Indian river In December, 1855, an
amendment was enacted declaring . line
from Pensacola or st. Andrews bay TO
the north line of the State q proper i'm
provement to be aided from the Fund.
The canal scheme was undertaken but Of
terwards abandoned.
BY the act the companies which might
undertake the construction of any part Of
any OF said lines of railroad were author
lied to Issue coupon bonds to the smonnt
of ten thousand dollars per mile on each
section of ten miles of completed railroad
they might construct, and additional
bonds for bridges over the Suwannee
river and other rivers, and a structure to
cross from the west side of Nassau river
to Amelia island Such bonds were to
fall due not longer than thirty five years
from their date, and to bear interest at
not more than seven per cent. per annum,
payable semi-annually, and be first hen
on the road The bonds issued bore in
terest at the rate stated. The Trustees