The daily Butte record., 1858-04-26
Locating Mexican Grants.
HAMILTON, APRIL 20, 1858.

OF the message of Governor Weller to the |
senate, In reference to the fraudulent loca- |
ton OF Mexican grants, and says he has had |
some experience, in such surveys Now,
Sir, If your correspondent means by expert |
ence that he has participated in making
such surreys," then have had no such |
experience. But if he means what sus-
pect he does that, he has freauentl, wit.
messed them, then too, have had of his ex-
perience and propose to give your read
ers, by your permission, a single chapter in
this immense volume Of fraud and corrup-
ton, for 1t deserves no better names. /
propose to give correct detail Of facts,
some OF which have witnessed, and some of
which are sworn to by the primary Mexican
officer, who took the initial step in making
these grants.
Some time in the year 1874, Geman by
the name Of Flugge, applied to Capt. Sutter
as the primary Mexican officer in making
these grants, for tract of land commenc-
ing, says Sutter: "Where my northern
boundary line intersects Feather river, and
running north, with the meanderings of the
river, five leagues long. and one league wide
from the river Capt. Sutter made GER
ticate that the land, as above described
was vacant, and on that certificate Flugge
obtained grant from the then Governor,
country for about year without complying
with the conditions of his grant by survey
ing and occupying the same, when he left
and went below to Los Aogelos to reside
A map Of the tract was made Mt the time Of
the certificate. corresponding with the facts
above detailed.
Again. says Capt Sutter: "Sometime in
the spring of 1856, the Brother-in law to
the two Fernandez, came to Suffers Fort
and asked Major Bdwell and my self if there
was any vacant land within my jurisdiction
to locate. We told him the Fiugge tract
was subject to location because of the non.
compliance of Fluggc with the conditions of
his grant. The Brother-in-law Immediately
made an application in the name of the two
Fernandez, for four leagues Of the fze which
hal been granted to Flugge | issued a cer-
to him, that the land was vacant, and he
obtained n grant WHICH commenced at the
same point where the Fluggc did, and ex-
tended up Feather river four leagues, with
the meanderings of the river, and one league
wide. Major Bidwell made a map of the
land at the time of the application, which
represented the identical tract have des-
cribed." 1t will be observed that this last
grant was made by the revolutionary Gov
ernor Pho Pico, on the 18th Of Junc, 1916.
When he, Pico. was on the eve Of fleeing
from the country, and after lostilties had
actually commenced between Pico and the
Americans, which resulted in the overthrow
of the Mexican government in California. -
And it is stated on good authority that Pico
made great number of grants after he had
fled the country and abdicated the govern
mcnt, aud ante-dated them 50 that they
would appear fair, and this being among his
last nSts, or rather, his very last act, is no
doubt among the number ante. dated.
This grant never was recorded, as requir-
ed by the grant itself. so that it is impossi
bic to detect fraud. and it imparts no notice
to third parties. But to return to my sub
ject.
This graat was intended no doubt MS de-
nunciation Of the Flugge grant, but failed
wholly in being a denunciation in this. that
it did not contain any statement in writing
in the petition, to that effect, which is abso-
lutey required by the Mexican law. to con-
stitute u denuEciaiion. Ills position is eyi-
IDENTIFY correct, for. il the Fernandez gran,
had been . legal denunciation of the Flugge,
the denounced grant could not have been
confirmed by the commissioners and District
Court as was dene.
From the period Of the making these
grants to 1919, it can be truly said that the
| grantees
| "Raised not a stone, nor carved not line,
| But len 1t alone It's glory
! In 1919, Thos. 0. Lirkin, claimant under
Flugge, sent manly the name of Yates, tc