The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-05-30
Hortherp Pacific Lands.

that have deemed it my duty to give
notice to the Northern Pacific company
not only that they are not entitled to
have the alternate sections reserved in
in the second idemnity strip, but that
the alternate sections in the first demn-
fly strip will not be held for any longer
period than is necessary for the road to
make it's selections. The company has
had prominent lawyers here, among
them Roscoe Conkling and Mr.. Gray.
They have made large demands upon the
department. Their first claim was that
the secretary of the interior had no more
discretion as to the odd sections in the
second indemnity strip than he has
within the belt Of granted land. They
claimed that the lands in both these
strips were by law and right absolutely
reserved for them until such time as they
were ready to claim them, and the infer
ence if not the intention clearly was that
they would be at liberty to be ten, twelve
or fifteen years about it: l denied that
was good law, and after giving the sub
iect the most exhaustive and careful con-
sideration, came to the conclusion that
the road had no such right in the second
Indemnity strips, and that whether or
not the odd sections within these strips,
or within either of them, SHOULD be with
held to make good deficiencies which
might he found to exist within its grant
ed tract, was matter within the discre-
ton of the secretary of the interior. That
discretion determined to exercise in
the direction in opening to the settlers
az speedily as possible all lands within
the idemnity strips to which the road
might not be entitled, and as it seemed
clear that there would be an abundance
of land in the odd sections in the first
strip to supply all deficiencies within the
granted tract, 1 decided not to withdraw
the lands in the second indemnity strip
on the western end of the line, as had
been decided, and also to give the road
notice that It's selections IN the first strip
must be made as soon as possible. The
road complained that the delay in max
ing the selections was in a great measure
the fault of the interior department, and
upon careful inquiry the complaint seems
to be in part well founded. The first step
toward making the selections of the lands
in the indemnity strip is to ascertain how
much land had been lost by presumption
entry within the granted tract. This the
railroad could not ascertain except by q
search through the land Offices, which
would consume vast amount of time. 1t
will require considerable time for the
government to do this. The land Offices
inform me thai mlly' two months will be
required to make an exact computation
Of all the quarter and half sections that
have been taken out from within the
granted tract along the vast line of the
Northern Pacific. If this work can be
done in any less time than that 1t shall
be done, and just as soon as the land
Office has made report Of the number
of acres which have been lost to the
Northern Pacific within its granted tract,
that company will be required to make
its selections for the equivalent amount
from the odd numbered sections within
the first indemnity strip. This the road
has expressed willingness to do. It is
therefore probable that such Of the odd
sections within the first indemnity strip
as may not be required to make good the
deficiency within the granted tract will
be opened to settlement this summer. Of
course, the even numbered sections are
open at any time. There is a popular
misunderstanding, think, as to the ex-
tent of Withdrawals within those strips.
The government does not withdraw any
but odd numbered sections. The even
numbered sections are public domain.
Both the indemnity strips within the
boundaries Of the State of Minnesota had
been Withdrawn long before I became
secretary of the interior"
The Henry Willard Hydraulic Com
pany have struck good drifting diggings
on the upper portion Of their ground,
within the limits of the town of Chico.
At the lower end, near the Yellowstone,
good prospects were found until water