Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-26
WASHINGTON NEWS.
SCHURZ NIPS a LAND SWINDI,E.

| SCHURZ NIPS a LAND SWINDLE.
| A Washington special of the Dist inst :,
states that the land office has made an
interesting discovery of an attempt to
defeat it's. claim upon thirty thousand
acres of Kansas land 1t occurs in one
of the acts of reckless congressional
legislation aiding INSCRIPTIONS rail
roads. Congress in 1866 made a pres
ent of thirty thousand acres of land it,
Kansas to the Kansas and Neosho Val
ley railroad company. 1t was also
stipulated that settlers should be allow
ed to buy this land at homestead rates,
and after the expiration of a certain
time the unsold lands were to be recon
veyed to the government For the
grant the company agreed to carry
| United States troops and munitions OF
war free. After two years the name of
the road was changed to the Missouri,
Fort Scott and Gulf road. In 1869 this
new company negotiated u mortgage of
IS ,OOO,0O in Boston, giving as security
the rolling stock of the road and &c.
900 acres of Kansas land. This in
cluded the government land grant. In
March, 1877, during the last days of the
torty-fourth congress, a bill was SNUG
| glen through authorizing the rail
road company to reconvey the I'M
sold lands to the government, without
any reference to the mortgage upon it.
Recently an agent of the company has
called upon the secretary of the interio.
to issue certificate that the terms OF
this act have been complied with. This
| 1o1 Col 1,.tt
Schurz: MY attention has been called
to said mortgage, and particularly to a
clause therein which authorized said
company to sell said lands and return
the roceeds to the trustees mentioned
in the mortgage or their SUCCESSORS or
assigns for the purpose of paying the
bonds of said road, principal and inter-
est This mortgages still uncancelled,
III d remains a valid lien on said lands
The evident intent of congress was to
have Il reconveyance of said lands, free
| from incumbrance, SO that they might
be subject to homestead entry under
the laws of the United States. This can
only be accomplished by Il release O
| the mortgage upon said lands, and until
this is done | must decline to furnish Il
certificate that the company has COM
| piled with the requirements Of the act
of March 3. 1877" If the certificate
had been issued then the Boston com
pany would have had the first claim on
| the land, and the railroad company
would have escaped its obligations to
| the government.
| GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
Within the last twelve years the gov
ernment has accumulated a large
amount OF real estate in various part
| of the country, particularly in the
south. by reason of tho violation by
owners of the provisions of the internal
| revenue laws, and it now appears that
| the accumulation of that class of gov
ernment property makes very valua
BILE aggregate, Attention has been
given the matter, however to
| the extent that the Interests
of the government require. Some time
ago the Commissioner Of Internal Rev
enue appointed two agents to make a
personal examination of the subject to
ascertain and report upon the localities
of such real estate, the conditions O.
the titles thereto, the value, etc, and to
solicit purchasers.
| A BELL1GERENT 1NSPECIOR OF CUSTOMS.
E. S. Eea:on, an Inspector of Gus
toms at Eagle Pass, Texas, is reported
as having gone over the Rio Grande,
shot two Mexicans, and returned to his
duty. His case is now being consider
ed by the department.
| THE SUPREME COURT
opens the October session on the Sth
| prox. Its docket is nearly three years
behind, and the accumulation of bust
ness is constantly increasing. Prominent
| members of the bar contemplate urging
congress to provide a commission OF
appeals to assist in clearing the docket.
and relieve the court of it's pending
| burden of business.
COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
1t is believed here that Edward
| Haight, of New York, will soon be APP
pointed commissioner of Indian affairs,
| and that he will accept.
EX-SENATOR JAMES A. BAYARD.
| Intelligence from Wilmington, Del,
indicates that ex Senator James A. Bay
ard is rapidly failing in physical vigor,
although his mind continues clear as
ever