Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-01-28
LITCHFIELD'S LIFT.

From Comparative Obseurity 1t has Sprung
IntO r Town of Note-The Entire Terri
tory Occupied BY 1T Entered in the Gov
ernmeut Land Onice-Prospects of "a Pro-
tracted Litigation.
When this is read in Litchfield it will be
productive of sensation. To come to the
facts at once, two citizens of that city.
Messrs. James and Charles S. Atkinson have
begun legal proceedings to obtain possession
of 800 acres, which virtually embraces the
whole TOWNSHIP of Litchfeld besides taking
in slice of the most desirable suburbs
AS is known Litchfieid is laid out on a rail-
road section of land. and the site was pre-
sumably part Of the United States grant
TO the st. Paul & Pacific railroad. At
any rate it was so supposed to
be up to date, or that
is yesterday, when the Atkinson's claim gave
different complexion to the supposition.
the supposition.
This claim to two quarter sections of land
within the corporate limits of Litchfeld
arises in this way: At the time of the loca-
ton of the st. Paul q Pacific railroad and
the acceptance of the same by the Interior
department, under the act of Congress grant
ing lands TO complete the road, where valid
claims were pre-empted, such lands were re-
served unto the general government. At
the time in question two such valid claims
are alleged to have been established
on two quarter sections on the
site of Litchfeid, which under the law were
reserved. Recently James and Charles At
kinson, of Litchfeld, have made homestead
Or presumption claims to these reserved
tracts. 1t would seem that the original par
ties to the prescription failed in their pur-
pose to make good their claims, and the re-
served lands reverting wholly to the govern
ment are thus, under the law, subject to
homestead entry or prescription. Papers
have been flied accordingly, and case is to
be made for the courts to test or decide the
claim in law.
In other words, Mr.. w. P. Ciough has the
matter on hand for the Atkinsons and will
proceed in the cause at once.
The claim embraces the southeast quarter
Of section IL, township 10, range l, and a
quarter section of section IA contiguous to
the above described land. The first named
quarter section is in the heart of Litchfield.
Upon it are settled fully 1900 people. The
business portion of the city is located on
this land. All the elevators are here, four
churches, several mills, the railroad depot,
shops and other property. In fact, SO far
SIS appearances go, the claim is fairly a bo-
nenza in its gigantic proportions and reach
ing for valuable land. The other quarter
Section is not 80 valuable, as it
is supposed to lie without the city, or at least
only embrace suburban part of the city,
but for all that valuable enough to satisfy
ordinary mortals in owning even odd lots of
the tract.
Having learned SO much from the parties
nightly interested III the business, the
GLOBE instituted inquiry among the railroad
authorities to learn their ideas of the claim.
Manager Hill, of the st. Paul & Manitoba
railroad, was genuinely surprised. He had
learned nothing of the claim, and wasn't
prepared to say much in consequence. This
much he was convinced of, the claim
ants could have only technical
grounds upon which to base their claims,
and the rights of his company and from the
company, the people derived their rights,
would surely be protected in equity. He
was free to believe and declare that nothing
dangerous was Imminent from the claim,
even though it be pushed.
AS to compromise, it was too early
in the day to talk about that,
if such was the design of the claimants.
The above are the facts of this extraordi-
nary claim, just SO, because of the amount
involved and the fight to come out of it,
without passing upon the justice of the af-
fair at all,