, 1879-03-02

8EERETARE S{1lGEE OhA3069 A9A4-$oA AkA1
YALENTISL IAED-SCEtP.
Sn-tdnf ptspe'ch fa 7ae Tyibu:se-
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 1.-Securz to-day
rendered a final decision in the matter of the
Valentine 1end-scrip reversing the decision OF
Gen. Williamson. Commissioner cf the General
Land Office The technical details OF this decis-
ion have been furnished the Associated Press
It may be enough to say in general that Secre-
ary Schurz takes the ground substantially which
was assumed b. Corporation Counsel Bonfeld In
bis brief On behalf Of the city, and holds that
the Valentine scrip cannot attach to the old
Fort Dearborn reservation. There are agne
curious circumstances connected With the his
torY Of this case There can be no doubt that
durin. the summer the holders Of the Valentine
% sc1in had private information that the decision
Of the Solicitor OF the Interior De
ps1tncnt had been drafted, aud tha:
the general conclusions supported the
decision of the Commissioner Of the General
OF the city. If this report confaentially circu-
1ated BY the hoidera OF the scr1o was true, the
uraft Of the points bT Solicitor Marble was IT.
yezsed. It IS cer.an that Secretary SShurz has
personally studied every detail OF the case. In
deed, he said within a few days that nc
shorfd not consent to hare SO important
= decision made without he had studied every
phase of the controversy personally. He has
dnne this. and has decided that the spectators
may not successfully hope to attach their scrip
fo The 11noccupicd portions OF land in the heart
of Chicaro, c1cep: they do II over his head aud
rhrnugl, The courts. Secretary Schurz's opinion.
m ali the essentia1 points, is, OF course.
radically diverse from that OF Commissioner
Williamson. and the long controversy IS ended
Il il believed that the same decision suostan-
ttaltT covers all the other tracts 20 which the
Valentine scrip claimants have sought 10 make
the scrip attach.
n the Ufstern Assoctated ITE8s
WAsHySGTos. D. t., March 1.-The Secretary
OF the Treasury has reversed the decision OF 'ns
Commissioner OF the General Land Odice r e6'
u, 1875. holding that the location OF 1homas D.
Valentine on portion Of Fort Dearborn Ia'k
Chi,ago, was valid, on tie following grounds:
r,rM-Ihe sale pf the Fort Dearborn reserva
tim in 1889, by order Of the Secretary OF ar
h; lots and blocks, was the sale OF Sd much o1
tie reservation as was included 10 that plan.
Srr2nd-That the action Of the Secretary O.
War. rho at the tirne had authority to gen
said lands, Is not subject TO Tes1c" nJ tne oae'
reta1y Of the interior.
7XirI-Tt:t the Valentine scrip Is not locata'
bic rpon public lands within the limits OF an IN
cor7oFatec city.
The cases OF David " Keen and Louis A1sen
aorH a:r rejected on the SAME grounds.
OF part OF the land on which IS situated tne
illinois Central Depot was rejected On the fol
loving grouads:
Fua-Ihat the land claimed was covered By
the waters Of Lake Michigan when the State OF
Illinois WIS admitted into the Union, and has
since been reclaimed By artificial means, and
wa. therefore never pubic land Of the United
States
Saeond-H 1t were public land, it was not sub
lec1 to location with Valentine scrip because It
is within the corporate limits OF the City OF Chi
.ago.