EDUCATIONAL.
Public Schools-How Supported-State
University-Its President-Faculty-University
Fund-Agricultural College-State Normal
School-0ther State Educational Institutions
-Public and Private Colleges and Schools
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PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE have seen that the first territorial
legislature made provision for general
education by organizing a system of
common schools. The famous ordinance
of 1787 required that "schools
and the means of education shall be
forever encouraged," and this
has been the policy of' the government
in the admission of every new State
since that time, as evinced by the
liberal grants of the public lands
for educational purposes.
The public schools
are supported by funds arising from
several different sources. In the
first place, the sixteenth section
of every congressional township was
set apart by the government for school
purposes-being one thirty-sixth part
of all the land in the State. Congress
also made to the State an additional
donation of 500,000 acres, and an
appropriation of five per cent on
all the sales of public lands in the
State. The State also gives the proceeds
of the sales of all lands which escheat
to it. The money derived from these
sources constitutes the permanent
school fund, and, including the proceeds
of the land still unsold, will amount
to over four millions of dollars.
The interest on this fund is apportioned
by the State Auditor semi-annually
to the several counties of the, State,
in proportion to the number of persons
between the ages of five and twenty-one
years. The counties also levy an annual
tax for school purposes, which is
apportioned to the several district
townships in the same way. A district
tax is also generally levied for the
same purpose. The money arising from
these several sources consti-
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tutes the support of
the public schools, and is sufficient
to enable every sub-district in the
State to afford from six to nine months
school each year.
While Iowa is
fostering and building up many excellent
institutions of a higher order, the
glory of her educational work consists
in her admirable system of common
schools—her peoples' colleges.
The superintendent of public instruction
is the highest school officer of the
State, and exercises a general supervision
over its educational interests, so
far as relates to the public schools.
Each county has a county superintendent,
who examines applicants for teachers'
certificates, visits the schools,
reports annually to the State Superintendent,
and exercises a general charge over
the schools of the county. Each civil
township constitutes what is called
a district township, which is divided
into sub-districts, and each sub-district
elects a sub-director. The several
sub-directors in the district township
constitute a board of directors. In
towns and cities there are independent
districts, which elect officers to
manage their affairs independently
of the district townships.
The common school
system has recently been greatly improved
by the inauguration of normal institutes,
under the auspices of the superintendent
of public instruction, and also by
the establishment of a permanent State
normal school at Cedar Falls. The
total permanent school fund, November
1, 1877, was $3,460,348.76. This is
being augmented from different sources,
and the interest only is applied toward
the support of the common schools.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
By an act of Congress
of July 20, 1840, the secretary of
the treasury was authorized to set
apart and reserve from sale not exceeding
two entire townships of land in Iowa,
for the use and support of a university.
The constitution under which Iowa
was admitted into the Union contained
a provision requiring the General
Assembly to take measures for the
protection, improvement, or other
disposition of the land granted by
Congress for the university, and to
create from the proceeds of the same
a permanent fund for the use of a
university. A bill was passed by the
first General Assembly, establishing
at Iowa City an institution to be
called the "State University,"
with such branches as, in the opinion
of the General Assembly, the public
convenience might thereafter require.
The same act also granted for the
use of the university the public building,
with ten acres of ground, at Iowa
City, the same to be used, however,
for the purposes of the State government
until the removal of the capital.
By acts of January 15, 1849, and January
16, 1849, two branches of the university,
located respectively at Fairfield
and Dubuque, were established. and
placed upon equal footing, "in
respect to funds and other matters,"
with the university established at
Iowa City by the act of 1847. The
branch at Fairfield was organized
May 6, 1849. A site of twenty acres
of ground was purchased and a building
erected, upon which twenty-five hundred
dollars had been expended. The building
was almost destroyed by a hurricane
in 1851. No aid from the State or
the University fund was ever given
in support of the branches. The board
at Fairfield requested the termination
of its relation to the State, and,
in accordance with this request, an
act was passed January 24, 1853, severing
the connection. The branch at Dubuque
was never organized. The new constitution,
which took effect September 3, 1857,
provided that "the State University
shall be established at one place,
without branches at any other place,
and the university fund shall be applied
to that institution and no other."
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At
a special meeting of the board, February
21, 1850, it recognized the "College
of Physicians and Surgeons of the
Upper Mississippi," an institution
at Davenport established under the
laws of the State as the "College
of Physicians and Surgeons of the
State University of Iowa," but
with the express stipulation that
such recognition should not render
the university liable for any pecuniary
aid, nor was the board to acquire
any control over the property or management
of the medical association. Soon after
this the medical college removed to
Keokuk. This arrangement was terminated
by
the operation of the new constitution.
In March, 1855,
the University was partially operated
for a term of sixteen weeks, and there
was an attendance of from seventy-five
to one hundred students during the
term. The first regular catalogue
was published for the year 1856-7.
At a meeting of the board, August
4, 1858, the, degree of Bachelor of
Science was conferred upon Dexter
Edson Smith, being the first decree
conferred upon a student of the University.
From 1860 to 1877, inclusiye, the
total number of ladies in the collegiate
department was 2,994:, and gentlemen
3,941; total number of ladies in the
law department since its organization,
6, and gentlemen, 632; total number
of ladies in the medical department
since its organization 48, and gentlemen
469.
The presidents since its organization
have been:
Amos Dean, of Albany, N. Y., elected
July 16, 1855.
Silas Totten, D. D., LL.D., elected
Oct. 25, 1859.
Professor Oliver M. Spencer, elected
August 19, 1862.
Professor Nathan R Leonard, elected
June 26, 1866, as president pro
tem., during absence of President
Spencer in Europe fifteen months by
leave of the board.
James Black, D.D., elected March 4,
1868.
Rev. George Thacher, elected March
1, 1871.
C. W. Slagle, of Fairfield, elected
president pro tem., June, 1871.
J. L. Pickard, elected in 1878.
The faculty of
the University consists of the president,
nine professors in the collegiate
department, one professor and six
instructors in military science; chancellor,
three professors and four lecturers
in the law department; eight professor
demonstrators of anatomy; professor
of surgery and two lecturers in the
medical department, and two professors
in the homeopathic medical department.
The law department was established
in June, 1868; the medical department
in 1869; the chair of military instruction
in June, 1874, and the department
of homeopathy in 1876.
From 1858 to 1876, inclusive, the
General Assembly has made appropriations
for buildings, and for the support
of the University, sums aggregating
$264,757. The Seventeenth General
Assembly, by an act approved March
22, 1878, made an appropriation, as
an endowment fund, of $20,000 annually,
and an additional appropriation of
$10,000 for repairs of buildings,
fences, walks and other purposes.
On the 30th of September, the University
held interest bearing mortgage notes
amounting to $195,423.13; contract
notes amounting to $10,357.14, and
a fund known as the Saline fund, amounting
to $4,106.85. These amounts, aggregating
$209,887.72, constitute a permanent
fund, the interest of which goes to
the support of the University. There
were also, September 30, 1877, remaining
unsold, 2,059.70 acres of University
lands, and 3887.10 acres of Saline
lands, making a total of 5,946.86
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ares, the proceeds of
which when sold, will go to increase
the permanent University fund. At
five dollars per acre these lands
will add to the perm anent fund $29,734,
which amount added to the above will
give to the University a permanent
endowment fund of $239,621.72.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
By
an act of Congress passed in 1862,
a grant of 240,000 acres of land was
made to the State for the endowment
of schools of agriculture and the
mechanical arts. Under this act 240,000.96
acres were appropriated to the State;
but as 35,691.66 acres were located
within railroad limits, which were
computed at the rate of two acres
for one, the actual number of acres
in the grant was 204,309.30. .In addition
to this grant Congress allso gave
its assent to the State to use for
the same purpose the five sections
of land in Jasper county, which had
been selected for the seat of government
of the State. There were also donated
in Story and Boone counties for the
use of the institution 921 acres,
making a grand total of 208,430.30
acres. This last donation of 921 acres
was madeby citizens of Story and Boone
counties.
The General Assembly
passed an act which was approved March
22, 1858, establishing the Iowa Agricultural
College and Model Farm. Under this
act a board of trustees was appointed,
which at a meeting in June, 1859,
received propositions for the location,
and in July the offer of the present
location in Story county, was accepted.
In 1864 the General Assembly appropriated
$20,000 for the erection of a College
bun ding, and in 1866 an additional
appropriation of $91,000 was made.
The building was completed in 1868.
An office was opened in Fort Dodge
for the sale of the College lands,
and Hon. George W. Bassett was appointed
agent for their sale. From the establishment
of this agency in August; 1865, to
November 1, 1867, the amount received
on sales of lands was $68,782.81,
and the amount of interest collected
on leases for the same time was $338,931.78,
making a total of $406,714.65, which
is a permanent endowment fund.
The courses of study in the College,
as revised in 1877, are as follows:
1-The Course in Science as related
to Agriculture. 2-The Course in Mechanical
Engineering. 3-The Course in Civil
Engineering: 4-The Ladies' Course
in Science. 5-Course for Juniors and
Seniors in Special Industrial Sciences.
6-Post-graduate Courses of Study.
7-The Preparatory Course. .From 1872
to 1877, inclusive, the number of
graduates of the College was 123.
By the terms of the law, tuition in
the Agricultural College is made forever
free to pupils from the State, over
sixteen years of age, who have resided
in the State six months prior to their
admission. Each county in the State
has a prior right of tuition for three
pupils, and additional pupils to the
extent of the capacity of the College,
are distributed by the board of trustees
among the counties in proportion to
the population.
The following
constitute the Faculty:-A. S. Welch,
LL. D., President and Professor of
Psychology and Philosophy of Science;
Gen. J. L. Geddes, Professor of .Military
.Tactics and Engineering; W. H. Wynn,
A. M., Ph. D., Professor of English
Literature; O. E. Bessey, M. S., Professor
of Botany, Zoology, Entomology; A.
Thompson:, C. E., Mechanical Engineering
and Superintendent of Workshops; F.
E. L. Beal, B. S., Civil Engineering;
T. E. Pope, A. M., Chemistry; M. Stalker,
Agricultural and Veterinary Science;
J. L. Budd, Horticulture; J. K. Macomber,
Physics; E. W. Stanton, Mathematics
and Political Economy; Mrs. Margaret
P. Stanton, Pre-
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ceptress, Instructor
in French and Mathematics; J, S. Lee,
D. S, Assistant Professor of Chemistry;
Mrs. M. B. Welch, Instructor of the
English Language, and Lecturer on
Domestic Economy; J. C. Arthur, M.
S., .Librarian, and Demonstrator of
Botany and Zoology. There are also
instructors in Vocal and Instrumental
Music.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
The State
Normal School was established by the
General Assembly, at Iowa Falls, in
1876, and under the law the property
of the Orphans' Home, at that place,
was transferred for the use of the
Normal School. The first Board of
Directors organized June 7th,of that
year. H. C. Hemenway, was chosen President;
J. J. Tolerton, Secretary, and E.
Townsend, Treasurer. At the same meeting
Prof. J. C. Gilchrist, A. M., was
elected Principal of the school.
The following constitute the Faculty:-J.
C. Gilchrist, A. M., Professor of'
Mental and Moral Philosophy and Didactics;
M. W. Bartlett, A. M., Professor of
Languages and Natural Science; D.
S. Wright, A. M., Professor of Mathematics;
Miss Frances L. Webster, Teacher of
Geography and History; E. W. Burnham,
Professor of Music.
During the second year 105 ladies
and 50 gentlemen were in attendance,
33 counties of Iowa being represented.
By an act of the General Assembly,
approved March 25, 1878, the sum of
$13,500 was appropriated for the maintenance
of the school for the next biennial
period of two years. By the same act
the board of directors were empowered
to charge pupils a tuition fee of
not exceeding six dollars, per term
if necessary, in order to properly
support the school.
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COLLEGES,
SEMINARIES AND ACADEMIES.
There
are also in Iowa the following educational
institutions:
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
167
Click
on images to see full size.
ACADEMIES AND OTHER
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS.
168
169
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Hospitals for the Insane-College
for the Blind-Institutions for the
Deaf and Dumb-Or
Orphans' Homes-Asylum for Feeble-Minded
Children-The Penitentiary-The Additional
Penitentiary-State Reform School-State
Historical Society.
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, MT. PLEASANT,
HENRY COUNTY.
THE
General Assembly, by an act approved
January 24, 1855, appropriated $4,425
to purchase a site for a Hospital
for the Insane, and $50,000 for the
erection of a building. Edward Johnston,
of Lee county; Charles S. Clarke,
of Henry county, and the Governor
(Grimes), were appointed to select
the location and superintend the erection
of a building. They made the location
at Mt. Pleasant Henry county and adopted
a plan with sufficient capacity to
accommodate three hundred patients.
Henry Winslow was appointed to superintend
the erection of the building. The
building was not ready for occupancy
until March, 1861. Within the first
three months about one hundred patients
were admitted. Richard J. Patterson,
M. D., of Ohio, was appointed Superintendent,
and in 1865 he Was succeeded by Dr.
Mark Ranney. From the opening of the
Hospital to the 1st of November, 1877,
there had been admitted 3,584 patients,
of whom 1,141 had been discharged
recovered, 505 improved, 589 unimproved,
and one died. The total number discharged
was 2,976; leaving 608 under treatment.
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, INDEPENDENCE,
BUCHANAN COUNTY.
In
1868 a bill passed the General Assembly
in making an appropriation of $125,000
for the erection of an additional
Hospital for the Insane, at Independence,
Buchanan county.,. A board of commissioners
was appointed, who commenced their
duties June 8, 1868. They made the
location about a mile from Independence,
on the west side of the Wapsipinicon
river, and about one mile from the
river. The building was ready for
occupancy April 21,1873. On the 1st
of October, 1877, the Superintendent,
Albert Reynolds, M. D., reported 322
patients in the hospital. .
COLLEGE FOR THE BLIND, VINTON, BENTON
COUNTY.
In
August, 1852, Prof. Samuel Bacon,
himself blind, established an institution
at Keokuk for the instruction of the
blind. In January, 1853, the General
Assembly passed an act by which the
State adopted the institution at Keokuk,
and on the 4th of April, of the same
year, it was opened for the reception
of pupils, at Iowa City. A board of
trustees was appointed, with authority
to receive propositions and make a
permanent location. Liberal donations
were made by citizens of Vinton, Benton
county, and that place was selected.
In October, 1862, the institution
was opened at Vinton with twenty-four
pupils. Up to 1878 about $285,000
have been expended in buildings and
improvements connected with this institution.
During the period of two years, ending
November 6, 1877, about 135 pupils
were in attendance. The faculty is
presided over by Rev. Robert Carothers,
A. M., as Principal.
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INSTITUTION FOR THE
DEAF AND DUMB,
COUNCIL BLUFFS, POTAWATTAMIE COUNTY
This institution
was established first at Iowa City,
by an act of the General Assembly,
approved January 24, 1855. W. E. Ijams
was the first Principal. He resigned
in 1862, and the board of trustees
appointed Benjamin Talbot his successor.
In 1868 commissioners were appointed
to relocate the institution and superintend
the erection of a building, and the
sum of $125,000 was appropriated to
commence the work. It was located
about two miles south of Council Bluffs,
and connected with it is a tract of
about ninety acres of ground. The
main building and one wing were completed
October 1, 1870, and immediately occupied.
On the 25th of February, 1877, the
main building and east wing were destroyed
by fire, and and on the 6th of August,
of the same year, the roof of the
new west wing was blown off and. the
walls partially injured by a tornado.
About 150 pupils were in attendance
at the time of the fire. About half
of the classes were dismissed, reducing
the number to about seventy. The institution
remains in charge of Benjamin Talbot
as Superintendent. By an act of the
General Assembly, approved March 25,
1878, the sum of $40,000 was appropriated
for the purpose of rebuilding and
completing in a plain and substantial
manner the main building.
SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOMES, DAVENPORT,
CEDAR FALLS, GLENWOOD.
In 1866 the General
Assembly passed an act establishing
three Homes for the soldiers' orphans,
as follows: located at Davenport,
Cedar Falls, and Glenwood. This was
the result of a movement inaugurated
by Mrs. Annie Wittenmeyer, during
the civil war. In October, 1863, she
called a convention at Davenport,
to devise measures for the support
and education of the orphan children
of Iowa soldiers who had fallen in
the national defense. An association
was formed, and provision made for
raising funds. A sufficient amount
of funds was raised to open the Home,
and at a meeting of the Trustees in
March, 1864, they decided to commence
operations at once. A large brick
building in Van Buren county was secured,
and on the 13th of JuIy, of the same
year, the executive committee reported
that they were ready to receive pupils.
In little more than six months seventy
pupils were in attendance. The Home
continued to be sustained by voluntary
subscriptions until 1866, when it
was assumed by the State and the three
Homes established as above stated.
In 1876 the Homes at Cedar Falls and
Glenwood were discontinued, and the
pupils remaining in them removed to
the Home at Davenport. The buildings
at Cedar Falls were appropriated to
the use of the State Normal School,
and those at Glenwood to the use of
the Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children.
September 30, 1877, there were in
attendance at the Home in Davenport
139 soldiers' orphans, and forty-one
indigent children, the Sixteenth General
Assembly having passed an act opening
the Home for the admission of indigent
children.
ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE-MINDED CHILDREN,
GLENWOOD, MILLS COUNTY.
By an act approved
March 17, 1876, an Asylum for Feeble-Minded
Children was established at Glenwood,
Mills county. The buildings and grounds
for the Soldiers.' Orphans' Home were
by the same act transferred
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THE PENITENTIARY,
FORT MADISON, LEE COUNTY.
The Territorial
Legislature by an act approved January
25, 1839, provided for the election
by joint ballot of the Council and
House of Representatives of the Territory,
of three directors W locate the Penitentiary
within one mile of the Pllblic square
in the town of Fort Madison, and provided
further, limiting the cost of the
Penitentiary to an amount not exceeding
forty thousand dollars. The same act
authorized the Governor to draw the
sum of twenty thousand dollars which
had been appropriated by Congress
for the erection of public buildings
in the Territory of Iowa, to pay for
materials and work on the building.
The location at Fort Madison, however,
was coupled with a proviso that the
citizens of that place and Lee county
should execute to the directors a
deed for ten acres of ground. All
the conditions were complied with,
and the erection of the building was
commenced July 9, 1839. The main building
and warden's house were completed
in the autumn of 1841. Since that
time additions and other improvements
have been made.
ADDITIONAL PENITENTIARY, ANAMOSA,
JONES COUNTY
The Additional
Penitentiary at Anamosa was established
under an act of the General Assembly
approved April 3, 1872. Three commissioners
were appointed to make the location
and provide for the erection of the
necessary buildings. They met at Anamosa,
June 4, 1872, and made selection of
a site donated by the citizens. Work
was commenced on the building September
28th of the same year, and May 13,
1873, twenty convicts were transferred
from the Penitentiary at Fort Madison
to Anamosa. The entire enclosure embraces
fifteen acres.
THE STATE REFORM SCHOOL, ELDORA,
HARDIN COUNTY.
On the 31st of
March, 1868, an act of the General
Assembly was approved establishing
a State Reform School near the town
of Salem, Henry county. A board of
trustees, consisting of one from each
Congressional district, was appointed.
A proposition was accepted for the
lease of White's Iowa Manna Labor
Institute at Salem, the buildings
fitted up, and on the 7th of October,
1868, the first inmate was received
from Jasper county. In 1872, an act
was passed and approved providing
for the permanent location, and $45,000
appropriated for erecting the necessary
buildings. The permanent location
was made at Eldora, Hardin county.
Inmates are admitted at ages over
seven and under sixteen years. The
object of this school is the reformation
of juvenile offenders.
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
This society was organized in 1856,
under an act of the Sixth General
Assembly, "for the purpose of
collecting, arranging and preserving
books, pamphlets, maps, charts, manuscripts,
papers, paintings, statuary, and other
172
materials illustrative
of the history of this State; and
also to preserve the memory of the
early pioneers of Iowa,. their deeds,
exploits, perils, and adventures;
to secure facts relative to our Indian
Tribes; to exhibit faithfully the
antiquities, and to mark the progress
of our rapidly increasing commonwealth;
to publish such, of the collections
of the society as it shall from time
to time deem of value and interest;
to bind such publications and other
books, pamphlets, manuscripts and
papers as they may publish or collect;
and to aid in all respects as-may
be within its province, to develop
the history of this State in all its
departments. . At that time the sum
of $3,000 per annum for two years,
was appropriated. The society is under
the management of a board of Curators,
consisting of one member appointed
by the governor from each congressional
district, and of nine additional members
elected by the society. The officers
consist of a president, secretary,
treasurer and librarian.
RAILROADS.
In
May, 1854, the first rail was laid
in Iowa, at or near high water mark
on the bank of the Mississippi, in
the city of Davenport. That year the
road was completed to Iowa City, a
distance of about 541/2 miles. The
first locomotive in Iowa was landed
at Davenport in July of the Same year,
and was called the "Antoine LeClaire."
The road was then called the Mississippi
& Missouri Railroad. The first
rail was laid at Keokuk, on what was
then called the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines
& Minnesota Railroad, on the 9th
day of September, 1856, and in October
of the same year two locomotives for
the road were landed at Keokuk from
a barge which arrived from Quincy.
They were called the "Keokuk"
and the "Des Moines."
In the meantime
several lines of railroad had been
projected to cross the State from
points on the Mississippi. On the
15th of May, 1756, an act of Congress
was approved making a grant of land
to the State to aid in the construction
of railroads from Burlington to the
Missouri river, near the mouth of
Platte river; from Davenport, via
Iowa City and Fort Des Moines to Council
Bluffs; from Lyons northeasterly to
a point of' intersection with the
main line of the Iowa Central Air
Line Railroad, near Maquoketa thence
on said main line, running as near
as practicable on the forty-second
parallel across the State to the Missouri
river, and from Dubuque to a point
on the Missouri river at or near Sioux
City. The grant embraced the sections
designated by odd numbers six miles
in width on each side of the four
roads named. Where lands had been
sold the State was authorized to select
other lands equal in quantity from
alternate sections or parts of sections
within fifteen miles of the lines
located. The law provided certain
conditions to be observed by the State
in disposing of the lands to the railroads
for which they were granted. In consequence
of this grant the governor called
a special session of the General Assembly
which convened at Iowa City in July
of that year, and on the 14th of the
same month an act was approved accepting
the grant, and regranting the lands
to the railroads named, on certain
specified conditions. The roads, with
the exception of the Iowa Central
Air Line, accepted the several grants,
and located their lines before April
1, 1857, that being a stipulation
in the act of July 14th. . The lands
granted to the Iowa Central Air Line
road were again granted to the Cedar
Rapids & Missouri River Railroad
Company. The act of Congress making
this grant named no companies, but
designated certain lines, in aid of
which they should be
173
applied, leaving the
State free to dispose of the lands
to such companies as would comply
with the conditions. The state granted
the lands to the following companies:
Burlington & Missouri River Railroad
Company; Mississippi & Missouri
River Railroad Company Cedar Rapids
& Missouri River Railroad Company,
and Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad
Company. These became the first land
grant roads in Iowa. Several subsequent
acts of Congress modified the conditions
of the first act, especially with
reference to changes in the lines
of the several roads. On the 12th
of May, 1864, Congress made another
grant of land to the State to aid
in the construction of a railroad
from McGregor to Sioux City. This
grant embraced every alternate section
ten miles on each side of the proposed
road, with the right to receive other
lands for such as might be sold or
pre-empted.
By an act approved
August 8, 1846, Congress granted to
Iowa the alternate sections on each
side of the Des Moines river for the
purpose of improving the navigation
of that river from the mouth to the
Raccoon Fork. In 1847 the State organized
a board of public works. The board
constructed, or partia11y constructed,
dams and locks at some four or five
points on the river, when with the
approval of Congress, the lands were
transferred to a company styled the
Des Moines Navigation and Railroad
Company. At this time (1854) the board
of public works had disposed of most
of the lands below the Raccoon Fork,
and 58,000 acres above it, and had
incurred an indebtedness of $70,000
over and above the proceeds of the
sales made. This indebtedness was
assumed by the company. In the, meantime
there were different and conflicting
rulings as to whether the lands above
the Raccoon Fork were intended to
be included in the grant. This led
to It compromise with the Des Moines
Navigation and Railroad Company. The
company took all the land certified
to the State prior to 1857, and paid
the State $20,000 in addition to what
they had expended, and abandoned the
work. Congress, in 1862, settled the
question as to the extent of the grant
by a definite enactment extending
the grant to the north line of the
State, and the General Assembly granted
the remainder of the lands to the
Des Moines Valley Railroad Company
to aid in building a railroad up and
along the Des Moines valley, and thus
this road also became a land grant
road.
Under the several
acts of Congress there have been granted
to the State to aid in building railroads,
an aggregate of 4,394,400.63 acres
of land, including the grant of
August
8, 1846, for the Des Moines river
improvement, as follows:
Burlington and Missouri River Railroad.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 292,806.41
Mississippi and Missouri River (now
C. R. I. & P.) .... 482,374.36
Iowa Central Air Line (now Cedar Rapids
& Missouri). . . . . 735,997.80
Dubuque & Sioux City & Branch
. ... . .... ... . 1,232,359.15
McGregor & Sioux City (now McGregor
& Missouri River). . 137,572.27
SiouxCity & St.Paul..................................
1,105,380.43
Des Moines Valley.....................................
407,910.21
Total number of acres
. ... .. 4,394,400.63
On the 1st of January, 1877, there
were in Iowa 3,938 miles of railroad.
Since that time the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul, as it is now called,
has been extended from Algona to Sheldon,
and several other lines have been
constructed or extended, making over
4,000 miles of railroad in the State,
with an aggregate assessed valuation
of over $23,000,000. Several very
174
important roads in the State have
been constructed without the aid of
land grants, while others are projected
and will be completed in due time.
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