Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-03-12
Dry Cord-wood for sale at
-. .r.. MAURIN d MEDVEDS.
BraInerd Branch Lands.

The following is taken from the WASH
ington correspondence of the Pioneer
Press, and appeared in that paper on Sat-
urday lasts: / 55.s: l.
1tessrs. =: R. Delano of St. Paul, represent
ing the Western Railroad company of MINES
ota, and William Lochren of Minneapolis, rep.
resenting certain settlers along the line of road
built by that company, were before the COM
mAtae on public lands of the house the other
day, discussing the merits of "a bill For the
relief Of certain Settlers thereon. Mr.. Delano's
remarks were in writing and carefully pre-
pared. He reviews the various acts of con-
gress making the grants Of land to the differ
ent arms Of the st. Paul d. Pacific railroad
company, and the extensions of time to the
company upon the same and the various acts
of the Minnesota legislature declaring the for
FIXTURES, and the changes in the varying fort
unes and in the management of the road. He
also shows the action of the governor of Min
nesota in regard to the claims of the settlers
upon lands within the railroad limits, how
that the commission headed by the governor
took testimony, and relinquished to the Unit
ed States such lands as we're shown to be act.
ually settled upon, pursuant to the laws OF
Mime sofa, and upon q plan perfectly salts
factory to an actual settlers. The residue OF
the lands granted to the road after the claims
of the settlers were satisfied Mr.. Delano claims
for his road, the Western Railroad: company
of Minnesota, which built the Brainerd branch
and thereby earned them, in the following
words:
''The Western Railroad company Of Mime
sofa have earned the lands by virtue of acts of
congress and Of tho State Of Minaesota; they
accepted the terms imposed upon them when
they entered upon the construction of said
road, they submitted to the decree and fuding
Of the governor knowing that he was allowing
and was disposed I'd allow all the claims OF
settlers that he possibly could the said COM
pany now desires to receive tho titles or pat
ents to the lands due them under existing laws
IF congress, aud oftne State Of Minnesota, and
not to be brought under the conditions Of new
laws"
In regard to those who are interested in the
passage Of the bill. Mr.. Delano says "they are
not poor: settlers, but rich lumberm en- who hold
their lands to-day by virtue of q patent"
The patents he declares were obtained by
fraud, and cover only pine lands upon which
there have been no Improvements and there
can be no cultivation. They are not settlers,
and have not the standing before congress that
actual settlers have. All the settlers, Mr.. Del
ano insists, have been literally and justly
dealt with by the State and company. Mr..
Delano's speech was in bis own peculiar We in
Of satire, and strong English, and entertained
the committee immensely.
Mr.. Lochren;s argument also recited the his
tory of the case from his standpoint, and from
both the legal and equitable points of view,
he claimed that the settlers were entitled to
the relief granted in the bill. Hs.relied on
the patents which had been resisted by the
railroad company at every step from the local
land Office to the interior department, and had
been fully sustained in each, and which the
c}aimantsof the lands also rely on for protec-
ton. The legislation of congress had been
defective : this bill was to cure these defects.
and to protect the settlers and those who had
entered the lands in good faith, Mr.: Loeb
rem denied the charges of fraud made by the
1rnO oh hiatt hoo
tries were made pursuant to aud in conformity
with the legislation of congress and the ruiz
ings of the departments. The legislation pro-
posed was in the interest of justice, and was
needed to prevent the railroad company from
receiving under it's grants more than ever was
intended by congress or the legislature of
Minnesota