Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-09-16
nllly .INTELllGENCER


When President Harris, Of the North
ern Pacific Railroad, vas IN Seattle h4~'
July. he declared in an address before
the Chamber Of Commsrce, that ali the
oaioos reservations In the deeds given
by his company to purchasers OF us
lands had been excluded. and that
thereafter the title given by the com
panv would be as free from restrictions
ss though II came direct from theUnited
States Government. Mr.. schulze aiso'
q. the sane time, INTERCEPTED state
ment to the same effect. declaring tna'
,ha snb;sot had been discussed in the
papers for ak months, aud thas tue
BOARD of Directors had passed a reSoin-
ton 20 remove IN future the odioas re-
strictions complsinsd Of.
few weeks later we received letter
from Mason conn:v, enclosing one OF
Mr.. schnltz's letters in reply to an APP
ulication 10 purchase section oil isno
claimed by the Northern pacine' In
reply, Mr.. Schulzs said:
"All mineral rights 10 coal or iron on
ar In the land, will be reserved oy tne
co.nnany In the deed. The company
aI.o reserves the right OF way for Its
railroad. or any Of its branches, also
the rioht 10 take water from, over, OF
through the above described premises
for railroad uses"
This letter was written PRIOR 20 the
visit OF President Harris and Mr..
sehuIze TO Seattle, commenting upon
which We said that possibly the e0rrec'
,ion had bean 10 Ade since It vas SENT
and prior to their visit here. It's no"
asserted that upon tue 2oth OF Angus
the Board OF Directors adopted a for
nal rssolntion instrueting its land de-
psrtment TO give deeds for all agr'e'''fs'
raj lands without placing any resersa'
tions In them, except where the lands
sold lie adjacent to the main iine' OF
anv branches constructed or In process
Of construction, and that IN such cases
right OF way and fencing requirements
are to be inserted.
Either this statement Is wrong, or
those made by President Harris and
Mr.. Schulze over a month prior to the
alleged adoption Of the resolution are
incorrect. Both those gentlemen stated
July 18th, publicly. that the deeds had
then been corrected. Six weeks after
ward the Hoard Of Directors pass re-
solution directing their correction. and
the Portland land Office IL now alleged
10 be preparing blank forms OF deeds
free from reservations, TO be heroaftei
used. Such little discrepancies are
perhaps, naturally inseparable 10 huge
corporation. which does not always 70
auire its officers 10 state exact facts for
public information.
We congratulate the people that thus
much has been accomplished by repeat
ed attacks upon shameful practice and
persistent demands for it's discontinu-
anoe. Had IL not been for 'tha press"
the Northern Pacific would still have
been engaged in the Infamous practice
Of making tenants instead of freehold-
ers of every purchaser Of its lands. But
IL does not yet do AZ Mr.. Harris said two
months ago it was then doing. II does
not give 20 its purchasers ~ good y title
M IL will receive when IL gets ~ from
the United States. The patent TO the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company
from the general government will con
tain no reservation of right of way To
railroad corporations, nor will 1t stipu
late for any fencing. IL will be unoon.
ditioued, absolute; whereas deed with
a reservation IL not No. Why should the
purchaser Of lands along the line If the
Northern Pacific DO compelled to build
and maintain the fences between bis
property and the railroadl IL the pur-
chaser of an adj lining even section
through which the railroad runs re-
quired TO do 40 by the government. of
whom he obtains titlep liz the holder
Of government title required TO sur
render q strip of land as right of way
for railroad without compensation?
why should settlers be compelled 10
build and maintaia fences for the
Northern Pacific or any other railroad
company. whose duty 1t is to do that
work itself, or else pay damages result
ing from nealectY The Northern Pa
ciho does not yet give clear title to its
lands, nor will IL do so until IL sells
them 10 purchasers rs free from reser-
vations and membranes IA IL receives
them from the United States. reser
walton, be II great or small. Is an ineum.
brance. II the Northern Pacific pro
poses TO act fairly with Its purchasers
let Il give them clear title-when il
gets II from the government.