Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-10
naIly pOST.INTEluGEACfR.
..srrr.ass Axn pExIALs.


inc poipt on Thursday, the ssh in''"n'
T, sccused this paper of divers in'qui-
ties. among which is that oil cu'ss
p..,arn washington with q BLACK
cloud.n This is q serious charge ne
onlv black cloud which ovefsnaa'~'
this Territory. with respect TO its lands,
4 that Of the hand grant made IN 1904
70 the Northern Pacific R"iiroad tom
pany. For this the PoST-iSTELLIoEs-
cvp can hardly be held responsible. On
the ooutrary. AZ the LedgeT il unhappiiS |
aware. the efforts Of this paper have
heen earnestly aud unremittnely IN
the direction Of lifting the pail thus
snshroudine the Territory, by forfeit
inc and restoring TO the public domain
all the uuearned land granted to that
company within our Territorial liGsi's.
The Lecfqer accuses Us of avoiding an
exclamation 70 thousands OF iand
holders in Washington Territory as 10
how they will secure title to the land
upon which they have invested hun
areds of thousands Of dollars, II 1t 10
forfeited Oar contemporary 10 ex-
tremely SOLICITORS about the honest Seo-
many lust now. A convention viii
meet soon 10 nominate delegate 70
Congress. We have heretofore assured
our readers that in the bill reported oy
the House Committee on Public Lands
1.-THE passage of which We have continn-
ousIy urged ample provision was made
10 secure to all settlers upon lands pnr-
cbassd of the Northern Pacific pei
feet title thereto. We may add, paren-
thetioaliy. that mp TO this date the
Northern Pacific Is unable TO give a
clear title TO any lands claimed to have
been earned by construction of its rail-
road since July 4, 1877, within this Ter
ritory, and this without reference to the
forfeiture question now pending IN Con-
oress. Il has never been granted any
patents to such lands since that date.
II is now selling lands the title to which
Ia in the United States Government.
The Ledger elegantly says that this
paper has ceased its blatant demand
that all of the grant should be forfeit
ed which had not been acquired under
the strict letter of the Charter Act, and
that we now qualify by using the word
unearned." This 10 whopper. 1t Is
untrue, and, az the Ledger evidently
carefully peruses the utteranoes of this
paper. we must also add that IL Is Sian
derously and maliciously 80. We are
in favor of FORGETTING all unearned land
grants to corporations. In the case OF
the Northern Pacific, such unearned
lands" include ell claimed for oon-
struction Of its railroad since July 4,
1877. This is the only just method of
dealing with that company, and no
abatement should be made by Congress
In Its favcr. For the information of
the Ledger and settlers who have pur
chased lands Of the railroad company
the text Of the Northern Pacific For
fixture bill, as reported by MI. Henly,
from the Committee on Public Lands.
and which is now ON the House calen-
dar, is reproduced below, it having
been heretofore published In both our
daily and weekly edition. With a
change of the date, 1879. in the first
section to 1877, We hope 1t will be passed
by Congress and become law next
winter.
Be il enacted by The Senate and House Of
Of Representatives. Qfths United States u
America ia Congress assembled;
That except an to all lands granted
for that portion of the road of the
Northern Pacific Railroad which was
completed before July 4, A. ID. 1879, and
also excepting the right Of way, with
necessary lands used in operating said
In aid of the construction of said North.
srn Pacific Railroad by act Of Congress
approved July 2, A. ID. 1864 (thirteenth
Statutes at Large, page 1861. be and ID
Ia hereby declared forfeited and deter.
mined and the said act making the
grant Is, so far As the said grant ID con
cerned, hereby repealed. and said lands
are hereby restored 10 the public do
main for sale and settlement under ex-
listing laws Of the Uuited States, and
ell of said lands shall be held aud
treated ~ though said grant and the
Withdrawals under IL had never been
made: Provided, That in case any of
the lands embraced within the terms of
this act 10 which said railroad company
wonld have been entitled had the said
road been constructed as provided in
the acs making the grant have been
sold by said company prior to January
i, A. ID. 1884, tho party or person so
purchasing any Of said lands, his heirs
and assigns, shall have the right 10 the
lands 80 purchased to the extent of leo
acres, upon making proof Of the fact of
such purchase before tho register at the
local land office of the district where
said lands may be located aud upon
proof as above within twelve months of
the passage OF this act patents shall
issue TO the parties entitled thereto for
the land.
SEQ. 2. That all persons who have
made actual settlement or have made
valuable improvements upon the odd
numbered sections adjacent 10 the said
road or branch thereof. without con.
tract or purchase therefor, With bona
hde intent 20 secure title shersto by ppr.
chase from said Northern Pacific Rail
road Company, when the said company
had earned she same by compliance
with the conditions and requirements
OF said act, and being citizen Of the
United States, or having declared his
Intention 30 become one in compliance
with the naturalization laws of the
United States, shalt be entitled to enter
one quarter section OF 100 acres each, of
the lands 80 settled upon or improved
by such person. under the pre-enpsiou
or homestead laws Of the United States;
and In case such person has exhausted
bis OF her right under said laws, then
and IN that case such person may enter
one quarter section, of leo acres, of the
land 90 settled upon or improved, by
paying therefor $i.2s per acre.
An exchange says: TIE campaign
liar has started in. II is supposed he Is
the same man that gave cnur d'Alene
such a boost" This mus. refer TO the
Northern Pacific officials who pnhlisAea