It appears by ch. 57, laws of 1868, of the state of Wisconsin, that the "Chicago and Northwestern Railway Co.," which had received the grant to aid in constructing a railroad from Fond du Lac northward to the state line, had caused the first two hundred and forty sections of land to which it might be. come entitled, to be appraised, and that the 153,600 acres were appraised at $1,840,000, or about $12 per acre; and that about 1859 that railway company issued "to persons aiding in the construction of its railroad,” “convertible land grant certificates" entitling the holders thereof to receive said lands in proportionate shares, the proportion being such as the amount of money for which the same was given, and expressed therein, bore to $1,840,000.

By section 5 of said chapter 57, these certificates were authorized to be received in payment for the purchase of the lands included in the grant; but the price was to be at least twelve dollars per acre. This grant was six miles wide, deficiencies to be made up by selections within fifteen mile limits. The grant was estimated to embrace 600,000 acres of land, and up to June 30, 1873, 522,144.51 acres had been certified or patented.

The first 240 sections, or 153,600 acres, appraised by the company at $12 per acre, would yield.

$1,840,000 00

The balance of the grant, 446,400 acres, estimated at $5 per acre, would yield .......

2,232,000 00

$4,072,000 00

Total

The distance from Fond du Lac to Menomonee is 116.9 miles, making the value of the grant, at a moderate computation (and without including the eighty acres of the "Fort Howard military reserve," which is believed to be very valuable), almost $35,000 per mile for the entire distance.

[The subjoined communication was received while the report was passing through the press.]

"CHICAGO AND NOTHWESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY,

"Land Department,

"CHICAGO, Jan. 2, 1875.

"Hon. J. H. OSBORN, R. R. Com. of Wis., Madison, Wis.

"DEAR SIR: In answer to your inquiries respecting the land grant of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company in Wisconsin, I would state, that I find that the Commissioner of the General Office, in his report of 1873, estimated the quantity of land in the grant at 600,000 acres.

"I find, on examination, that of this amount, there was received by the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad Company, 211,063 acres, which were sold under the mortgages given by said company on decree of court, and I have no means of determining what they were sold for. "That the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company has received about 350,401 acres, and have sold 30,41834 acres of the best and most valuable of the lands received by it, (they being bought for the pine timber on the same), for the amount of $96,881 being an average of $3

acre.

"

per

I have no means of determining what could be realized for the balance of said lands, but if the company could get a bona fide offer of $1.25 per acre for the balance, so that it could get released from further payment of taxes and expenses on the same, I would most certainly recommend its officers to accept the offer.

The company claim about 24,000 acres more of land. If it gets the same, there will be a deficiency of about 14,500 acres. Very truly yours,

GEO. P. GOODWIN,

Land Com.

FROM PORTAGE CITY, BERLIN, DOTY'S ISLAND OR FOND DU LAC, IN A NORTHWESTERN DIRECTION, TO BAYFIELD, AND THENCE TO SUPERIOR, ON LAKE SUPERIOR.

(Wisconsin Central.)

This grant was made May 5, 1864, vol. 13, page 66, U. S. Statutes. The grant is ten miles wide, and deficiencies are to be selected within twenty mile limits. The grant was conferred by the legislature of the state of Wisconsin, partly upon the "Winnebago and Lake Superior Railroad Company," and partly upon the "Portage and Superior Railroad Company." The former April 6, 1866, chap. 314; and the latter April 9, 1666, chap. 362.

The two companies were consolidated under the name of the "Portage, Winnebago and Superior Railroad Company," March 6, 1869, chap. 257.

By joint resolution, adopted by congress June 21, 1866, the words, "in a northwestern direction," were construed to authorize the location of the road from Portage City, by the way of Ripon and Berlin, to Stevens Point, and thence to Bayfield, and thence to Superior, on Lake Superior.

By act of the legislature of the state of Wisconsin, approved February 4, 1871, the name of the company was changed to the "Wisconsin Central Railroad Company.”

In 1869, the quantity of land estimated to be included in this grant, as shown by the report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office for that year, was 1,800, 000 acres. But, in the report for 1873, this estimate was reduced to 750,000 acres.

The following exhibit was received in answer to a letter of inquiry addressed to the land agent of the company by the Commissioners:

“Hon. J. H. OSBORN, R. R. Commissioner, Madison:

"DEAR SIR: In reply to yours of 30th ult., I have to state the following in regard to the land grant to the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company:

TABLE of Land Concessions, per Report of Commissioners of the General Land Office, 1873.

1 Act to quiet title to the lands of the settlers on lands claimed by the West Wis. R. R. Co. 2 Resolution authorizing change of route and selection of lands. Authorizing selection of lands along the full extent of original route of road, etc. Resolution explanatory of the act of May 5, 1864, and authorizing certain changes of width in accordance with the act of the state legislature.

This table can be considered only an approximation to the real amount of aid rendered in the way of bonds, right of way, etc., as the returns are very incomplete

and indefinite.

Madison city

22,108 1868

23,000

1,190

50,000

Ripon
Ripon

Oshkosh & Miss

15,000

15,000 1871