Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-02-29
RAILWAY LAND BILLS.

ported back by the Senator Booth, on Tues
day of last week, is aimed to grapple with this
evil. On this subject the San Francisco
Chronicle makes the following pertinent re-
marks cit was a mistaken idea of public
policy when Congress doubled the price of the
even numbered sections lying within the rail-
way belts. 1t retards the settlement of the
public domain and contributes little or nothing
toward the increase of the revenue from the
sales of land, to double the price, Moreover,
it assists the railway grantees i'll their efforts
to eAtort upon the settlers in selling the odd
numbered sections. True policy suggests that
the Government should do all 1t can to slim
ulate the settlement and cultivation of the
public domain, and nothing TO oDstruct the
acquisition of homesteads. Nobody but the
railway grantees have an interest in keeping
up the price of the even-numbered sections
within the railway belts to double the price
charged for lands outside the belts. The
time has passed when Congress could afford to
legislate for these pampered corporations at
the expense of the people. They have disap-
pointed all reasonable expectation with refer
encs to the benefits anticipated from their
roads at the time the grants we're made. Their
history has been marked by every conceivable
form of fraud, ingratitude and oppression
The best of them have abused the favors
awarded to them; and sons of them have vio-
lated their contracts and forfeited their grants,
but are still continuing to sell tho land at
rates far above the double minimum, in the
hope that Congress will hereafter approve the
fraudulent sales and confirm the title. What
Congress should do, and without delay is to
formally abrogate every land grant to rail
way, the terms of which have not been strict
ly complied with, and reduce the price of the
even-numbered sections within the railway
way belts from 81 80 to 81 % per acre" In
connection with the above it is in order to
state that petition drawn by the State Land
Register and forwarded by him to every part
of the State, is being signed without hesita-
ton everywhere, by the people. Copies can
be found at several of the principal business
places in the city"
nc peClGloH IeduS dS IOllOWS
To The Honorable the Congress Of the United
States: Your petitioners, residents of the State
of Nevada, would respectfully represent that
the Government lands-even nun ered sec
unsold, within the limits of
the Central Pacific Land grant, ia the State of
Nevada, are of the character known as Des-
ett Lands; that cannot be cultivated, except by
artificial means of irrigation, and that large
Of olaIno al.l
reason of their altitude and remoteness from |
springs, or any other natural water sources.
That with the exception of small and unim-
portant tracts, the best of such lands-those |
ying nearest to water-havs been disposed of |
by the Government, at the double minimum |
price, two dollars and fifty cents per acre.
That the remaining portion of the even
numbered sections within said railroad limits
ire, in their natural condition, only fit for
grazing purposes, being in part mountainous
,r billy and mostly covered with sagebrush,
md produce bat limited and sparse growth
If bunch grass, and requiring large area of
and to support an ordinary herd of cattle.
That Oh account of the difficulty and great
expense attending the procuring of water for
purposes, and the high price fixed
50 80 per acre., these lands are not readily
ought or occupied by settlers.
Your petitioners would further represent
hat the rainfall in Nevada is less than in any
ther State or Territory, and that the soil of
he State, from climatic causes, differs in
haracter and quality from the rich wheat
producing lands lying within the great water
he'd of the Mississippi where seasonable
aims induce fertility, and where the labor and
Expense of irrigation is unknown.
While we recognize the fact that settlers
p,u the fertilefpr les and rich bottom lands
I the Mississippi States may, as a rule, be ,
enefited and their lands enhanced in value,
n account of their proximity to railroads,
rhich afford convenient means of conveying
. market the vast surplusage of the harvest
re assert that the rule does not and never can
Q made to apply to the desert wastes of Ne 7
ada, where cultivated land is scarce, and
here all farm products find home market,
nd are not to any extent transported by rail
tate for this reason-among others-the
nds lying within the Central Pacific Railroad
rant are not enhanced in value on account
their nearness to, or on account OF any I
her relation to said railroad.
Your petitioners would furtherrepresentt that
esert land claims of six hundred and forty P
res each, are being located upon even num-
cred sections within the said railroad limits,
one dollar and twenty five cents per acre,
I'd that in our judgment the payment of two
pillars and nifty cents per acre, required of {
o. emptlon claimants, for the same land, is X
l uni ust and unreasonable discrimination
.ainst the bona hds settlers upon such lands.
Wherefore, we, yours petitioners, pray that
)Hr honorable BODY will enact a law restor-