New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-07
WASHINGTON.
,,..,, or RAILROAD LANDS.

rAVGTION OF RAILROAD LANDS
mo l.,,,n sy SENATOR HITCHCOCK Au-
'..- oa,z,sc STATES AND COUNTIES TO TAX LANDS
''-,, ~, RAILROADS.&C. SIMILAR BILL INTRO
puCRD IN THE HOUSE,
my r,IRGRLPH TO THH TRIBuNEI
,v.su,NGroN Feb. 6.-MT. Hitchcock ln''ou"oe""
I'M =, The Senate to-day to enaDie states oil" 'ou.
tos 20 tax lands granted to raiiroaus ny 'ho "os
Soe " - Cor the construction of railroad
PrO'u u''onh line from the Missouri River to
81 pac;6e The bill gives to States and oouh-
'"o 49, RIGHT TO tax any lands that have
- earned by the companies by the construction
:, their roads. whether they have secured the
-..onts for the lande from the Government OF
-, II the patents have not been issued
a., from the proceeds of any land SOLO lof
90 there shall first be deducted the amount
r. che limited States Government for making
.nrvevs. &c. the purchaser acquiring Wand tiue
.ooains+ the Government and title as against tne
,.,lroad company. such az a tax sale OF any rear
.state yVould give him. This bill is Designed 10
,onedv an evil that takes different form In dlner-
ont States through which land grant railroads OK
tend. In Nebraska the Union Paclho ana inc Dur
lington and Missouri roads are entitled 10 some VI
the best lands in the State, and the sections WHICH
thew will ultimately own have already ceeh
surveyed and selected But there is as yeV i''io
market for these lands, and as py 'ho nv
90 tlv 1854 il is provided that the
cot % snrvevipe. selecting, and conveying the
,,p+od lands shall be paid by the companies before
patents shall issue, these companies negect " pay
Che fees ON lands that are not sold obtain at present
no patents and escape taxation. Inc people Oh Nc
braska think this unfair, and MIR. HltchcocKs olil
If intended to correct the abuse In some other
statesthe railroad companies neglect TO OBTAIN theH
patents even when they sell the lands to settlers
but instead of a deed execute bond TO the p'lr-
chaser to give him full title at some future nne'
In this way the purchaser of railroad LANDS escapes
taxation for term Of years.
Ab,l in many respects similar TO Mr.. HtchCocks'
though more general in its terms making the issue
of patents for the lands in question mandatory
HpOn the Land Office, has been introduced IN the
House. Commissioner Drummond 70 whom the
bil was submitted has written letter, ID which he
SAYS
Ey making the issue Of patents mandatory upon this
on.e anon nsts prepared here without previous Sc
lection by companies necessarily dispense WIN
thus revenue 20 United States and release the com
panies from the payment OF large sum for the sur
veys 30 Unless other method Is provided Tor us
collection as by delivery Of patents, you surrender
the only hen for It's payment provided by law III is
rurrer understood that judicial questions are pending
under the orders OF Congress- which result in show
tug a large Indebtedness Of the companies or some Of
them, for which the only lien Of the Government is
upon the uDpatented lands.
The railroad companies complain that this pro-
posed legislation is unjust as II subjects to taxation
lands which they cannot sell, and which in many
instances are worthless. The answer to this is that
no taxes are assessed when counties not or
ganiaed. and that there would be no tax Oh lands
that when appraised were found to be absolutely
worthless.