The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-21
rHE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The Vast Return to the Government nm"
People From the Louisiana Purchase'

The Vast Return to the Governmcnt an"
People From the Louisiana Purche'e'
To THE EDrroR OF The suN-Sr! -FOUR
Philadelphia correspondent OF Dec. 10 mas
gathered up In brief space NUMBER Oh inter-
eating facts with respect TO the Public Domain.
But there have crept In few inaccuracies.
which beg TO correct Your correspondent
has given the amount usually quoted as TO the
cost OF the Louisiana Purchase. Viz: Szf'ZoL-
821 o. and the acreage involved In the pur-
chase as 758 1851. $50 acres.
The volume compiled under direction OF Mr..
Thomas Donaldson entitled the PUBIC DO
main" gives these sums. but q more recent
and more accurate document, the History a
the Louisiana Purchase" by Mr.. Binger Her.
mann. present Commissioner OF the General
Land ONCE. the result OF much research on
the part OF the ommissioner. throws out OF
the count the Oregon country. for reasons set
forth by him. and reduces the total acreage OF
the Louisiana Purchase to sos. 1875. $50 acres.
The original Louisiana Purchase contained.
approximately. 571 .S73. 800 acres. but this was
reduced to the true figures given by excluding
the area west OF the Rocky Mountains. and
also that east OF the Mississippi which latter
by other treaties was counted as portion OF
the Florida oession. and from Great Britain.
Donsldson's Public Domain" using 1885,
e81 .2sO acres. and $27.207. 621. 0S as the pur-
chase price. gives the average cost per acre at
3 3-5 cents. But this Ia much too high The
sum paid was SIS. 900, 900. as your correspond
ent correctly says. but there 10 no fairness In
adding to that the interest paid subsequently
on the the per cent bonds, amounting to
$3.50, 1853. This was . charge growing out OF
the purchase. and. as we had possession OF the
territory from that date. the interest should
not be included in determining the value OF
the land per acre. Using, then. the true area az
given by Mr.. Hermann. 565. 168.0S0 acres. and
the true purchase price. S15.00O00O We get
the price paid as about 2 1919 cents per acre.
instead Of 3 3-5 cents .per acre. as given In
Donaidson's Public Domain"
This subject has bearing which Is not COM
monty appreciated. to which your Philadelphia
correspondent made no reference. The
amount OF the lands patented to railroads on
account OF land grants, up to June
80. 1890. as shown BY the report
OF the Comm Missioner OF the General Land
ONCE. is little over 86.00O000 acres. This
seems a vast area to have been disposed OF In
that fashion, yet It 10 only little corner OF the
Louisiana Purchase. within the boundaries oil
which most. II not all, the land grants fall II
com prises only about one-seventh Of the Lou
| isiana Purchase. That 10 to say. the land
which originally cost the Government less than
three cents psr acre was subsequently granted
| to the railroads. Allowing that It's value had
| advanced twenty-fol It would still be worth
less than sixty cents per acre. and on thii
basis the total surrender value OF the land
| grants to railroads would not exceed 10000
| oo0
When IL IL remem bered that the railroads
| opened and devsloped the vast empire which
now occupies the region Of the Louisiana Pur'
| chase, and that the Government has received
| 81. so for the landa on alternate sections ada
cent to the railroads. II will be seen that the
| grants to the roads become q piece OF wi-e ant
| far-aeeing stntesmapship. President cree iI
| 1852. when tho nrst land grant was made, SAID
| In his annual message to Congress- that land
| grant was. In lite right interpretation. the ac'
"of mere landowner disposinR OF a small
| share OF his property In q way to augment the
| value Of the residue, and In this mode to en-
| courage the carly occupation OF u by tho In
dustrious and intelligent pioneer"
Tho grants were made In good faith and they
| led TO great results. The Government has Ions
| since had the full equivalent OF them. A. q
| piece OF righteous justice. the credit should
| be given where II belonRs There are some
| things for which our people must forever
| lie under obligation to the great railways
| They have made the Louisiana Purchase
which was once wilderness, blossom as I
| garden. W. L. PARsoN.
| WAauINaroN Dee 10