Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-28
SLATER. VAN wrcx AND peLrH.

A Washington correspondent Of the
Portland Standard writes a. follows Of
the acts aud positions Of three c. s.
Senators who are Of considerable per-
sonal interest just nov in this Territory
and Oregon:
On Friday the Senate Comm ittee on
Public Lands mad up for consideration
ihs till introduced by Senator Slater,
but DO final action Was taken on IT. The
same day Van Wyck introduct d resO-
luton IN the Senate calling upon the
Secretary of the Interior to withhold
the issuance Of patents To lands claimed
10 have been earned by the Northern
Pacific Railroad on piece OF road that
runs 10 the Puyailup coal fields in Wash
In9ton Territory. A debate ensued in
which il was claimed that this short
road was not part of the main road of
the Northern Pacific, nor any of its
branches, aud consequently the eompa-
uy was nat entitled to the patents; the
lands sought to be p4tssted were worth
S2o To $50 per acre, ard the Company
had not made the demand till six years
after this zee of road was constructed
The resolution went over until next
week. Your correspondent saw Senator
Van WICK after the Senate adjourned
and propounded to him the following
interrogatory:
"Sena'Or, the people of the North Pa
| clfic, in Oregon aud Washington Terri
tory, are all very deeply interested in
| the action of Congress, especially of the
| Ssnate. on the bilh introduced by Sena-
| tor Slater to provide for the forfeiture
| Of the Northern Pacific land grant, can
/ YOU, as msmber of the Land Commit
tee, inform me what action, If any, has
been taken on the bill; also what chance
of its being reported to the Senate al
an early day, aud whether the report, IN
your opinion, Will be favorable; also
what obstacles, If any, to prevent the
early action of the committee on the
billy"
Senator Van Wyck replied, in sub
stance. as follows:
IL think that Senator Skaters bill will
be passed on by ths committee favora
hly, bat there have been several una
void able delays, and the antagonism IS
In nv opinion, principally through Mr.
Dolph, who takes the position that The
lands should not he forfeited, as the
company has earned them. I his bill o.
Mr.. Slater's does not 90 so far as tbs
House bill IN its forfeitnres, bot thinl
that Mr. Slater's bill will be passed OF
favorably by the comm ttee, and that i
will, when reported, be- passed by thu
Senate"
learn also, from other and very reli
able sources, that Mr.. Dolph is present
ing every obstacle in his power TO pre-
vent the consideration of MIR. Slater
bill by the committee, and TINS is dom
by asking the committee to take no ant
consider other matters. aud there ar,
!. plenty of bills to Ie considered. and thu
delay the consideration of Mr.. Slater
bill ana also credibly Informed tina
Mr.. ID ,lph is using, as far as he can, th'
Republican element of the committe,
to prev mt the consideration of Slater
. bill. There is one very ominous an'
curious fact, and it has been commented
on frequently, aud that Is that this /
. the first time in the Senate that the tw,
Senators from the same State should h
placed on the same committee-Publl
Lands Committeeman 1t looks AS !
the com mittee had been picked for som,
special service. Mr.. Slater was on tn
committee ss a matter of right, aud ao
cordiDg to the customs and cou:tesi, s o
the Senate. Why Mr.. Dolph VS. pu
, on that same committee remains to b
explained.