Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-04-26
A BILL

A BILL
Extending the time to construct and
complete the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
Be It enacted By the Senate and
House Of Representatives ofhe United
States Of America in Congress assem-.
bled, Thst the grants, rights, privileges
corporate powers, and franchises, inciud.
ing the franchise to be corporation,
conferred upon the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company by its charter, and
the various joint resolutions Of Congress
amendatory thereof and supplementary
thereto, be, and tbs same are hereby,
confirmed, granted, and continued to the
said Northern Pacific Railroad COMPANY
as now reorgauized; and ten years time
from the passage Of this act is hereby
granted to said company for the con.
struction and completion of its main
line, subject to all the terms and condi
tions prescribed by said charter and
joint resolutions. except as changed BY
this act: Provided, howeuer, And said
extension Of time is granted upon the
following express conditions, namely:
First. That said company shall, with.
In one year after the passage of this act,
resume the work Of constructing its
main line, and shall complete, in add.
ton to the road already completed, at
least one hundred miles of its main line
per year thereafter; and at least twenty.
five miles Of the one hundred miles to
be completed per year shall be west Of
tho Rocky Mountains.
Second. The main line Of said rail.
road between Portland and a point A
far east as Umatilla, in the State ofOre.
gon, shsll be located and constructed on
the south side of the Columbia river.
Third. Actual settlers on unsurveved
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 aotusl
settlers on any agricultural lands within
the limits Of said grant, who shall have
settled thereon at distance of one hun.
dred miles or more beyond the complet.
cd portion Of said road at either end:
and actual settlers on any agriculture
lands within the limits Of said grant re-,
naming unsold 1t the expiration Of eight
years from the completion and accept
ance Of the section Of the road opposite
thereto, if said aforementioned lands
shall DO then surveyed by the govern.
ment. and If not, then at the expiration
of eight years after the government sur.
veys shall b. extended over the same,
shall be entitled each to purchase from
said company one quarter-section. or q
legal subdivision thereof, on which thew
shall have settled, at the price of two
dollars and fifty cents per acre. excent.
ing coal and iron lands and lands within
the right Of way for said railroad: Pro.
vided, however, That this section shall
not apply to tho lands already earned BY
said company.
SEC. 2. That all the lands h,retofore
Withdrawn for the branch line of said
road be, aud the same are hereby, re.
stored to the public domain, to be dis.
posed Of ~ other public lands, excep,
for the distance Of twenty miles north Of
the portion ofaaid branch now construct.
cd from Tacoma to Wilkesou, 10 Wash.
ington Territory. And the said com.
pauy shall receive patents for 4 quaint.
" Of land equal to twenty sections Der
milo on each side Of said constructed
portion Of said branch, such land to be
selected from the odd.numbered sections
on each side Of said cons, ructed branch
but on the north side not farther than
twenty miles therefrom; but the said
company may select, and receive patent.
for, lands to make up any deficiency ia
said quantity, from any Of the public
lands 10 Washington Territory, within
the limits Of the grant for the main line
SIC. 8. That where pre- emption OF
homestead claims we're Initiated, private
entries or locations were allowed, upon
lands embraced in the grant to said
company prior to the receipt Of the
orders OF withdrawal At the respective
district land, offices, the lands embraced
in such entry or location shall be paten.
ted TO the parties entitled to the same,
As If said grant had not been made, and,
10 case Of abandonment by them, shall
be open to settlement BY pre- emptiou or
homestead only; but the said com PAW
shalf be entitled to indemnity therefor,
as now provided by law.
SEC. 4. That entries remaining uu,
adjusted and suspended 10 the General
Land Once, on account Of an increase
Of price Of the even sections within the
limits Of said grant, where the. same
were made or based upon settlement
prior to the receipt Of TIE orders Of
withdrawal Of said lands at the district
iand-of6ces, shall be relieved from such
suspension and carried into patent; but
nothing in this act shall be construed 10
afect existing adjustments. or to an.
thANsoA Ak~