To be expended under whose direction.

SEC. 3. Said trustees are hereby authorized to draw from the treasury, and expend for the purpose set forth in this act, so much of any unexpended balance of the sum of ten thousand dollars appropriated by said chapter nineteen, as may be necessary.

SEC. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from

When act to take and after its passage.

effect.

Approved March 7, 1870.

CHAPTER XIII.

March 4, 1870 An Act to Dispose of the Five Hundred Thousand Acres of Internal Improvement Lands.

SECTION 1. The proceeds arising from the sale of the 500,000 acres of land donated by Con gress to be set apart as a separate fund denominated State Internal Improvement

Fund.

2. The Commissioner of the State Land Office to provide notice to be published in the several cities herein designated-what notice to contain.

3. Duty of Land Commissioner if two thousand Minnesota State Railroad Bonds with all unpaid coupons attached with written contract agreeing to purchase lands to the extent of bonds deposited previous to the day appointed for said sale, in case of failure on part of depositors-minimum price per acre of said lands— after all lands have been so offered and any remaining unsold to be sold at private sale-when Commissioner to set apart to said depositors an amount of lands equal to the amount of bonds, &c., so deposited.

4. What Commissioner authorized to receive in payment of said lands.

5. Bonds received in payment of lands shall be cancelled.

6. Commissioner to execute and deliver to each purchaser a certificate-what certificate to contain-Govornor to execute on demand a deed of the land described in said certificate.

7. Said lands shall be exempt from taxation for a period of ten years.

8. To be submitted to the legal voters of this State-when-ballots how preparedmanner of conducting said election.

9. This act not to be construed as an acknowledgment of any other obligation prior

to its passage.

10. When act to take effect.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota :

Land and pro

a separate fund.

SECTION 1. The 500,000 acres of land which the state has received or which it shall hereafter receive under the ceeds set apart as eighth section of the act of congress, approved September four, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and the proceeds thereof are hereby set apart as a separate fund, to be denominated the "state internal improvement fund," and said lands shall be disposed of only in the manner following:

Commissioner to

what notice to

SEC. 2. The commissioner of the state land office shall cause a notice to be published in two daily newspapers in publish noticeSt. Paul, and in a daily newspaper in each of the cities of contain. Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Boston, Hartford and Philadelphia, containing a general description of the location and character of said lands, and that the same will be offered at public auction at the capitol in the city of St. Paul, on the first Wednesday in September, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and on the following days until they shall all have been offered.

How lands to be

SEC. 3. If on or before the day appointed in such notice there shall be deposited with said commissioner, not less than two thousand Minnesota state railroad bonds, disposed ofwith all unpaid coupons attached, with a written contract price per acre. on part of the owner thereof, agreeing to purchase said. land under this act to the extent of the bonds so deposited, and in case of failure to purchase said lands, authorizing the said commissioner to select and set apart for said depositor, from the lands remaining unsold which at the minimum price shall equal the amount of said bonds so deposited, with the interest thereon; then and in that case said commissioner shall proceed on the day named in said. notice, and following days, at his office, to offer at public sale the said lands in tracts of one hundred and sixty acres, or smaller government subdivisions, and shall sell the same to the highest bidder, but in no case for less than eight dollars and seventy cents per acre. After all of said lands shall have been so offered at public sale, and any remain unsold, said commissioner is authorized to sell said remaining lands at private sale, on the terms herein stated, at said minimum price of eight dollars and seventy cents per acre, with interest on said price from the commencement of said public sale. If the holders or owners of the bonds, judgments or claims so deposited with the commissioner, do not purchase land at said public sale to the amount of

What may be re ceived in pay

ment of lands.

Bonds taken for lands to be cancelled.

governor.

said deposits, and do not, within thirty days after the close of said public sale, come in and purchase at private sale to the amount of such deposit, or to the extent of the said lands remaining unsold, then and in that case, said commissioner shall select and set apart for said depositors respectively, from the lands remaining unsold, an amount thereof which, at said minimum price, shall equal the amount of said bonds, judgments and claims so deposited, with the interest thereon, and shall issue certificates thereof to said parties respectively, and shall retain as payment the said bonds, judgments and claims so deposited, the same as if said parties had purchased at public or private sale.

SEC. 4. In payment of said lands at such sale, the commissioner shall receive lawful money of the United States, Minnesota state railroad bonds, with all unpaid coupons attached, and the judgment legally transferred to the estate of McDonald & Graham, and Fitz, Grindall & Keepers, mentioned and referred to in chapter one hundred and fifty-two, on page three hundred and eighty-eight of the special laws of one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, with the accrued interest thereon for the construction of road bed of the St. Paul and Pacific railroad in one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight and one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, for which no state railroad bonds were issued: Provided, however, That no interest shall be computed or allowed on the interest or coupons of said bonds or claims: And provided further, That the unmatured coupons of said bonds shall be surrendered with the bonds.

SEC. 5. All Minnesota state railroad bonds received in payment of said lands shall be cancelled by the state treasurer, and never again be re-issued.

SEC. 6. The commissioner shall execute and deliver to each purchaser a certificate, describing the lands purchased Duty of commis- by him, and stating that the holder, his heirs, assigns and Boner-duty of devisees shall be entitled to receive a deed of said lands upon demand, to be made within five years from the date of such certificate; and upon such demand the governor is authorized and directed to execute to the holders of such certificates a deed or deeds of any part or of the whole of the lands described in such certificates,

Lands to be ex

SEC. 7. In consideration of the purchase of said lands empt from taxes at or above the minimum price herein established, said lands shall be exempt from taxation for the period of ten years from and after said sale.

for ten years.

when-ballots

election how

SEC. 8. This act shall be submitted to the electors of this state for their approval or rejection, at a special elec- To be submitted tion to be held on the last Tuesday in May, one thousand to the peopleeight hundred and seventy. The ballots at such election how preparedupon the question submitted shall have written or printed conducted. thereon as follows: Those in favor of this act, "Payment of bonds with lands-Yes;" those against the act, "Payment of bonds with land-No." The polls at said election shall be opened during the time, and said election conducted and the returns thereof made and certified in the manner now provided by law for casting, canvassing and returning votes for state officers, except that said returns shall be made to the secretary of state within thirty days after said election, and within ten days thereafter the secretary of state, in connection with the governor and state auditor, shall canvass the returns so made, and if it shall be found that a majority of those voting at said election have approved of this act, then the governor shall issue his proclamation declaring said result, and thereupon this act shall take effect and be in force.

State for greater

SEC. 9. Nothing contained in this act shall be so con- Not to bind the strued as to have the effect of an acknoledgment on the obligation than part of the state of any or greater obligations of any kind existed prior to that did not exist prior to its passage.

act.

SEC. 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from when act to take and after its passage.

Approved March 4, 1870.

effect.

CHAPTER XIV.

March 4, 1870. An Act to provide for the holding of a Special Election.

SECTION 1. Provision for a special election to vote upon the proposition for the adjustment of the Minnesota State Railroad Bonds-when election to be held.

2. When act to take effect.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota :

SECTION 1. A special election is hereby ordered to be held on the last Tuesday of May, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, in all the election districts of this state, Special election to vote upon the proposition for the adjustment of the Min for what purnesota State Railroad Bonds, with the "Internal Improvement Lands," as provided by a law passed at this session. Said election shall be conducted, and notice thereof given in all respects as is now provided by law for holding state elections for the election of state officers.

pose-when held,

When act to take effect.

SEC. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved March 4, 1870.