The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-06-23


princelv tlanatlonS made IN the era "i
illsrahty Ia aii In the construction "i
railroads. ieing for ~ miles along The
entir,. line in all the States and ~ mIl'>
I'M all the Territories through which the
line might h.. lacatel. with the r,gltt If
indemnity selection within ~ additional
mules. afterward hv subs, ,Ipsut act rs
Statutes. 9.s enlarged t. - mll,S, for
all lands lost ia the grant M place.
The land affected by the grant AMI
sui irct to its operation Mas IN fact all
odd numbered sections i'll a h"lt "f the
public domain extending o,.r = .t''a milr~
from lake Superior l." fu-rt Sound. 10
miles in width in all the States and ~
mil,S in width in all the Ttrr,torl,S
through which the line shnald hr Ioca
tel.
This was q grant "t IN empire
capable of sustaining millions al the
people of the United States. the
most muniiicrnt grant that VAS ever
made, and equal To any conquest hv
any conIucrln% army At any period
If the history "f the world. Its
value Is hardly to- hr estimated IN
money q, tins time II lS TIA" git
of two or three hundred millions "i
dollars of present AMI tntur" values
to few individuals.
The consl.i. ration of ths munitrnt
grant. a, sprcitirall, declared hy the act
a, 4, l., 10
transportation ,i the ru,lls. troops. mn
nitinns Of war. ami public stores over
Sal'i railway S,,tIon b, II prnmot" the
public interest aud welfare hN th, con-
strurtnn of s;itl railroad aa,l telegraph
line, Ia keep the same ~ working ~
der" and ito secure to- the ',nverinI,m
at all times, but particularly IN tim" "i
war, the lise ami benefits ot the sam"
for postal, mlltary AMI other rurrn''s.
(sr,tinn ~
Section J ,i the act, embracing thr
grant of lands, was IN the following
words:
"SEc. 3. And H. it further enacted,
That there ha'. and ~ hereby granted tn
the Northern Pacific Railroad Company
It's stlcrt,surs AMI assigns. for the pur-
pose of aiding in the construction oi
said railroad and telegraph line I" the
Pacific coast. AMI tn srcurr the sat" and
speedy transportation ut the mails.
trnop@, munitions Ut war AMI ruhllr
stores, over thr route Of Sail llnr ot rail.
waN, every alternate section Of public
land. not mineral. drsienalrd b, oil
numbers, to the amount of twenty al
ternate sections per mile, un each .llr
Of said railroad llnr, ~ sad com
plny may adopt through The
Territories uf the United stat -, ana
n alternate arctlon- of lahl per rulr
ON each siI, of said rallr"id whrnr,ci 1t
pissr, through any STATE, AMI whenever
on the line Thereof the | nitod States
have full titl.', not reserved. suld, grant
cd or otherwise appropriated, and fIrc
from rrr.ctnpti"h ~ otlrr CLAIMS or
rights at the time the line OF sad road i,
definitely fixed and the plat thereof filed
in the office of the commissioner Of the
general land office, and whenever prior
to said term any ut saId sections or parts
Of sections shall have been granted. sold,
reserved. occupied hy homestead settlers.
or vr" cmpteh, or otherwise dlepusrd Of,
other lands shall b. selected l., SAID com
pauy in lien thereof. under the direction
of I'M, secretary of the interior. IN alter
nate section. and designated hy uId
numlrra. not NOR. than 10 miles bryund
the limit. IF said All, ria,r sections"
"Src. \ That the SAID com.
pany shall commence the work on said
I.... ,,.
rnhi "l'h'n wv" years from ''' prr2Nh,
W '"'' Az y, Wv "''' 0"''''