The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-29
The Northern Pacific Files q Gem.
plaint Against tho st. Paul 4
Pacific, ct. cl., fer Possession Of
$1,000, 900 Worth 81 Land.


Our readers are generally aware that
the rights of the St. Panl and Pacific and
Northern Pacific railroad companies, to
some six hundred thousand acres of land,
embraced in the twenty mile limit con-
tiguous to their respective lines, conflict
at the point where the St. Vincent
extension of the former road
crosses the latter in Clay
county. On the points at issue being re-
ferred to the Secretary of the Interior,
that official decided in favor of the St..
Paul l. Pacific company, on the ground
of priority of filing of plats upon the
lands in question. The Northern Pacific
company now commence suit in the Clay
county District Court, to procure stay
of proceedings under the decision Of the
Secretary and to recover possession Of
the lands.
The points on which the cause is
brought, as summarized by the Red
River Star, are as follows:
After giving detailed history of the
grants and acts Of bestowal of lands to
the several lines projected and designed
by Congress and the State Legislature,
the complaint fixes the date, on which the
Northern Pacific bases its claim upon
the lands affected by the decision of the
Secretary of the interior, rs the twenty
first day Of November, eighteen hundred
and sevcnty-one-thatb being the day on
which the plats and maps OF the Northern
Pacific were fled in the Office Of the Com
missioner Of the General Land Office The
lands involved in this suit ere claimed to be
worth over one million dollars. 1t is al
legged that 1.-THE st. Paul and Pacific Com
pany, through certain Of its agents aud
representatives, wrongfully, unlawfully
and fraudulently, procured, obtained and
caused the issuing Of patents to the State
Of Minnesota, having full knowledge and
actual notice Of all TIE facts, with the
intent to dsfraud the plaintiff, and OBJ
tain said lands for its own use and benefit,
combining ard confcderating to that end ;
that the St. Paul and Pacific, its agents
and employees. is endcavoring to procure
from the Governor . conveyance of the
patents, and is furthermore, through
its agents and representatives,
giving out that it wiL
Speedily obtain such conveyance; and Is
also endeavoring to sell the lands in dis
pute. Therefore the plaintiff prays for
Judgment, first, that the disputed lands
be adjudged. decreed and determined to
be the lands Of and belonging to the plain
tiff; that the plaintiff be given . title, in
fee simple; that the defendants be or
dered to execute the necessary instru.
ment confirming the plaintiffs title to
such lnnds; that the defendants be en-.
joined and restrained from procuring any
patent for these lands during the penden-
cy Of this srit or until final judgment is
had; and that the plaintiff have iudg.
ment for the cost Of this suit.
This case will involve many knotty
questions o. Law, fact, and land grant
complications, and will in all probability
be carried to higher court than our Dis
trict tribunal before decision satisfacte-
~ to al parties will be reached. The
question IS TO which company has the
best and most legal rights to the lands
within tho territory comprehended by
what IS known ~ the st. Vincent Branch
Junction, is one that interests our read
ers, inasmuch IS . great many settlers
are directly effected, no matter which
company succeeds in the contest.