United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/28th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 50
Chap. L.—An Act granting a section of land for the improvement of Grant river at the town of Potosi, in Wisconsin Territory.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,One section of land granted to be divided into lots and disposed of. That there be, and hereby is, granted to the Territory of Wisconsin, section number thirty-four, in township number three north, in range number three west, of the fourth principal meridian in the said Territory, for the purpose of improving Grant river, known as the Grant Slue, at the town of Potosi, in the said Territory, and for no other use or purpose whatever: and the said land shall be surveyed, and divided into lots, and shall be sold and disposed of in such manner, and under such regulations and restrictions, as the Legislature of the said Territory shall establish: Provided,Proviso. That in disposing of the same, pre-emption rights shall be granted to actual settlers and occupants residing on said lots, at the time of the passage of this act, according to the provisions and restrictions in the next section provided.
Commissioners to be appointed to value occupied lots, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Surveyor General of Wisconsin and Iowa, shall appoint three disinterested commissioners, whose duty it shall be to view and examine all the lots which are actually occupied and improved, and assess the true value of said lots, without taking into the estimation, any of the improvements on the same; and the occupants of said lots, by paying, within one year from the passage of this act, the assessed value as aforesaid of their respective lots, shall be entitled to the right of pre-emption as aforesaid; and upon the failure of any, or all said occupants to do so, the said lot or lots to the extend of such failure, shall be sold as other lots in said town:Proviso. Provided, That the said occupants may at any time before said lots are sold, pay the assessed value and thereby save their right of pre-emption aforesaid:Further proviso. And provided further, That the said commissioners aforesaid shall, before they enter upon their duties as such, be sworn faithfully to discharge their duties according to the provisions of this act; and they shall receive a compensation for their services to be prescribed by the Legislature of said Territory:Proviso. Provided, that the whole compensation to said commissioners shall not exceed the sum of one hundred and twenty dollars.
Approved, June 15, 1844.