[Railroads] 8 Deeds, 1891-1903. Typewritten text: “This Indenture, made and entered into… by and between the State of Minnesota, party of the first part, and Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific Railway Company, a corporation… party of the second part…” Beginning with the 2nd paragraph, the text relates to “an act entitled ‘An act to aid the Cannon River Improvement Company in the construction of slack-water navigation on the Canon River and from thence by way of Lake Elysian to the Minnesota River at Mankato,’” approved in 1865. Land involved included “any other swamp lands belonging to the State of Minnesota designated by odd [section] numbers and not then appropriated for other purposes, or from any swamp lands of which the State of Minnesota might thereafter become seized…” State government’s seizure of swamp lands for the Cannon River Improvement Company’s work is discussed again on leaf 8. Leaf [3] refers to legislation permitting the Cannon River Improvement Company to amend its charter to operate as a railroad company. Subsequent passages relate to the resulting railroad’s changes in name and changes in ownership. Minnesota Central Railroad Company is first mentioned in lower portion of leaf [5], and the Minnesota Central Railroad Company’s purchase of the Cannon River Improvement Company is mentioned on leaf 6. Leaf 9: “Whereas, Said manufacturers’ association have selected a portion of the twenty-five thousand acres set apart to them by the acts… there remain two hundred and seventy-five thousand acres of said land applicable to the purpose of said original grant… Minnesota Central Railroad Company, now the Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific Railway Company, have surveyed, staked out and located its railroad from the City of Red Wing on the Mississippi River along and within less than two miles of the Cannon River, until it reaches the East line of Range Twenty-three of the Federal Survey, via Cannon Falls…” (Text of each deed is nearly the same. Leaf number references given above pertain to the deed with gilt front cover title “Deed 25”). Legal-sized, probably carbon copies of typewritten documents, most with hand corrections. In general, the text of any given deed is followed by handwritten notations, usually including “F. P. Brown” (Minnesota Secretary of State or his secretary) and “A. Burmann” (Commissioner of State Land Office).Contemporary maroon leather with gilt lettering on front cover (for instance, “Deed 25” and “Deed 31/ State of Minnesota to Wis .Minn. & Pac. Ry. Co.”) Leather shows drying, chipping, stains, and overall wear. Several have tearing to leaves (occasionally resulting in separation of aa leaf). At least 1 deed has loss to text (Deed 27). Edge chipping. Sold with all faults.