166 LANDS OF THE ARID REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. 
The first act making a donation in favor of internal improvements 
was approved on the 30th of April, 1802, and was entitled “An act to 
enable the people of the eastern division of the territory northwest of the 
river Ohio to form a constitution and State government, and for the admis- 
sion of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original 
States, and for other purposes.” 
By the third proviso to the seventh section of that statute, ‘‘one- 
twentieth part of the net proceeds of the lands lying within the said State 
sold by Congress, from and after the thirtieth day of June next, after 
deducting all expenses incident to the same”, was granted and given to the 
said State (Ohio), and was to be applied to the laying out and making of 
public roads leading to the Ohio River, to the said State, and through the 
same, from the navigable waters emptying into the Atlantic. Such roads 
were to be laid out under the authority of Congress, with the consent of 
the several States through which they passed. 
By an act approved March 3, 1803, the Secretary of the Treasury was 
directed to pay, to such persons as the legislature of the State of Ohio 
should designate, 3 per cent. of the net proceeds, as above, which sums 
were to be applied to laying out, opening, and making roads within said 
State. 
These acts, I believe, are the first two touching public improvements 
through congressional aid. Of course there had previously been many 
donations of land in favor of various persons, but they were for services 
rendered the Government, or special preémption privileges. 
Legislation similar to the acts above referred to, was enacted until the 
year 1824, varying only in the extent of the proceeds granted. 
By an act approved May 26, 1824, the State of Indiana was author- 
ized to open and build a canal, and the right of way with 90 feet of land 
on each side thereof, was granted, subject to use and occupancy for the 
purposes specified. Nothing, however, was done under that act by the 
State; and on the 2d of March, 1827, it was superseded by an act of greater 
extent. On that day two acts were passed giving to Indiana and Illinois, 
respectively, certain lands in aid of the construction of canals, the first to 
connect the navigation of the Wabash River with the waters of Lake Erie, 
