Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-05-16
THE NORTHERN PRCIFIC RAIL.
ROAD BILL

nd "SEC. l. That the grants, rights, pr
re ileges, corporate powers, and fianchis
n including the franchise to be a corpo
pc ton. conferred upon the Northern Paci
lie Railroad Company by its charter and I
~ various joint resolutions of CUngr
amendatory thereof and supplemental
y, thereto, be, and the same are hereby, CO
!. firmed, granted, and continued to the 81
n Northern Pacific Railroad Company,
g now reorganized, except as hereinaft
= modified, and subject to any lawfully e
r isting paramount right Of any stockhold
in, or the holder of any bond against, Il
4 said company under its former organic
: ton, if any such there be. And ten year
f additional time is hereby granted to sa
: company to construct its main line ,
!. road, via the valley of the Columbia Riy.
and Portland, Oregon, to Kalama, Wasl
ington Territory, under its charter and tn
, acts and resolutions Of Congress relatin
thereto, except as hereinafter otherwis
provided.
Sec That this extension is granite
upon the express condition and unde,
standing that where pre- emption an
homestead claims were initiated, or privat
entries an, locations were allowed. uno,
lands embraced in the grant to said comma
ny, prior to the receipt of the orders O
withdrawal at the respective district land
Offices, the lands embraced in such entr,
shall not be held as within the grant t.
said company, and shall be patented to thu
parties lawfully entering the same, ant, un
der the provisions Of this section, and in
case of abandonment by them, shall bt
open to presumption and homestead entry
only for actual settlers; but the company
shall he entitled to indemnity therefor. as
now provided therefor
SEC. 3. That entries remaining unad-
justed and suspended in the General Land
Offlee on account Of an increase of price
of the even sections within the limits OF
the grant, where the same were made. or
based upon settlements made prior to the
receipt Of the orders of withdrawal afore-
said at the respective district land-offices,
shall be relieved from such suspension
and carried into patent; but nothing in
this act shall be construed to affect existino
adjustments, nor to authorize the refund
ing OF any moneys received for such lands
under existing laws.
SEC. 4. Actual settlers on any agricul-
tural or grazing lands embraced within the
grant to said company, who shall have set
tied thereon before the completion and ac-
ceptancc OF the section of the road Oh
posite thereto, and actual settlers on any
agricultural or grazing lands embraced
within the said grant remaining unsold at
the expcration of eight years from the
completion and acceptance Of the section
OF the road opposite thereto, if said last
mentioned lands shall, at the time of such
and acceptance, be surveyed BY
the government, and if not then, at the
expiration of eight years after the govern
ment surveys shall be extended over the
same. shall be entitled each to purchase
from said company one quartcr-section. or
legal subdivision thereof, on which thew
shall have settled, at the price of not ex-
ceedlng two dollars and fifty cents Der
acre, excepting coal, iron, and timber
lands, and lands within the right of wav
for said railroad: Prorided, hovercr. That
this section shall not apply to the lands
already earned by said company.
"SEC. s. That the extension of t;ma
granted by section one of this act shall
not apply to the main line north of Taco.
na' nor to the branch line of said road
across the Cascade Mountains to PUGET
SOUND, In Washington Territory; and the
ands heretofore granted therefor shall no
md are hereby, restored to the public do,
main, to be dealt with as other nuh,;c
ands, except for the distance of twenty
niles north of the portion of said branch
low constructed from Tacoma to Wilke-
on in Washington Territory. And the
AID company shall receive patents for a
Quantity of land equal to twenty section.
'er mile on each side of said constructed
'ortion OF said branch, such land to he
elected from the odd-numbered sections
n each Side Of said constructed branch
ut on the north side not farther than
wenty miles therefrom; but the said com.
any may select, and receive patents for.
mas 10 make up any deficiency in said :
uantity, from any of the public lands in t
Washington Territory within the limits ~ 9
Ne grant for the main line. +
"sEc. 6. That in case any of the land.
eretofore granted by Congress to aid in u
re construction of said railroad shall be- 8
'me forfeited to the United States, and be :
stored to the public domain, by reason
the failure OF said company to perform
. conditions herein set forth, or anv of q
em, the actual settlers on such Of said 4
'snted lands as shal! not then have been A
rned BY said company, who shall have o
!tled thereon under the provisions oil a
Is act or BY license from said companv
all each have the right to obtain title to 81
en- lands, not exceeding one-quarter see- q
m, under the homestead or pre -emn.ion "
We, a. II eaid grant had not been made h
s. SEC. 7. That said company shall keen s.
ID railroad and telegraph lines, 90 far AZ
eady constructed, as well as that nor HI
n to be coastrsotcd hereafter, in rood Il
'air and use. and shall transmit dispatch B
over said telegraph line, and transn,rt. N
'ops, munitions Of war, supplies, and In
bic stores upon said RAILROAD Tor the