Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-09
THE LOUISIANA LAND GRANTS.
Senator Van Wyck Writes in Opposition
to the Corporation.

! WASHINGTON, May s.-The following
letter was to-day written and delivered
by Senator Van Wyck in person to Secre-
tary of the Interior Teller:
WASHINGTON, May S.-DEAR SIR
hen the order was made recognizing
the claim of the New Orleans Pacific Rail-
road Company to a land grant. many
years before the forfeit, l felt it my duty
TO ask your department to be informed of
the progress of the proceedings, With
view TO opposing any further legalizatiOn,
ana to prevent the absorption of the
public domain by a corporation which
mad not even the semblance of a legal or
equitable right, and also to project
settlers, who have been 0ccnnyinr
and improving portions of this dead
grant. The New' Orleans, Baton Rouge
and Nicksburg Railroad Company, in 1911,
obtained large grant, specifying that
said company shall complete the whole
Of said road within five years from the
passage of this act. The five wears ex-
pired; not mile was built: not even n
survey; not definite location. The only
act was to issue and distribute bonds
among the parties who were intent upon
developing the country. Five years more
passed and the grant is dOubly dead. Not
yet mile constructed or even definitely
located. Its third act was in December,
1850, to assign what it did not own to
another corporation, which was author
lzed by the Legislature of Louisiana in
1876 to build through substantially
the same section without expectation of
any aid, known as the New Orleans
Pacific Company, which finally drifted
INTO the hands of a syndicate who had
also been practically developing the
country, so that millions of dollars and
millions of acres had rewarded their
sacrifices and eXertiOns. 1t became neces-
sary for the system of roads they con-
trolled to connect with New Orleans.
They built without any assurance of aid
from the Land Department or Congress.
not even filing map OF the definite lOca-
tlOn OF any portion of the road. They
knew only that Congress could VitaliZe
the dormant grant. 1t is a great pre-
sumption even for a railroad corporation
to assume that this could be accomplished
SIMPLY by their fiat, and now they
hope to forestall the action by this
recognition, which they have obtained from
your department. They must well know
that the title to these lands is not COM
plete until the final action by Congress. | !
realize your embarrassment when Con- |
greSS at its last session failed to act. and |
the Attorney General had given to YOUR
department, in response to the request of |
your predecessor, an opinion that the |
q
additional necessity for this notice is that |
the present company, the New Orleans |
Pacific, are about issuing a mortgage and |
bonds on the basis of this forfeited land |
grant, and they naturally desire it legal !
lied long enough to place these bonds on |
the market. Two trustees are named, one |
in the interest of the present company |
and one in the interest of the bonds issued |
twelve years ago. So the victims are
to be the people who are settlers on that |
portion Of the public domain or the pur-
chasers of the bonds. Ny object is that
Congress shall not be met next session |
with the plea that innocent purchasers |
have bought these bonds and that thev ,
should be protected. The patient gov |
ernment has been delayed thirteen years,
and now few months further delay will |
work injustice. AS the corporation en-
deavoring in this manner to utilize the |
dormant grant are not iii an impover-
ished condition, you will allow me to |
make this public, as my purpose is to !
aid the public and prevent imposition by
the sale of bonds secured by forfeited
title which may be declared worthless.
Yours respectfully,
{. H. VAN WICK.
To Hon. Henry u, Ieller, Secretary Of