The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-04-08
Interesting Statistics Relative to Rail-
road Land Grants.
WASHINGTON. March 60.

WASHINGTON. March 90.
The Speaker presented to the House a com
muncation from the Secretary of the Interior
in response 10 a resolution of Representative
Cobb, calling for information relative to those
States and railroad corporations to which
grants of public lands have been made to aid
the construction of railroads, and as to the
roads not completed within the time required
by law. The report names ten States-Missis-
sppi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Arkan-
sas. Missouri, Michigan, Iowa, Winconsn
and Minnesota-to which grants of public
lands have been made in the construction of
railroads within their limits. 1t also names
eight corporations-the Northern Pacific, the
California s. Oregon NOW the Oregon
Branch of the Central Pacifc), the Oregon
Central NOW the Oregon & California Rail-
road, the Atlantic s. Pacific, the Northern Pa
cifc Railroad Company of California main
line), the Oregon Central Railroad Company,
the Texas Pacific NOW the Texas g. Pacific
Railroad Company, the New Orleans, Baton
Rouge & Vicksburg now the New Orleans Pa
cihc Railroad Company)-to which grants of
public lands were made to aid in the compile
ton of their several roads. The aggregate
number of miles Of railroad proposed to be
built by these eight corporations, to whom
grants of land were made direct, W as 7,74S, Of
which LAOS had been constructed at the expi-
ration Oh tne Ultne required LOT Ine COnplctlOn
of the entire lines. The aggregate amount of
lands granted these eight corporations was 49,
5s9,00s acres, of which 397l 1892 had been pat
ented to the several companies.
The railroad companies receiving the benefit
of lands granted to the ten States mentioned
are: The Gulf & Ship Island; the Tuscaloosa
& Mobile; the Mobile & New Orleans; the Men,
phis & Charleston; the Mobile & Gerard; the
Selma, Rome s. Dalton; the Saw annah s. Alba
ny; the Coosa & Tennessee; the Elyton &
Boards Bluffs; the Atlantic, Gulf g. West In
dia Transit Company; the Pensacola &
Georgia from Lake City to Pensacola; the
Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central from Jack
sonville to Lake City; the North Louisiana &
Texas; the Little Rock g. Fort Smith; the
Iron Mountain; the st. Louis, Iron Mount
ain & Southern; the Detroit & Milwaukee; the
Port Huron & Milwaukee,; the Jackson, Lam
sing & Saginaw; the Northern Central; the
Michigan, Amboy, lansing & Traverse Bay;
the Marquette, Houghton Ontonagon; the
Ontonagon & State Line; the Sioux City & St.
Paul; the West Wisconsin; the North Wiscon-
sin; the Wisconsin Central; the st. Paul, Min
neapolis & Manitoba; the Western Railroad
Company formerly the Brainerd Branch of
! the St Paul & Pacific; the Southern Minneso-
ia Railroad Extension; the Lake Superior &
Mississippi; the Hastings & Dakota-in all,
thirty-two companies. OF these, six con-
structed no portion of the roads, and nine have
not had any of their lands yet patented.
| The aggregate number of miles of railroad
proposed to be built by the thirty-two com
| panies was 4,3l2 completed within the time
required for completion of the en- tire amount
1855 miles. The aggregate amount of theil
land grants was 1,292, $40 acres; patented t.
companies, 1902, LOG acres. The grand totals Of
all the companies involved in the land grants
are: Number Of miles proposed to be con
structed; 1900; constructed at the time the
completion Of the entire amount was re
quired, 3,13O; aggregate amount of lant
grants, 37,ssl,357 acres; patented to compa
MES l4s73,4T acres.