LAND GRANTS IN AID OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 179 
of said roads. Indemnity was provided in ten additional miles and, except 
as to extent, it was not unlike the Lowa grant. 
On the 5th of May, 1864, similar grants were made to the States of Min- 
nesota and Wisconsin, and on the 12th of May to the State of Iowa. Vari- 
ous other grants followed of like character, differing only in few respects, 
to Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, lowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iansas ; 
as also grants for wagon roads. The latter were similar in terms to the 
railroad grants, save that three sections on either side of the roads were 
given instead of six or ten. The Northern Pacific was created July 1, 1864, 
and was very much like the Union Pacific grant, except in extent, being 
double the quantity through the Territories, with provision for ‘indemnity ”. 
The Atlantic and Pacific and Southern Pacific grants were made by act of 
July 27, 1866; the Denver Pacific by act of March 3, 1869; the South- 
ern Pacific (branch line) and Texas and Pacific by act of March 3, 
eile 
Many of the grants made in early years were enlarged, and the time 
for their completion extended; but thus far only four grants have been 
declared forfeited. At present, however, about twenty grants have “lapsed” 
by reason of non-compliance with the terms of the granting acts, requiring 
completion within prescribed periods, and recommendations have been 
made urging proper legislation. 
Neither time nor space permit an extended examination of every grant, 
but sufficient has been considered to point out the origin and growth of 
the system. 
We have seen that the first donation was one-twentieth part of certain 
proceeds derived from the sale of lands; then ninety feet of land, followed 
soon by one-half of five sections per mile on each side; then by six sec- 
tions; then by ten, and finally by twenty sections per mile on each side of 
the road. 
If the lands granted, or in other words embraced within the limits of 
the grants, could be found available, the companies, not including those for 
canals or wagon roads, would receive, provided each built its road and 
complied with the laws, more than two hundred and fifteen million acres. 
That quantity if embraced in one compact body, would form an area of 
