The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-03-05
70 THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS-.
The Northern Pacific Railroad Versus
The Settlers.

| Your attention is respectfully called to
the following resolution Of the board of
directors of the Northern Pacific railroad
company, adopted October 18th, 1879,
then published as circulars and in the
public newspapers, and sent over the
country as an inducement to promote
emigration to, and secure the early settle
ment OF, the company's lands west of the
Missouri river:
'The following copy of resolution by
the board of directors of this company
states plainly the policy of the company
| in regard to the sales Of its lands west of
the Missouri river.
Resolved, That the agricultural lands
of the company west of the Missouri
river to Puget Sound shall be offered for
sale to actual settlers at the government
price of two dollars and half cash Fer
acre, it'll an addition Of ten cents per
acre to be paid to the company to reim-
burse it for the cost of selecting, survey
ing, and conveying said lands. This res
olution does not apply to coal or iron
lands; nor to lands chiefly valuable for
timber; nor to lands required for town
sites; nor in regions where water is
scarce, to lands containing springs or
other natural supply, where it shall be
for the interest of settlers at large that
such water privileges shall not be exclu-
sively held or controlled by any individ
uals; nor to lands required for the use of
the company in connection with the OPP
Grafton of the road"
Awaiting themselves of this offer, made
by the railroad company, large numbers
of settlers (many with their families)
emigrated to western Dakota, Montana,
Idaho, and Washington Territory, and
settled upon the agricultural lands of that
region. Some went before, others after
the lands were surveyed. Some before,
others after the road was completed.
These hardy pioneers of civilization from
every State in the Union located upon
the agricultural lands. built their houses.
and improved their farms.
Strange as it may appear, the company
now refuses to fulfil the letter and the
spirit of the resolution of invitation to
these settlers, and is now charging them
from five to twenty-five dollars per acre
for these very lands, which it assured
them they should have for two dollars
and sixty cents per acre. In numerous
cases, where the Improvements made are
valuable, the price charged by the COM
pany for the lands is SO exhorbitant as to
cover not only the cost of the land, but
of the improvements also. The course
pursued towards the settlers by the rail-
road company is outrageously oppressive
and tyrannical, and calls loudly upon
congress for the interposition of its ALL
thority to protect these people against
the usurpation of this colossal monopoly.
The lands donated by congress to this
corporation within the four Territories of
Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washing
ton, amounts to 53,12OOOO acres If sold
at the price at which the company offered
to sell to actual settlers, viz, two dollars
and sixty cents per acre, it would yield
to the company the sum of Sl32 500, 900.
In view of the fact that this enormous
donation to the company was taken from
the public domain, every acre Of which
belonged to the people of the United
States. it does not appear that it could
work serious hardship to the company,
for congress to compel it to convey to
these poor settlers their homes at the
price agreed upon in the resolution above
named.
If it be true, as was stated ny the Lan1
Commissioner of the road few days
since, in St. Paul, that the company does
not want settlers on it's lands, and will
not sell them in small tracts of three or
four sections or less to actual settlers, a
very important and grave question is
presented as to what effect such policy
will have upon the future growth, devel-
opment, and prosperity of these four ter
ritories, with "a, 500 square miles of land
taken from them and placed beyond the
reach of the people and without the con-
troll of their legislatures.
1t is not to be supposed that the direc-
tors Of the Northern Pacific company
know nothing about these outrageous
transactions, or that they are the sharp
workings of a combination of subordinate
officers Of the company. However this
may be, congress is called on to ascertain
the true condition of things in this mat
ter, and, if necessary, to interpose the
strong arm of the National Government
to protect the people against any further
usurpations by this growing monopoly,
and take the necessary steps to open up
this vast domain to settlement, to the
people of the United States.
The act incorporating this company
reserves ample power to congress to
remedy this evil if it will.
Very respectfully,