The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-02-28
The Northern Pacific Railroad
Bill.

, .uaEy s. 1878; read twice, recommitted
and ordered 70 be printed.
! II. r. 1905. Report No. 100. 4 bill
I 10 extend the time 20 construct and
complete the Northern Pacific Railroad.
/ Mr.. William ". Rice from the com
mite on Pacific Railroads reported tbs
( following bill.
4. BE It enacted BY ths "aate asd house Of
Representatives. Of tie United States or
America in congress assembled. That the
| grants, nights. privileges. corporate
powers, and franchises. including the
franchise 10 be q corporstion. conferred
upon the Northern Poetic Rsilroad
Company by its charter. sndthc various
joint resolutions of congress smendato
ry thereof and supplementary thereto,
be. and the same are hereby confirmed,
granted, aud continued TO the said
Northern Pacific Railroad Company as
recognized; and ten years time from the
passage Of this act is hereby granted to
laid company for the construction and
completion Of its main line, subject 10
all the terms and conditions prescribed
by said charter and joint resolutions.
except as changed By this act; prorided
houecer. and said extension of time is
granted upon the following express
conditions. namely
First-The said company shall. with
in one year after the passage of this
act, commence the work Of constructing
its main line at or near Umatilla. in the
| state of Oregon, OF some suitable point
between there and the mouth of Snake
river, as the said company shall deter
mine. and shall complete not less than
twenty five miles of its road eastward
ly per year thereafter, and shall! com
plete In addition TO the road already
completed, at least one hundred miles
of its main line within two years after
the passage of this act, and at least one
hundred miles OF said main line each
year thereafter, including in each said
one hundred miles the twenty five TO
be completed per year eastwardly as
aforesaid:
Secoud-The main line of said rail-
road between Portland and q point as
/ far east as Cmatilla, in the state Of
/ Oregon, shall be located and construct
/ ed on the south side of the Columbia
1
/ river
Third-Actual settlers on unsurveyed
| agricultural lands within the limits Of
the grant to said company, if said lands
when the government surveys shall be
extended over them. shall be found TO
be embraced In said grant; and actual
settlers on any agricultural lands within
the limits of said grant, who shall have
settled thereon at q distance of one
| hundred miles or more beyond the com
| pleted portion of said road at either
end; aud actual settlers on any agricul-
| tural lands within the limits of said
gran, remaining unsold st the expirs.
ton of eight years from the completion
and acceptance Of the section of the
road opposite thereto. if said last men
/ toned lands shall be then surveyed by
/ the government. and If not, then within
eight years after the government sur
veys shall be extended over the same.
! shall be extended over the same. shall
be entitled each to purchase from said
company one quarter-section. or legal
subdivision thereof. on which they
| shall have settled, OF the price of two
dollars and Atty cents per acre, excsp-
| ting coal aud iron lands within the
right of way for said railroad; prorided
| holeerer that this section shall not apply
/ TO the lands already essned by said
company.
Sec. 9 That all the lands heretofore
Withdrawn for the branch line of said
road be. and the same are hereby, re-
stored to the public domain. to be dis
posed of as other public lands, except
for the distance of twenty miles north
of the portion of said branch now con-
structed from Tacoma to Wilkeson, in
Washington Territory. And the said
company shall receive patents for g
qusntity of land equal to twenty sec
tlons per mile on each side Of said con-
s,ructed portion of said branch. such
land 70 be selected from the odd-num
bered sections on each side Of said con-
structed branch. but on north side, not
farther thon twenty miles therefrom;
bu, the said company may select and
receive patents for lands TO make up
any deficiency in said quantity from any
of the public lands within the limits of
the grant for the main line.
Sec. 3 That where preemptiou or
homestead claims were initiated. or
private entries or locations were allow
ed, upon lands embraced in the grant
to said company, prior TO the receipt OF
the orders Of withdrawal at the respec-
tive district land Offices, the lands en-
braced in such entry or location shall
be patented TO the parties entitled to
the same. rs if said grant had not been
made, and. in case of abandonment by
them, shall be open to settlement by
preemption or homestead only; but the
sail company shall be entitled to in-
demnity therefor, as now provided by
law.
Sec. That entries remaining nnad'
iusted and suspended IN the general
land Office, on account OF an increase OF
price of the even sections within the
limits If said grant. whore the same
were made or based upon settlement
prior TO the receipt of the orders Of
withdrawal Of said lands st the district
land Offices shall be relieved from such
suspension and carried into patent; but
nothing in this act shall he construed
to affect existing adjustments. OF to au-
thorize the refauding of any moeeys re-
ceiyed for such lands under existing
laws
Sec. 8 That the said company be.
and il is hereby. authorized to issue its
bonds from time 10 time, TO AID In the
construction and equipment Of its road.
and TO secure the same by mortgages
on the whole or any part or parts oil It's