2d Session. MUSCATINE ISLAND. RESOLUTIONS No. 16. OF THE LEGISLATURE OF IOWA. RELATIVE TO The inundated lands on Muscatine Island. JANUARY 25, 1819. Referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. Whereas a large portion of the Muscatine island in the counties of Muscatine and Louisa, in the State of lowa, to the extent of some forty or fifty thousand acres of land, is subject to inundation from the waters of the Mississippi river during a great portion of the year, thereby wholly obstructing the sale of said lands by the government of the United States: And whereas it is confidently believed, that said lands are capable of being reclaimed, and rendered saleable, by the construction of a levee along the bank of the said Mississippi river, from the high grounds on said island below Bloomington to the north of the Muscatine slough: And whereas it is believed, that a grant to this State of ten thousand acres of said lands would be sufficient to construct said levee: Therefore, Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of lowa, That our senators and representatives in Congress be requested to use their endeavors to obtain the desired grant. Resolved, That the secretary of State be requested to forward a copy of this preamble and resolution to each of our senators and representa tives in Congress. SMILEY H. BONHAM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Approved December 27, 1848, President of the Senate. ANSEL BRIGGS. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, IOWA, lowa city, Jan. 6, 1849. I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the original now on file in said office. Tippin & Streeper, printers. JOSIAH H. BONNEY, 2d Session. No. 17. RAILROAD FROM DAVENPORT TO COUNCIL BLUFFS. RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF IOWA, RELATIVE To a grant of land for the construction of a railroad from Davenport to Council Bluffs. JANUARY 25, 1849. Referred to the Committee on the Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. JOINT RESOLUTION for a grant of land from Congress. Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, That the honorable A. C. Dodge and G. W. Jones, our senators, and the honorable Shepherd Leffler and William Thompson, our representatives in Congress be requested to use their influence to procure from the government of the United States a grant of land to aid in the construction of a railroad from Davenport, via Bloomington, Iowa city, and Fort Des Moines, to some suitable point near the Council Bluff, on the Missouri river. Resolved, That the secretary of State be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to each of our senators and representatives in Congress. SMILEY H. BONHAN, Speaker of the House. JOHN J. SELMAN, Approved December 29, 1848. President of the Senate. ANSEL BRIGGS. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, IOWA, lowa city, January 6, 1849. I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the original now on file in said office. JOSIAH H. BONNEY, 2d Session. No. 18. GRANTS OF LAND TO THE SEVERAL STATES. LETTER FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, TRANSMITTING, In answer to a letter from tha Chairman of the Committee of Public Lands, statements showing the grants of land which have been made to the several States for various purposes. JANUARY 25, 1849. Laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 12, 1848. DEAR SIR: Occasions are almost every day occurring, both in the House and in the Committee of Public Lands, when it becomes necessary to ascertain all the grants of land which have been made to the several States for various purposes; this can now be accurately done only by applying to the Department, and there only by looking up all the several laws making the grants, and there finding in the columns of the records. the various entries to ascertain the amount. This is a great inconvenience both to Congress and your office. To remedy this, it seems to me there should be prepared some well digested and accurate tabular statement on the subject. It is true that an approximation towards it is found in your report, in reply to a Senate resolution, (Senate executive document 41, 1st session 30th Congress ;) but it is there mingled with other matter, and is, besides, imperfect in not presenting the dates and different purposes of the grants, and in not including the grants made. while the States were Territories. If you concur in this view, will you have the goodness to respond hereto. Respectfully, your humble servant, Hon. R. M. YOUNG, J. COLLAMER, Chairman Committee Public Lands. Commissioner of the General Land Office. Tippin & Streeper, print. |