Sacramento daily record-union., 1880-12-08
nowEsTIC NEWS.


D0mEsTIC NEWS.
Enormous land Frauds in Oregon.
WASHINGTON, December 7t5,-A report
lust received from Oregon by Commissioner
Williamson OF the General Land Office from
the Departments special agent, William +.
Prosser, brings to light an attempted fraud of
extraordinary character and enormous di-
mensions. 1t appears that application was
made to the Department last April by The
Willamette Valley and Cascaae Military
Wagon Road Company for about 400, GOO
acres of lard, alleged to have been earned by
the construction Of military wagon road
from Albany to the eastern boundary of the
State. under the Act OF Congress approved
july 8. 1866 granting lands to the State of
Oregon for the purpose, and the documentary
evidence suhmitted in support OF the claim,
under seal OF the State officers, was so abso-
lutely complete aud apparently conclusive
that the issuance OF the desired patents might
have been expected to take place immedi-
ateiy. 1t was a matter of record, also, that
some hundred thousand acres had years pre-
viously been patented to the company on ac-
count of the construction of the western por-
ton of this road but Commissioner Will
iams suspicious were aroused by the great
haste of the companys representative, and
by some other circumstances, SO that he
ordered thorough investigation in the
field by Special Agent Prosser. His re-
port, now received, makes in sub
stance the following statements, which are
supported By the affidayits of a number of
we'll settlers along the line OF the
road: The company was formed in Linn
county in 1854. After making small COM
c al IL aH 4ha1x ,askk, Il
thew obtained the enactment of the land
grant law in 1866, and with the aid of this
basis of credit constructed road from AL
bauv 150 miles eastward over the mountains,
which, though destitute of bridges, was pass
able at certain seasons when the streams
were low. In the construction of this part
of the road their means were exhausted, and
most Of the fve-years' time provided by law
for the completion of the road to the Idaho
lineexpired. Special Agent Prosser continues:
:" In order to secure the land grant, the COM
pany then took advantage of the open char
acter Of the country, and simply made a
wagon track from Cache creek to the eastern
boundary of the State. and upon this they
secured the grant. In all that distance,
more than $50 miles, they had not TO build a
single bridge, and performed occasionally
only little grading, sufficiently to admit of
tie passage of o lightly loaded wagon. The
grading did not cost them $500, and an
average of s. per mile would cover the entire
cost OF their location and construction of the
SO. called road for the entire distance
east of the Cascade mountains" Pross-
er reports that of course hardly a
trace of this road can now be found,
except about 60 miles at the western end,
ard it would seem from the evidence OBJ
tanned that much of this portion was built
by the counties, and not by the company.
Even there the requirements of tie law have
not been complied with in the character cf
the work done.
Commissioner Williamson, in letter to
the Secretary of the Interior. summing up
this report. SAYS: u It would seem that the
so-called road, for much the greater portion
Fits lire of route, hes been from the begin.
ring the tnerest pTetense, without bridges or
grading, and practically uuti. for use except
under the most favorable circumstances,
and that in certain localities there was
no actual construction whatever, but only
the marking out Of o trail, the cutting of q
little timber and the removal of a few loose
stones" After quoting the provisions of the
law, he adds: " Ii is trne that the entire line
OF road was accepted by the State; and was
Icy State authorities formally certified TO tie
Department as fully completed in accordance
with the law, aud the proofs were accepted
for the benefit of the grant. 1t is true, also,
that there have been already patented to the
State. for the benefit of the grant, upwards
of 100. 600 acres of land, all based on said
proofs but in view of the report herewith
presented do not see how it could be main
! tanned that the Government is bound, in the
face of apparent fraud at any date. So far
as the lands remaining unpatented are con-
cerned, am fully convinced that the pend
| ~ E b. t,,f
than 440, 900 acres, should not be certified or
| patented without further legislation. In my
opinion the attention of Congress should be
called TO the matter, with view to the for.
feiture Of tke grant or the enforcement of q
full compliance with its terms"
All the different sections OF the road were
sworn to By the surveyors and certified to by
the President of the company.
Agent Prosser states in his report, without
comment, that the present company claim 10
be innocent purchasers from the original
company.
soafl,ern Criticism OF the Pre,ideEfs
Message.
CHICAGO. December 7th-The Times has
large number of editorial comments on the
Presidents message, of which the following
extract from the Richmond Dispatch is the
most noteworthy: Mr.. Hayes ibels the
oOEtn In reference 10 iiiS ItSIoeS we ut6u
not stop to refute his false assertions on this
subject. nor take notice of his twaddle about
ii solid South. He asserts what every man
knows to be false when he pronoGnces the
new amendments to the Federal Constitution
10 be the solemn expression of the will OF the
people. He knows they were forced upon
the people of the South. The President re-
wives the civil service humbug. OF all men
in the world he should be the last to touch
this subject-he who allowed his officers to
stump the country for Garfield; he who ap-
pointed scores of villains to ofiice that aided
in defrauding South Carolina and Louisi-
dent in 1876; he who allowed three
severe assessments to be made upon
all the clerks, male and female, in all
the department of the Government, to pay
rascals for cheating Hancock out of the Pres
idency. Mr.. Hayes, let US say once more, is
a hypocrite. He is pretty fellow to open
his mouth on the subject of divorce between
Congress and the President. The President
touches upon polygamy, and as means OF
extirpating it recommends the governing of
Utah by Commission. That would serve
as precedent for like mode OF governing
the Southern States. which can as easily be
converted into Territories as they were few
years ago. The President says an army of
so. 600 is the least the country can get along
with. If we are to have Republican rule we
ought to have three times as many. General
Hancock could have got along with 10000.
The President recommends that West Point
be put under officers on the retired list-a
blow at General Schofeld aud a sop TO the
negro. The President recommends that Gen.
eral Grant be made Captain General, with
all that the title implies. He served as Pres
ident, and received $500, ,000 for it. He
served as General and received as much for
that service, we suppose yet be is still to be
provided for. A protest from the South
would insure the success Of the scheme. We
forbear to comment upon it. So much fer
Hayes last message. It's tons bodies no good
to the country; but we have some faith in
his successor. Mr.. Garfield can be great
man. Let US see if he will be.
Heavy Business Failure.
NEW YORK, December 7th.-B. G. Arnold
& Sons, coffee-dealers at No 125 Front Street,
made an assignment to-day to J. Lawrence
and G. Keever of No. 129 Pearl street. The
firms unsecured liabilities are plaeed at be-
tween $4,000 aud 81, ,e00, 900, divided be-
tween this city and Philadelphia. For some
months the credit of the house has been i'm
paired, owing to its known connection with
vast coffee speculations. and the shrinksge in
that article seriously affected the standing of
the hnuSe brt its failura waa NOT considered