The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-07-20
RAILROADS AND LAND
GRANTS.


RAILROADS AND LAND
GRANTS.
The Big Corporations Have More
influence In Congress than
the People.
The Public Lands should b<
saved l0r the 1'OiIing
Masses, says Hon. r..
=. Cobb.
Why 1Tr. Cobb's hill Was sun
pressed IL The judiciary Conn
mittee.
We copy the following from III
Washington World OF the 7th inst. wbicI
shows the leading part taken by on
Representative Hon. Thos. Y. Cobb i,
the effort 70 forfeit the land grants 4,
railroads. when said roads have no
earned said lands under the grant. III,
record shows that Mr.. Cobb introduced
r bin q the beginning Of The last Con
gress for the purpose of f0rfeiting thes,
grauts, which was referred 10 the Com
unittee on Judiciary Mr.. Cobb did not
like others, stop here, but be FOLLOWED
this bill BY the Introduction Of the reso
luton copied below in the article takel
from the Washington World. ThiI
resolution ae will be seen asked the Sec
retaty of the Interior 10 furnish fhs
House with al the fscle necessary 70 en-
able Congress 70 legislate advisedly OF
the subject. Tbus Il will be seen tia
NJ. Cobb placed himself III the lead ii
this matter. And the press OF The coun
Try have very truthfuIIy given him the
high h0nOrs Of doing more effective
service IN this great work than any otheI
member Of Congress. The records o.
Congress also attest the fact.
The reason that Mr.. Cobb has not &C
compIished more in this great work i
fully explained in the Worlds article se
forth below Mr.. Cobb will push thi
matter before this Congress and ID Is con
ridently hoped BY the country that b,
will accomplish bis object in The forfeit
ure of these laild grsnts.
xu-7HE PEOPLES FRIENDS.
when The 47ih Congress met, IN Dc
cember. 1881, the land-grant railway
felt themselves very secure - to the ~
turc. Early IN the session the Hon
Thomas X. Cobb, Of Indiana, introduced
: resoIuti0n declaring forfeited al land
granted % States or corporations, 10 aif
III The construction % railways, which
had NOT been earned This resolution
ps-sed tbe House on the 9th Of February
leez. and reads as follows:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the In
terror be requested 70 inform the House
- bic earliest convenience, the names ol
AL The railroad companies 20 which III,
Government has granted lands 70 aid Ii
the construction Of their railroads, and
the names or I'll States and railroad
companies where grants Of public landl
have been made by the Government Il
said States for the benefit or said railroad
companies IN the construction Of tbei
railroads, which have NOT completed
their said roads within the time provided
by Law fhe amount OF land embraced il
each grant, and The amount disposed o.
by each OF said railroad companies an(
states, and the dates OF al acts Of Con
gress relating 70 each Of said grants, and
the number q miles Or each or said rail
roads completed under and pursuant ID
she scts making each grant = well q ths
number of miles Of each remaining m.
Il the date q which eaid oct.
required the completion Of the same
and be i also requested 70 give the name
Or each Of said railroad companies and
States which ere required BY law 10 re.
imbureo the Government for moneys cx.
pended BY Il 10 the surveying, selecting
Dr conveying said lands comprised with
in each Or their said granite. and what
amount and aIeo what amount, II any,
b now due from each of said companies
md States By way or reimbursement for
lhe cost Of said surveying. selecting and
said lands, stating the amount
u full By debt and credit on said In
1ebicdncss.
On the 9Th or March Secretary Kirk
wood answered this resolution, giving 4
report, substantially correct, Or al the
Avs relating 20 land grant railways, q
either States or corporations, in cases
" here the roads werc not completed
within the time required BY the grant
Ing act
grants were made 10 the States OF Missis.
zippi. AIsbama. I.onieiana, Florida, Ar.
kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Iowa, Wis.
consin and Minnesota, and III the roads
required By the granting acts had mol
been constructed. The entire amount
offered 20 these States was ihirty-fouI
million three hundred and fifty thousan(
{ 1850, ,O0O) acres, and the miles OF roa(
70 be built 70 secure this grant were teI
thousand nine hundred and eevcnty-on,
(1O,971). Twenty-Five million cigh
hundred and eighly-fivo thoueand acre
of thIs land had been earned, By th|
bu:lding OF the designated roads.
The report also shows that ono hmm
dred and eight million acres of land hal
been granted % sixteen corporations