Encyclopedia Dubuque
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IOWA RAILROAD LAND GRANT ACT: Difference between revisions
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Stover, John F. '''History of the Illinois Central'''. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. 1975, p. 130 | Stover, John F. '''History of the Illinois Central'''. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. 1975, p. 130 | ||
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Latest revision as of 02:39, 17 February 2019
IOWA RAILROAD LAND GRANT ACT. Signed by President Franklin Pierce May 15, 1856, the land grant for Iowa railroads provided aid for four east-west railroad lines running from the MISSISSIPPI RIVER to the Missouri. The four river town in eastern Iowa that were to have western railroads were Dubuque, Lyons City (Clinton), Davenport and Burlington.
The federal legislation followed in many ways the Illinois Central legislation of 1850. According to the law, six sections of land for each mile of track were to be given to the railroads as each 20-mile section of line was finished.
Governor James W. Grimes called the legislature into special session in July 1856 to implement the congressional grant. The Iowa act provided that all the railroads were to be built to standard gauge (4 feet, 8.5 inches) and that they were to be completed by December 1, 1865.
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Source:
Stover, John F. History of the Illinois Central. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. 1975, p. 130