Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-31
LAST NIGHTS NEWS.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO 1Hx RxooRp-UNlos.I
DOMESTIC.
Railroad Land Grants.

WASHINGTON, December S0,h. - Several
members of the House Committee on Public
Lands, who will have charge in the present
Congress of much important legislation con-
corning the forfeiture of lands granted to
Western railroads, have remained here DUR
ing the holiday recess considering matters to
come before them. One subject upon which
they have met is the means for reclsiming
these railroad lands, snd upon which a report
is being prepared. Thomas r. Cobb, of In.
diana, Is Chslrmsu Of this committee. He was
asked to-day what progress had been made
with the bills referred to the committee, of
which there are many relating to land grants
OF the Western railroads, and what was pro.
posed to DO. " You know, my bill for declar-
ing the grants forfeited and the land opened
to public entry was introduced and referred
to the committee. Well, we may report it
back, or decide to report a bill for each rail.
road. My bill covered the whole question,
but it may be deemed better to
attack the forfeiture Of grants separately. If
this is decided upon the committee will report
four or Ave bills early next week. We pro-
pose to restore between 10000. 600 and 1OO,-
000 600 acres to the public domain. From
Investigations l have made, it is clear that
there are 25. 000, 900 acres about which there
is no legal question. 1t only requires leSis-
lstive Act to forfeit the land. There are five
grants in which no attempt has ever been
made to comply with the contract, and in
which never shovel Of earth has been turned.
One of these is in Mississippi, granted before
the war, though most of the grants were
past in favor of the western and northwest.
ern roads during the war. Take, for exam
pie, the Northern Pacific. 1t was contracted
to be finished in 1874 Congress extended the
the time two years. and then Schurz, while
Secretary of the Interior, by an unhesrd.of
construction of the law, gave them three
years more. The last request for three years
was refused by Congress. The Union Pacific
with its As 0OO, 000 scres, failed to comply with
the conditions, and the Southern Pacific, which
inherited or purchased the right of the Texas
Pacific, with Il, O00, 900 acres, did no better
You see this is not a small matter by any
means"
Most Sensible Thing for a Millionaire 60 do.
NEW YORK, December S0th-P. 7. Bar
NUN seems to consider his life work accom-.
plished, for he has Just made his will. In or
der that there might be no question as to his
sanity upon which to ground contests after
his death, be had eminent physicisns examine
him, and secured their attestation that he
WAS of sound mind. The will and its codicils
cover more than 700 pages of legal cap, closely
written, and disposes of real estate and per-
sonal property of the value of ten millions to
twepty-seven heirs. Ihe property Is IN New
York, Brooklyn, Bridgeport, Colorado and
several other places. Mr.. Barnum values his
interest in the Barnum and London shows at
SO, 500. 900. His bequests for charitable pur-
poses are numerous and large. Among the
benefcisries are the Chapiu Home, Children's
Aid Society, Old Mems and Women's Homer,
and the Society to assist males and females
over eighteen years, of this city the Bridge
port Orphan Asylum, Bridgeport Hospital
and other Bridgeport societies. Mr.. Bsrnum
| also makes provision for certain worthy chari-
ties by bequesthing to them stated percent
age of the large annual profits accruing from
his shows. To the city of Bridgeport he Sc.
cures the only water front not already seized
| by private corporations, with dock upon it
costing $50, ,000 for twenty-one years after
his death, during which time his executors are
forbidden to sell or lease it.
Woman Shot Through the Heart by