, 1878-03-09
Report Of Hon. j. j. prcef,vre.

an early hour last evening by an
appreciative audience among which
were many ladies assembled to lis
ten to an address of Hon. J. J.
McGilvra in relation to the public
lands, railroads and other interests
of our Territory. The Seattle Band
was present and enlivened the oc-
casion with some excellent music.
The meeting was called to order
by Hon. John Leary who nominated
Mayor Weed as chairman OF the
meeting, the nomination being un-
animously sustained.
Mayor Weed then took the chair
and Roswell Scott was elected
secretary.
After brief statement of the call
and object of the meeting from the
chair, Mr.. McGilvra addressed the
the audience for little over an hour
and was frequently greeted by bursts
Of the most hearty applause.
Mr.. McGilvra made a brief state
msnt of the condition OF the public
lands as related to the Northern
Pacific Railroad. and the causes that
led to the Inauguration of the move
mept by the people for the restora-
ton of the lands to settlement.
He then made a detailed state
nent of what has been done, and
the manner of doing it in Congress
so far as these lands are concerned.
That the present status of con-
gressional Legislation is as follows,
viz: The committee on Pacific
railroads OF the house have reported
bill to extended the time 10 years on
the main line of the N orthern Pa
citic, declaring a forfeiture of and
restoring to settlement the branch
grant, except about $4,000 acres
within 20 miles limits on the coal
road. All unsurveyed lands within the
limits of the grant on the main line,
and all surveyed lands 100 miles or
more, in advance of construction,
are to be left open to settlement,
and all the earned lands are to
be subject to taxation as soon as sold
or contracted to be sold, and various
other provisions are made in the in
terest of the people. If this bill
passes all will be right as to the res
toration of these lands.
That for fear this bill might not
pass, another bill providing simply
for forfeiture of the branch grant
and a restoration to settlement OF
the lands granted has been intro
! hncel in the house and no doubt
1ayor4biy reported by this, time SO
that the prospect was that the lands
would be restored to settlement in
any event.
Mr.. McGilvra also alluded to the
Mitchell bill which also provides
for the restoration of these lands,
but at the same time make such res
toration the basis of new grant to
the Portland, Salt Lake and Sonth
Pass road, leaving the Seattle and
Walla Walla road out in the cold.
That while he, the speaker, was
sent to the National Capital mainly
if not solely to aid in procuring
restoration to settlement of the
public lands, he felt it to be his
| duty as a citizen of Washington
Territory to oppose with all the force
and ability he possessed this unjust
Oregon scheme.
That an amendment has been pre-
pared and offered to this bill by
which the Seattle and Walla Walla
railroad should be included in the
grant. and that this amendment was
evidently proving troublesome to
the Oregon delegation, as no report
has yet been made on this bill al
though the debate before the com
mittee was closed op the 11th of last
month.
Mr.. McGilvra further stated that
as several prominent Oregonians
we're at Washington to assist the
Oregon delegation in this their pet
scheme, and the Northern Pacific
was there in large force, and our
Delegate was there single handed
and alone, he would have been glad
to have remained longer, but the
condition of the exchequer forbade
it, as he had already expended about
5000 out of his own pocket over and
above the amount furnished him,
with no compensation for the four
months of his time that had been
spent, and that this was as much
and more than he could afford. In
this connection Mr.. McGilvrl allud-
ed to what he conceived to be the
misguided policy thathad been pur-
sued to prevent the county in its
corporate capacity to contribute to
the expenses of the effort to restore
the lands. That the restoration of
these lands would redeem 16, ,OO0, 900
acres from $3.50 to $1.25 per acre,
and thus save to the settler $50, 0,C00,-
600, and that it was a pitiful sight
to behold any one throwing obstruct-
ions in the way of an enterprise like
this.
Mr.. McGilvra also alluded to the
bill now pending in Congress ex-
planatory of section 1889 of the
United States, revised statutes con-
firming Territorial legislation in the
matter of creating cities by special
acts. He said this bill would now
doubtless pass. and obviate any me-