The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-17
NERAL WASHINGTON


wAsHlSGrox, Feb. 10, 1878.
PATENTS ALLOWED ON TIE VALENTINE SCRIP
LANDS IN cHICAGo-THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL
RAILROAD INTERESTED
The decisions OF the Commissioner Of tho General
Land ONCE In the matter OF the contested appli-
cations Tor patents locations Of Valentine
scrip tracts OF land the lake front
OF South Chicago promulgated to-day. esIabl ish
important prscedents for tho iuture action Of tho de-
partment unless overthrown appeal to tho Sccre-
tary. The Valentine scrip made locatable by law
upon any unoccupiod aud unappropratod public land
not mineral, who,her surveyed or not IN quantities
not less than the smailost legal subdvsons In the
cases OF tho applications oil Kean and Valentine
Tor patents to that portion OF tho old Fort Dear
born reservation, which not sold ny the War
Department. dedicated public uses by the words
written on map as follows, "Puolic land to DO for
eyer vacant OF public buildings" tho Comm issioner
holds that tho Secretary OF War by
Of 1917 only TO soil abandoned and useless military
reservations, and not to dedicate them TO public uses
and that the act OF dedication constituted aban-
donment OF the reservation sufficient restore tho
lands to the public domain He holds also that the
Valentine scrip being locataDlc any public land, not
mineral, unapproprated and unoccupied, applied 10
lands restored and that illegal
not an occupation contemplated by tho act Hence
claimed by the city Of Chicago within the old
Fort Dearborn reservation.
OTHER LOCATION
The Brit,on. Gray and Drummond location was
upon tract OF land east OF the Fort Dearborn add
ton TO Chicago, which surveyed IN 1885, after
the reservation made before the salo OF the
lots by the War Department. This tract add-
ton to the main shore caused by the diversion Of the
Chicago River from It's original outlet and the attach
m.nt OF sandbar 10 the main land. Subseq uenty It
claimed 10 have washed away, though the records
OF survey still renamed in the Land Otice.
At the time Of the location by Brittou, Gray and
Drummond in 1875 the land mad boon restored partly
through natural partly through the agency
tho Illinois Central Railroad Company, which had
CURED the State the right build tracks In tho
water along tho lake 'front.' along tho front OF the Fort
Dearborn addition Chicago which had boon created
out Of tho old military reservation Tho War Depart
ment had sold lots fronting tho shore OF tho lake
It In 1889 surveyet, excepting two blocks which
left vacant fronting the lake and dedicated 10
public uses.
RIGHTS OF MARGINAL lot OWNERS.
The Commissioner holds that tho marginal lot
owners had riparian rights winch entitled them to
accretions when tho land restored that
extent he rejects tho claim OF Britton, Gray and
Drummond. But In front Of tho TWO blocks not sold
by tho War Department ho holds that tho
attached TO foe OF tho shore, which was IN tho
Knitted States and the land became public land
add subject 10 location: He therefore holds that
Britton, Gray and Drummond entitled TO
patent to much Of their location az
is included Ia front OF the portion Of the
old reservation which remained unsod This portion
contains about eight acres, and, together with the
tracts adjacent within the reservation awarded to
Kean and Valentine, embraces about twelve Tho
Commissioner rejects the claim Of Banch ara 10 tho
tract along tho lake front OF tho Britton and
Gray location the ground that u Was addition
TO fractional section. tho whole OF which had pro-
viousiy Decn granted 10 tho State OF Illinois py Con-
gresS
EXHIBITS FOR THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
Tho soop-ofwar Wyoming will positively leave this
city on March Is with government EXHIBITS Tor Tho
Paris Exposition. All government exhibitors are
working onsrgetcaliy; and the Commissioner Of
Agriculture yesterday issued another circular calling
attention TO the that all matter for the Exposition
under control of this department DO delivered In
this city prior to tho Sd prox
MEXICAN BORDER AFFAIRS.
Tho House Subcommittee on the Mexican Border
Mr. Schleicher chairman, held . conference at the
state Department to-day with Secretary Evarts and
Minister Foster on tho condition OF affairs on tho
border and our relations with Mexico. Nothing Of
especial interest was elected.
TRIP OF THE MASSACHUSETTS, CLUE.
Governor Clalin, of Massachusetts,, TO night enter
tanned the Massachusetts Club, which has arrived In
this city Boston. Monday night tho club will be
entertained at dianer by Hon. Leopold Morse.