New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-15
SOME FACTS ABOUT A LAND-GRANT ROAD.
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WASHINGTON, May 13.-AmOng the railroad
grants specified in the resolution which referred
to the House Committee on the Judiciary, for for
feiture on account Of noncompliance with the
terms of the grant, was that Of the Nlcksburg,
Shreveport and Pacific Railroad Company, a cor
poraton which has a partially-completed line Of
road from the Mississippi River. through louisiana
10 the Texa. State line, distance of about 800
miles, ninety-four miles Of which have been built
The land grant, made in 1856, amounted TO 3,74O
acres per mile and before the outbreak Of the Rebel
ion the company had earned 800 $50 acres of its
Grant 1t has received patents for 3j3.212 acres,
leaving due and unpatentcd on account Of con-
structed road 7,74o acres. TIE grant was of the
odd-nunbered sections in siXme strip and the In
demnity limits were fixed at fifteen miles. BY the
terms Of the grant the road was TO be forever ii
public highway for the use Of the Government Of
the United States, free from toll or other charge
upon the transportation of any property or troops
of the United States" In his report 10 the House
March p, 1852, the Commissioner of the General
Land Office described this grant as amounting TO
725, 100 acres-that being ian approximate esti-
mate"
According TO a brief just filed by Mr.. NJ. d. Brain
ard the attorney of the railroad company with the
Judiciary Committee. there now remain Of vacant
public lands lying within the
rranted and indemnity limits of the grants only
20 co. acres. all the remaining odd sections having
been disposed of by the United States before the
date of the grant. The attorney for the railroad
company says:
BY the construction Of the vcksburr. Shreveport and
Pacific Railroad from the Ouehta RIVER the Ked iVer
distance OF ninety-hve miles, this company VIII earn
364 800 OF land yet, owing 10 the fact that the
odd sections have been sold by the Government It
recover only 1904 acres or about the quantity OF Land
which Will be earned by building four additional miles Of
road II Congress declares forfeiture OF this 1904
acres OF land the United states cannot require the com
PAW 10 carry property and troops free OF charge and
It, mails reduced rates Tor the road VIII not be
rant road after its grant is forfeited, and will be
releas from the obligations imposed oy the granting
act
According to affdavits accompanying the brief,
if appears that the entire line Of this railroad will
be completed and in running order before the end
Of this year. 1t would be interesting to
know how much abatement the figures hitherto
unfinished As the amounts of the lapsed land grants
tyould suffer if proper deductions were made on ac
count of the sale or disposal by the United States,
10 others than the railroad companies. of the odd
numbered sections of public land within the limits
Of the respective grants. Ii will be observed that
in the case of the Nicksburg Shreveport ana Pacinc
grant a deduction OF ABOUT % per cent must DC
made from the approximate estimate furnished
to Congress BY the Commissioner or the
CcreraI ard Ofice; and moreover, that that par
icar cOrporatiOn has received patents 70 quite
as much land Us 10 has earned by the construction
of the road.
OF course it may be argued that TINS corporation
has not complied with The terms OF its grant, which
required completion of the road within ten years
One-half the road, however, was completed during
the first five years and then the war broke out
Immediately after the war the corporation became
involved in legal proceedings which prevented
further operations fol- few years, and II was only
a wear or two ago that the road came INTO the pos
session of its present holders who have ever since
enormously pushed It's construction, 80 that II Is 10
le COMPLETED this year In any event, however, the
United States cannot recover the lands earned by
and patented 70 the company.