Congressional Grants of Land in Aid of Railways (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1899. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX A. THE USE OF RAILROAD LANDS BY STATES AND CORPORATIONS. The following summary of the disposition of the land grants to railroads must be regarded as provisional. The material is too scattered, insufficient, and sometimes unreliable, to permit exhaustive treatment or very positive detailed conclusions. But the following data have been laboriously collected and, although incomplete, are presented partly in the hope of stimulating students in the respective states to give fuller investigation to the subject. Illinois. The act of September 20, 1850, granted lands to Illinois for a road from Chicago to Cairo, with a branch to Dubuque via Galena.1 The western part of this line had been part of the internal improvement scheme of 1837, * but like the rest of the plan had never been carried out. Even before the internal improvement plan had been adopted a company had been chartered to build the road. When the state undertook the work, this company was compelled to surrender its charter; but in 1843 the charter was returned, only to be repealed in 1845 and again revived in 1849." By this last act the governor was to hold in trust for the company any lands which might be granted to the state for the benefit of the road.* There seems to have been considerable opposition to this company and to the "Holbrook charters," as the laws relating to it were called. Douglas was particularly persistent in his work against the company and finally secured from the company a release from all its rights to the lands which might be granted to the state. Douglas regarded this release as necessary in order to secure the passage of the bill,5 but it is not clear how widespread the feeling ag-ainst the company was or what were the grounds for it. At any rate the old company wa...